Whatever you do, don't call this the Fusion Coupe. I've been up close and personal with the 2015 Ford Mustang all morning. I love it. You'll love it. You'll want to see this.
Trust me, where I live, I can't walk out the front door without seeing a Fusion. It's true, there's a hint of Fusion in the front end. Just a hint. There's a little bit of every Ford in every model because of global design strategy.
But the Mustang stands alone. You'll see this most looking from the side. I see a little vintage 911. I see a little of the current Viper. It swoops without being curvy and still not too fluidic like a Hyundai. Consider it the intersection of every current design trend with a Mustang twist.
Check out how the front fenders curve. It's a departure from the sharper edges of the previous generation. Gone, also, are any fake vents or scoops. Ford chief designer J Mays says there will be none of that for this new edition and are going for the real deal.
We didn't get to sit inside, but the greenhouse will probably be a little smaller. Ford promises a more comfortable interior. But I'm looking at the profile from the outside and it's lower and sportier.
I agree the front end is very Fusion-esque, especially if you focus too long on the headlights. And I'm not the biggest fan of the rear fenders or the C-pillar — it sort of interrupts the smoother flow for me.
It's lower to the ground and 44 millimeters wider than the outgoing Mustang, but not as aggressive, even with these changes. Mays told reporters the goal was to move away from the sharper styling that the last few Mustangs employed and recall some of the smoother aspects of the original prototype.
I asked Mays if he thought the previous Mustang was too aggressive. He said no, but he did acknowledge that it was smoothed out for European tastes. But the goal was to keep it "an American sports car."
Interestingly enough, even though it leaked Mays didn't talk much about a convertible, almost denying its existence. But it should show officially soon — probably at the auto show in Detroit next month.