Spy photos show information about 2015 Mustang

Jim Dunne, the Detroit Bureau - 1 day

It's no secret, the Ford plans to throw a big party celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang when it rolls out next year from the line. But has remained a secret, what looks like the 2015 Mustang.

Until now.

Model our spies captured images of elusive 2015 Mustang that some details, even if the car is rear front show. Ford is expected to be the new design to reveal some time in 2014.

Front headlight holes indicate that the lights on the front fenders, not deep into the radiator grille are set below high are. On the rear, the tail lights in the trunk are set higher. The wheels with the 5 split spokes representation appear new.

A hole in the canvas above the front wheel opening is never seen any air vent, a feature on Mustangs. Although we cannot see the rear suspension, which offers 15 model supposedly an independent rear Setup is a first for the Mustang.


Ford has the 15 model to make his debut at the New York International Auto Show 2014 election victory. After decades of the Pack in the muscle car Mustang of the Chevrolet Camaro in recent times raised above. Chevrolet hoped that sales gap greater than by introducing a freshened Camaro including a model SS during the New York International Auto Show earlier of this month. That puts even more pressure on Ford, get it right, when it launches the next-generation Mustang.

An introduction of the New York International Auto show, the car would come full circle, in a sense a few days before its official debut at the world's fair in 1964 in New York bringing the first Coupe Ford unveiled on April 17, 1964. It was an immediate success, help Ford country car design guru, Lee Iacocca, on the covers of many timeand Newsweek.

The first of the "pony cars" Mustang was an immediate success. While the icon almost 50-year run were sold more than 8.5 million Mustangs.

"Not too many cars around for 49 years have been", said David Pericak, Chief Engineer of the Mustang, built during a new event marking the millionth Mustang Ford flat rock, Michigan plant. "It is more than a car. It is a symbol. Rock 'n' roll songs and a star in films yet, "he added, and became a huge success on the track."

The first Ford Mustang for as little as $2.368 (which today would be equivalent to $17.780) was introduced as a 1964 1/2 model. Ironically during the galloping horse image that was associated with the original Ford Mustang, the car was original designer John Najjar, a fan of the most successful fighter of World War II, the P-51 Mustang. Corporate officer liked the name but thought the horses picture was better.

The fast-acting Coupe was not nearly so temperamental, surfaced as it, but with its compact, 170-cubic-inch engine and three-speed manual transmission was. That would change soon a procession of new facilities as the automakers, which rolled out a more powerful set of engine packages, and in the following years.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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Mustang to get a new look for 50th anniversary

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit BureauHas retro finally run its course?  Much like Hollywood studios, automakers like to bet on sure things, and showrooms have plenty of examples of how everything old can become new again, like the latest reincarnation of the Volkswagen Beetle, and the revival of the Chevrolet Camaro.

But Ford, which scored a huge hit with the old-is-new ’94 Mustang remake, and which subsequently created a studio specifically to develop more retro design opportunities, is apparently ready to step into the future.

An all-new version of the original pony car – dubbed Mustang III by Ford insiders – will debut just in time for the nameplate’s 50th anniversary, in mid-2014.  And it will have a lot more in common with the widely acclaimed Evos concept that Ford unveiled last autumn than with the current Mustang.

And the changes will be far more than skin deep.  Reflecting both the desire to start marketing Mustang beyond North American shores, as well as the need to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy standards, insiders report the new model will offer an array of advanced high-mileage engines.

Ford has further impetus to re-think the Mustang basics.  Long the dominant player in the pony car segment, Mustang has taken a beaten from the reborn Camaro, which is now solidly outselling the Ford offering.

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There’s no question Ford wants to hit a home run when it re-launches the new Mustang for 2014.  Introduced by former President Lee Iacocca at the New York World’s Fair, the original was an immediate success, demand quickly outstripping supply and setting off a race by Ford’s competitors to come up with a response.

Over the years, the big battle has been between Ford and Chevy, the GM division eventually dropping the Camaro due to sluggish sales.  But the 2010 revival has clicked with consumers and Camaro last year outsold Mustang 88,249 to 70,438.  Through March of this year, the gap has closed a bit, Chevy just 1,800 ahead of Ford – the latter maker hoping to reverse its fading fortunes with the updated, 650-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT. That will give it a 70 hp advantage over the ZL1, the most powerful Camaro ever launched.

But in reality, while such high-performance versions might offer a halo to the two brands, most customers opt for less sporty V-6 offerings.  And industry analysts say that trend is almost certain to continue in the face of rising fuel costs – and a U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard set to reach 34.5 mpg in 2016 and 56.2 mpg by 2025.

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And that’s likely to mean a variety of big changes to just every detail of the next Mustang.

Like aerodynamics.  Expect the remake — likely to be marketed as a 2015 model — to deliver a much more wind-slick pony car.  The good news is that by reducing wind resistance Ford should be able to enhance performance, as well as fuel economy.

The same goes for weight.  As TheDetroitBureau.com reported last year, recently-retired global product chief Derrick Kuzak set a mandate of trimming the weight of the average Ford vehicle by about 700 pounds.  That’s good news considering that recent generations of the Mustang have gotten heavier and heavier as the maker loaded up all sorts of new hardware, from airbags to infotainment systems, never mind those big V-8s.

Switching to an all-new platform and body could also enhance the appeal of the Mustang overseas, where it has never been much more than a niche player.  But CEO Alan Mulally, as part of his One Ford strategy, has made it clear that whenever and wherever possible, Ford products will be sold in as many markets as possible with only the most minimal variations.  The new Fusion, for example, has about 80% of its parts and components in common with the European Ford Contour.

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And like the Fusion, the Mustang III project appears to be relying on the basic shape of that Evos concept car – minus the four gull-wing doors shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show.  Images circling the automotive community – the one shown here produced for PopularHotRodding.com– suggest the new Mustang will even get the Evos/Fusion grille, itself clearly influenced by Ford’s former Aston Martin division.  But the flared rear shoulders, swept C-pillar and other details envisioned by artist Sean Smith show that Ford could still maintain key, classic Mustang cues.

Other widely anticipated changes will likely include a long-overdue switch for a “live,” or solid, rear axle to a fully independent rear suspension – much as GM endowed the new Camaro with.  While Ford has earned kudos for what it has accomplished with the old “stick,” it clearly can take things a big step further with an IRS.  And by increasing sales volumes it should be able to minimize the cost penalty.

As for powertrains, Ford may still find use for the current V-6, which surprised the motoring world with 30 mpg fuel economy and 300-plus horsepower when it debuted a few years back.  But the world is moving in a very different direction, and Ford isn’t content to play fast follower.  It has been rapidly expanding the use of its new turbocharged EcoBoost line-up which, Mulally has promised, will be available in 80% of Ford’s North American vehicles in a few years – and even more of its overseas lines.

Anticipate a 2.0-liter, inline-four EcoBoost, which would give the current V-6 a run for its money.  Meanwhile, there have been long-standing rumors of a V-8 EcoBoost project.  That could yield Shelby-style performance with even better mileage than the current Mustang GT’s relatively modest 5,0-liter eight-banger.

Somewhere in the middle might be a high-mileage, twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost, similar to the one in the current Taurus SHO – at least if the fuel economy advantage would offset the price penalty for this sophisticated powertrain.

How far might things go? There are even rumors of a Mustang hybrid. And considering that even Ferrari is toying with such technology why not Ford?

One of the challenges Ford faces will be marketing the next Mustang in different parts of the world where its competitive set might be markedly different.  That could mean anything from the Camaro to the BMW 3-Series, with the latest Hyundai Genesis Coupe thrown in for good measure.

There’s no question it’s a risky venture.  Ford came close to making a complete paradigm shift once before.  About two decades ago, it was ready to switch to a front-wheel-drive model that was little more than a renamed Ford Probe – a short-lived sporty coupe.

When word leaked out it triggered a tidal wave of opposition from traditionalists and led Ford to stick with the familiar pony car shape two generations had already grown up with.

Will a new Millennial generation be more accepting? If this artist’s guesstimate of the new Mustang III is on target, Ford won’t abandon the historic Mustang look entirely. And might some significant performance enhancements, such as the independent rear suspension, win over older Mustang loyalists?  Or will they flee to Chevy showrooms?

Ford will soon find out if the stories leaking out of its Dearborn, Michigan headquarters prove on target.

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950 horses! Mustang puts focus on muscle cars

The Detroit Bureau

The Shelby 1000 boasts 950 horsepower on the street, 1,100 hp in the track edition.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, msnbc.com contributor

Carroll Shelby has never shied away from a challenge – especially one he’s set for himself.  And ever since teaming up with one-time Ford President Lee Iacocca back in the mid-1960s, Shelby continually has found ways to pump more power out of the back wheels of a Mustang. 

His latest effort, on display at the NY Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, is the Shelby 1000, which makes a cool 950 horsepower on the street, 1,100 hp in the track edition.

Shelby isn’t alone. The halls of the Javits Center are filled with an array of high-performance models, including the new Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, at 621 hp, and the 593 hp McLaren MP4-12C. Barely two decades ago, a top-line performer such as the Porsche 911 could barely squeeze out 200 ponies. Today, there are more than 70 models making at least 500, and a baker’s dozen top 600 hp.

While the spotlight is on high-mileage products, especially those using alternative propulsion systems, a sizable number of American buyers remain fixated on cars that can go fast, faster, fastest. And while many makers now offer high-mileage “eco” versions of their mainstream products, just as many are introducing performance variants, such as the 2013 Ford Focus ST.

But today’s high-performance cars have some significant differences from those of decades past. Significantly, they’re delivering not only more power but also substantially better mileage. And a new generation of advanced, battery-based propulsion systems could yield a line-up of cars that might best be described as mean and green.

“Even people who can afford today’s performance cars don’t like to admit they’re just getting 12 miles a gallon,” says Jess Toprak, the senior automotive analyst with TrueCar.com.

That’s driving luxury and performance automakers into a frantic search for ways to deliver more power, lower emissions and improved mileage all at the same time. 

The new Porsche 911 Carrera S, the seventh generation of the iconic German sports car, boosted its power from 385 to 400 horsepower – even while the new model delivers about 19 percent better fuel economy than the old 911.

Porsche has taken a number of steps to get there. Among other things, the new model is about 100 pounds lighter than the Gen-six 911. 

“Lightweighting” has become a mantra in today’s auto industry because it not only can yield better mileage but improved performance and handling, as well.

Of course, some of the biggest changes can be found under the hood, where manufacturers have discovered an assortment of ways to improve the time-tested internal combustion engine. That includes direct injection – where the air-fuel mixture is squirted right into each individual cylinder, resulting in a cleaner and more efficient ignition process. 

Then there’s turbocharging, a system that forces more of the air fuel mixture into the engine when the driver’s foot is pressing the floorboards but minimizes fuel consumption when cruising. That permits a maker to switch to a smaller displacement engine.

The old Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG used a 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V-8. The new model delivers substantially more power out of a 5.5-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that also makes about 30 percent better mileage.

The latest-generation Bentley Continental GT is delivering nearly the same level of performance as its classic V-12 out of a smaller, far more efficient V-8.

And then there are the diesels.  Porsche is pushing well into 30 mpg territory with the new Cayenne diesel also debuting at this month’s NY Auto Show.  Yet the “oil burner” has enough torque to launch the big SUV from 0 to 60 in just 7.4 seconds.

German manufacturers have been big proponents of diesel power. BMW introduced a line-up of high-performance models, including the M550d, which is only an eye-blink slower than the gas-powered 2013 M5, at about 4.5 seconds 0 to 60.  For the moment, unfortunately, there are no plans to bring the super-diesel to the U.S.

Vehicles like that, suggests analyst Toprak, “You don’t feel guilty about it.”

And the next generation of performance cars might make one feel downright proud. Among the most notable debuts in New York City this month, was the Infiniti LE Concept.  That’s “LE,” as in “Luxury Electric.” 

Based on the same underlying platform as the Nissan Leaf, the prototype features a decidedly more sleek body and its electric drive system has been re-tuned to deliver substantially better performance, declared Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Infiniti’s parent, Nissan Motor Co.

As a result, driving a car like the LE – which will go into production by early 2013, said Ghosn – “Will be both desirable and sustainable.”

Nissan is not alone.  Audi is developing a plug-in hybrid version of its R8 supercar, which will be the first in a line of battery-based performance models to go by the designation etron. BMW has a new brand-within-a-brand that will market products like the plug-in i9 sports car – which Tom Cruise drove in the most recent installment of the Mission Impossible movie franchise.  And Mercedes is finishing development of a battery-electric version of its gull-winged SLS supercar.

While performance cars might not rule the road the way they did in the days of the classic ‘60s muscle cars, there still are plenty of drivers with a need for speed. For them – and perhaps the rest of us – the good news is that today’s performance cars can deliver a lot more power while sucking down a lot less fuel.

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Shelby rolls out a 950-horsepower Mustang

The Detroit Bureau

The Shelby 1000 makes 950 hp on the street, 1,100 on the track.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit BureauWhen Carroll Shelby says he’s got a new muscle car on tap, take him seriously.  The legendary automotive raconteur’s latest take on the Mustang will deliver enough tire-squealing torque and horsepower to make gold-chained Ferraristas duck for cover.

That’s 950 hp, to be precise, only slightly less than the $1.4 million Bugatti Veyron ultracar makes.  And that’s for the street legal version of the Shelby 1000 that will take its bow at the New York Auto Show next week.  The track-ready pony car bumps the number all the way up to 1,100 horsepower.

Since the former race car driver-cum-automotive entrepreneur first teamed up with Lee Iacocca, back in the mid-‘60s, Shelby has never shied away from the challenge of pumping a little more power out of a Mustang.  The latest offering takes things one very large step beyond the last Mustang upgrade from Shelby American, the GT500 Super Snake “only” able to make a measly 800 hp.

Says Shelby American CEO John Luft, the Shelby 1000 targets “anybody who has need for speed.”

Make that anybody who has the need – and the bank account to put that power to the pavement.  The street version of the Shelby 1000 will set you back $149,995.  That doesn’t cover speeding tickets, insurance – or the 2012 Shelby GT500 you’ll need to own in the first place.

The GT500 rolls off a conventional Ford assembly line and will cost you a seemingly paltry $48,810.  But then you ship or drive it out to the Nevada desert, about 20 miles from Las Vegas, where Shelby American runs a conversion shop.

What eventually rolls out may look a lot like what you came in with but there’s really not much left over from the original car.  The factory-stock 5.4-liter V-8 is completely torn down and reassembled using new rods, piston and crankshaft.  About the only thing left is the original block.

Other updates focus on improved handling and stopping capabilities with 6 pistons in front and 4 pistons in the rear, while the suspension includes new struts, sway bars and bushings.  The new solid driveshaft is connected to a 9-inch rear end.  Exterior cues incorporate aerodynamics while maintaining a stealthy appearance.  The hood, rear panel and splitter are functional pieces.

The Shelby 1000 project was launched almost on a whim, the 89-year-old Carroll Shelby pronouncing his desire to build a Mustang with 1,000 horsepower.  Luft and his team have long known better than to say no.

“Carroll Shelby is a visionary who has pushed the boundaries of performance his entire life,” said Luft.  “He challenged the Shelby American team to develop the Shelby 1000 and wanted to unveil this amazing new Shelby at the New York Auto Show celebrating 50 years since he unveiled the very first Shelby Cobra that changed the face of high performance.”

Both the very first Shelby Cobra and the first Shelby 1000 will be on display at the upcoming NY Auto Show.

It’s no surprise Shelby American has designated the more powerful model for track use only, but what sort of road might one run a “street” car making 950 hp down?  Not a problem, Luft suggested to USA Today’s Chris Woodyard, insisting that in traffic, the Shelby 1000 is “stealth and below the radar.”

Shelby American plans to produce about 1,000 of the monsters, which are more like Clydesdales than ponies.  According to Luft, about a quarter of them have already been claimed.

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Ford launches ‘new’ ’65 Mustang

Everything old is new again — especially when it comes to the classic 1964-1/2, ’65 and ’66 Mustangs.

Like many makers, Ford has a catalogue full of parts for those original pony cars, everything from brakes to seats. But now, it seems, you can even order all-new, factory-approved Mustang bodies rather than having to scrounge up rusted and dinged-up originals.

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“The 1964-66 Mustang is the most restored vintage vehicle,” said Dennis Mondrach, Ford Restoration Parts licensing manager. “But the number of original 1964-66 vintage bodies is shrinking every year. Most of the original Mustangs left in scrapyards are rusted or wrecked beyond repair.”

So, for those determined to have an “original” Mustang, Ford turned to Pennsylvania-based Dynacom International, which was given access to original technical drawings, blueprints and specifications for parts. The supplier is producing precise duplicates of the original body – albeit with a few modifications that customers are likely to appreciate.

“The new body shell is made of virgin metal and uses modern welding techniques,” explained Mondrach. “It comes rustproofed, and after final adjustment and finish preparation of the body panels, it is ready for painting and final assembly.”

In fact, the steel used in the new bodies is a higher grade than the original Mustang’s, according to Dynacom Vice President Jim Christina.

“We use a modern universal automotive-grade steel that is actually stronger than the original, and modern welding techniques along with more welds to strengthen the body,” he said.

The ’65 Mustang body includes virtually all of the original car’s sheet metal from the radiator support to the taillight panel, including trunk id and doors. The only thing missing are the hood and front fenders, which are sold separately.

The body kit costs $15,000 and is shipped directly to a customer.

The kit can be transformed into anything from the original ’64-1/2 Mustang – which was introduced by one-time Ford President Lee Iacocca at the New York World’s Fair – to a ’66, depending on the powertrain and trim parts.

Someone purchasing the body shell simply has to transfer the engine and transmission, electric systems and other parts from a beyond-repair original Mustang – or they can order just about all the replacement parts to build an “original” pony car from the ground up from Ford’s restoration catalogue, at fordrestorationparts.com.

Meanwhile, the maker also has body shells for the 1967-68 and fastback 1969-70 Mustangs available.

Ford will debut the new ’65 body shell at this week’s SEMA Show, the annual aftermarket extravaganza in Las Vegas.

Copyright 2011 The Detroit Bureau. All rights reserved.

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Rare Mustang found while cleaning out the garage

Make LECOMPTON, Kansas - is out of a garage cleaning and the search for something so amazing that it was to win the lottery.

It happened a Lecompton businessman.

For the last 40 years as an auctioneer, Bill fair said that he has come across some weird stuff.

He said "A skull, parts of the body,".

But fair said he was not ready for what he found recently.

What fair found was one a classic 66 Shelby Mustang of only 1,100 manufactured and sold's of Carroll Shelby personal car much.

The fastback was sitting in the middle of a huge pile of junk-e-in a storage room. It has been 26 years and was in perfect condition in the vicinity.

"In the middle of the trash was a car," he said.

Fair does not really know what had just found his company. Some research has shown that similar cars sold upwards of $2 million for have.

Fair was rented by a court appointed lawyer in working with the Texas Attorney general's to take office and clean out of the building. When he told them about the car, they had delivered it to an auction in San Antonio.

And while fair never the classic Mustang again can see, he will never forget it.

Fair said she already have an offer of $60,000 for the car. The Prosecutor General's Office expects Texas, to $ 200,000 to.

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