2008 L.A. Auto Show: Is the 2010 Ford Mustang New Enough?

no...

Not new. It's a refresh on what was a pretty darned good looking car to begin with.

I'd say it's a refresh. An all new car would have finally gotten IRS, a better V6 (210hp?? Are you kidding me?? That's all you could find in 4.0L???), and a 6-speed. Interior looks pretty good, but I'll reserve judgment for when I actually see one up close.

Definitely a refresh, but much more attractive than the car it updates (not that I dislike that one either). The interior is better, though still too boxy, imo. This is one of the things I dislike in the Ford trucks and SUVs too, though, so the company is mostly consistent (love the new Fusion interior!).

I should've clarified- the dash design is too boxy. The rest of the interior I really find attractive. I'd guess the dash in the car will grow on me with time.

Ford knows its a refresh. But its a thorough refresh. Same with the Z. Why do you guys only have a problem with the Mustang not being "all new"? Its so new that most people will think its all new. I cant see how anyone could be disappointed with the final product when Ford has been leaking photos out for 2 months. We all knew it was an evolutionary redesign. Just like the Z and Rx.

Ford knows its a refresh. But its a thorough refresh. Same with the Z. Why do you guys only have a problem with the Mustang not being "all new"? Its so new that most people will think its all new. I cant see how anyone could be disappointed with the final product when Ford has been leaking photos out for 2 months. We all knew it was an evolutionary redesign. Just like the Z and Rx.

It's a refresh. In the same way Porsche refreshes the 911 and Boxster every few years, which the auto media never seems to complain about. Evolution vs. revolution. Nothing wrong with that.

"Same with the Z"

The Ford has received a few new engine components, interior bits, and sheet metal changes. Underneath, however, it's pretty much the same car. Same engine choices. Same transmissions. Same chassis. It's a refresh. The Z has gotten a new engine, new automatic transmission, new (shorter & lighter) platform, new suspension, and new interior. The Z may look similar to the previous one, but it really is an all new car.

It seems like a refresh in the same way that the taurus and fusion are refreshed: pretty thoroughly different but on the same platform. That being said, I would definitely consider getting this instead of the challenger or camarro.

Fords problem is that they over-hyped a refresh, so now everyone is disappointed.

If it works, don't fix it. The design of the current Mustang works more then any of the last 3 have....so a refresh is quite adequate.

Its a major facelift. They took what made the car good, didnt hurt it and improved on many weak points of the car, like the interior. Also, the personalization options are goign to attractive to everyone ala Scion. Scions were never performance cars but people bought em like crazy simply because they were cool. I cant believe I'm saying this, but the Camaro is not the shoo-in I thought it was going to be

The interior upgrades look nice, but even on these close-up photos, you can tell they're still using the same hard, cheap-looking plastic (around the center stack, the doors, etc) that I have in my 2006 GT convertible. I hope I'm wrong, but I'd place bets that they haven't truly changed these plastics. At least the cheap mid-90's HVAC controls do appear to be nicer.

The "fresh" exterior I think looks a bit nicer too. Getting rid of the 80's style antenna on the front, and moving it to the back alone is a nice improvement. As are the body-colour mirrors now. Though, I hope there's a body-colour lower body option (rockers, front/rear valance) instead of just the black for GTs. It looks okay, but I'm sure some won't like the all black bottom.

As for power...it doesn't "need" more. 10 years ago we'd all be drooling over 315-hp (even 5 years ago), and this hp race is BS. Never mind that the Camaro and Challengers are heavier anyway, and need some of the extra power to overcome that.

I hope Edmunds remembers its coverage of the first "redesign" of the Mustang whenever the Camaro and Challenger are "redesigned" (if the companies are still around, being serious). I'm sure no matter what design changes occur, you'll be saying how beautifully evolutionary the designs of those are. Of course by then, you'll be complaining about the next generation Mustang's new design.

Also, I've seen pics of the 2010 Mustang and I was wondering about what is surrounding the grill. In some pics, it looks like there is a wide chrome piece surrounding it. I liked the look, giving homage to all of the chrome on the 60s models, without being too much. Of course, maybe my eyes are deceiving me.

Considering that they had to use all the existing "hardpoints" this is a pretty extensive restyle that comes off looking well-integrated. It's still satisfyingly and unmistakeably "Mustang", looking like nothing else which can't be said for many makes these days. I can think of about a dozen different ways I might have gone with the tail lamps but I do like the concave rear cove reminiscent of the '69-'70 models and the sequential led turn signals will be the buzz next spring.
All-in-all it's nice to look at this car and from every angle see a bit of classic-Mustang heritage...and thankfully not a hint of the Mustang II! Nice work Ford. Now just stay in business!

sabastian,

The Z may be all new but you cant tell from looking at it. I would call it an evolution of the old car. I wouldnt call the engine "new" either. Its the same engine, only larger and with a few extra tricks. All Nissans with a V6 use the same engine. And another thing, I dont think the 2010 Z looks any better than the old one. I think the Mustang looks substantially better. I'd still take the Camaro but Ford did a great job, especially inside.

sabastian,

The Z may be all new but you cant tell from looking at it. I would call it an evolution of the old car. I wouldnt call the engine "new" either. Its the same engine, only larger and with a few extra tricks. All Nissans with a V6 use the same engine. And another thing, I dont think the 2010 Z looks any better than the old one. I think the Mustang looks substantially better. I'd still take the Camaro but Ford did a great job, especially inside.

Funny how 1487 changes his tune (which I'm sure he'll deny in his reply to this post):

First: "But its a thorough refresh. Same with the Z."

Then: "The Z may be all new but you cant tell from looking at it. I would call it an evolution of the old car."

This after someone pointed out the updated hardware between the two (key among them being a new platform for the Z, which of course 1487 glossed over in his reply).

Sorry, couldn't help it.

1487,

you know Z is all new. You know it as well as everyone else. So please stop with 'evolution' demagogy. Mustang is just an economy update. Doesn't matter if you can't tell something about a car 'by looking at it' or whether you think it looks better than the previous generation. Deal with cold hard facts.

roar:

You got me again. YOu are just too good. I didnt realize the Z was all new because it doesnt look all new. Since it is new I question why it looks virtually the same. We all knew the Mustang wasnt all new so what's the problem.

"you know Z is all new. You know it as well as everyone else."

You read minds? I thought it was a restyling on the same RWD platform. "cold hard facts"? What are you talking about? Do you think the average buyer knows when a car is on an all knew platform? to the average buyer both cars will simply appear to be updates of the previous models. I do not get why you are so defensive about the Z. Its an evolutionary design change, even IL says so. The hardware may be substantially upgraded but the styling isnt.

roar:

You got me again. YOu are just too good. I didnt realize the Z was all new because it doesnt look all new. Since it is new I question why it looks virtually the same. We all knew the Mustang wasnt all new so what's the problem.

"you know Z is all new. You know it as well as everyone else."

You read minds? I thought it was a restyling on the same RWD platform. "cold hard facts"? What are you talking about? Do you think the average buyer knows when a car is on an all knew platform? to the average buyer both cars will simply appear to be updates of the previous models. I do not get why you are so defensive about the Z. Its an evolutionary design change, even IL says so. The hardware may be substantially upgraded but the styling isnt.

roar:

You got me again. YOu are just too good. I didnt realize the Z was all new because it doesnt look all new. Since it is new I question why it looks virtually the same. We all knew the Mustang wasnt all new so what's the problem.

"you know Z is all new. You know it as well as everyone else."

You read minds? I thought it was a restyling on the same RWD platform. "cold hard facts"? What are you talking about? Do you think the average buyer knows when a car is on an all knew platform? to the average buyer both cars will simply appear to be updates of the previous models. I do not get why you are so defensive about the Z. Its an evolutionary design change, even IL says so. The hardware may be substantially upgraded but the styling isnt.

For really needs to up that v6... Its been around since the mid 1990s... It needs at least 245hp... Not just for the mustang, but for the Explorer, Sports Trac, Mustang, and possibly even the Next Ranger.

With for in need of money, don't be surprised if the Next Ranger uses the Mustang/Explorer platform but instead of a v8, there is an I4.

-Cj

It does not seem as new because the GT500 already had a similarly aggressive front end, but keep in mind these base models look much better than the old base models did.

1487,

here we go again...

"But its a thorough refresh. Same with the Z."
Does this ring the bell?

The cold hard facts, as mentioned by sebastian and IL, are the new platform, suspension, engine (it is a NEW engine for Z), interior, and styling. Yes styling. But I believe this criteria should be excluded since it's in the eye of the beholder. So in my opinion being all new doesn't get much closer than this.

Bottom line is you equated mustang's refresh/update with Z's complete redesign, which was a false statement.

I just said I thought it was a refresh at first but have learned its on a new platform.

Where is the controversy? I see its all new now. I did not study the 370Z in detail because I really could care less. It's a substantially new car that looks like the old car. Most buyers only care about the differences they can see and touch.

Both cars have made evolutionary changes in styling and thats what matters to most people. It is true that the Z is more "all new" than the Mustang. In terms of the Mustang, the engine is about the only thing that wasnt changed. Styling, features, interior design, stiffness, rolling stock and safety gear have been upgraded. Thats pretty damn new to me. You guys are acting like the Mustang is nothing more than a fascia change and Ford didnt spend real money.

I just said I thought it was a refresh at first but have learned its on a new platform.

Where is the controversy? I see its all new now. I did not study the 370Z in detail because I really could care less. It's a substantially new car that looks like the old car. Most buyers only care about the differences they can see and touch.

Both cars have made evolutionary changes in styling and thats what matters to most people. It is true that the Z is more "all new" than the Mustang. In terms of the Mustang, the engine is about the only thing that wasnt changed. Styling, features, interior design, stiffness, rolling stock and safety gear have been upgraded. Thats pretty damn new to me. You guys are acting like the Mustang is nothing more than a fascia change and Ford didnt spend real money.

I just said I thought it was a refresh at first but have learned its on a new platform.

Where is the controversy? I see its all new now. I did not study the 370Z in detail because I really could care less. It's a substantially new car that looks like the old car. Most buyers only care about the differences they can see and touch.

Both cars have made evolutionary changes in styling and thats what matters to most people. It is true that the Z is more "all new" than the Mustang. In terms of the Mustang, the engine is about the only thing that wasnt changed. Styling, features, interior design, stiffness, rolling stock and safety gear have been upgraded. Thats pretty damn new to me. You guys are acting like the Mustang is nothing more than a fascia change and Ford didnt spend real money.

It's definitely not a new car, the styling is still too similar to really call it a new generation. But it doesn't need a complete overhaul. It looked great in the first place, and the only reason the Challenger and Camaro are so new is because they've come back from the dead. If they had existed for the past few years, odds are they wouldn't get much besides a refresh either. You have to remember that it's two brand new cars being compared to a car that doesn't have holes in its history. I'll admit it needs some drivetrain and suspension upgrades, though

And dang, i wish i had that gold fastback in my garage. The glass roof is an awesome option.