Spy Photos: 2013 Ford Mustang GT500 or Boss 302?

Perhaps it's neither. Maybe it's a Mach 1

Well, it's been about a week since Ford came out with a new variation of the Mustang, so I'll go with neither.

And no, I'm not hating on the Mustang, just curious as to how many different 'Stangs they'll pop out before the next rebirth.

Looks to me like we may have the first shots of the highly secretive Mustang EV. Just in time for $5/gallon gas. Perfect timing Ford!

"The changes are subtle" Then why the camo? All it does is draw attention. In this case, it would probably have been better to just leave it off. Unless.... unless Ford WANTS to draw attention to the car.

Porsche could have saved a small fortune ove the last 40 years by not putting camo on the 911 variations.

The Mustang is like a 911 - more special editions than most other manufacturers have entire models.

wait a second, there is snow on the ground, unless this photo was taken last monday, it hasn't snowed up here in awhile...

My guess is that this is the 2012/13 gt500 with a new hood and slightly changed front end.

My guess: it's the next iteration of the GT500, but with a supercharged 5.0 instead of the aging 5.4. Maybe a version of the GT350's powerplant with a higher degree of tuning? That would lighten the front end to reduce understeer.

@hotrodw, the aluminum 5.4 in the 2011 gt500 was new and is far more capable for higher hp than the 5.0 and lighter too.

...is it just me, or do the upper and lower grill area make one angry looking face with all that tape?

Anyway. It looks like it has the smaller spoiler of the V6/GT(and I think the boss, but I'm not sure) instead of the GT500's bigger wing. The "frame" around the upper grill does look more like the GT500's then the lower models though. Some kind of frankenstang.

@lostboyz the 5.4 is not new they simply replaced the iron block with alluminum both the 5.4 and 5.0 can make about the same hp na and the 5.0 is just as capable see gt350(which is actually faster than the gt500 reported sub 4sec 0-60 times.)

windsor5, you don't just replace iron with aluminum, it might be the same design, but there is a lot of engineering in a change like that, certainly more than one model years worth. A supercharged 5.0 might be able to meet a stock gt500 power levels, but that 5.4 has been proven capable with well over 800hp with a stock bottom, something the 5.0 can't (or at least not yet) acheive.

Maybe it's the Mustang GT502 RS!

Since we're guessing, I'd say it is an early engine mule for the 50th anniversary Mustang coming in 2014.

@ed124c,

""The changes are subtle" Then why the camo? All it does is draw attention. In this case, it would probably have been better to just leave it off. Unless.... unless Ford WANTS to draw attention to the car."

Spy photographers know every trick in the book and every place the manufacturers test cars. If this Mustang came driving out of the PDC in Dearborn with no camo it would still instantly show up on the interwebs. The professionals who snap these pics could spot a mildly reshaped door mirror from 30 miles away. The point of the camo is 100% to cover-up the changes, because the cars with manufacturer plates WILL be photographed regardless. The fact that it grabs attention really doesn't matter at all.

boss 302

Ecoboost mule.

the way that Ford continually develops their products hurts both their sales and their vehicle's resale values. consumers wait for better powertrains and styling instead of actually buying the vehicles, and when they do, their vehicle is almost immediately outdated because the next model year gains a new powertrain or direct injection or IRS.

THIS IS THE ECOBOOST IF YOU NOTIS THE FOG LIGHT CUT OUTS ARE THE SAME AS THE V6 BUT THE INTAKE IS WIDER AND IT HAS GILLS ON TOP.. AHHH SO THATS WHY THE RUMOR OF A 400 HP ECOBOOST WAS BEING TESTED.. AND EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WAS FOR THE 2013 TAURUS

"you don't just replace iron with aluminum, it might be the same design, but there is a lot of engineering in a change like that, certainly more than one model years worth."

Not if you have a head start. If you recall, the Aluminum block 5.4 was at the heart of the Ford GT. The GT500 has wet sump lubrication in lieu of the GT's dry sump system, and the SVT engineers added the cylinder coating to enhance durability.

It doesn't really matter what it is. It's still the same basic car that came out in '03, but with a new grille, taillights and dash. Oh boy! Gotta love Ford's ability to drag out the life of a platform.

When did the current Ranger come out? Oh, yeah... same basic platform since 1983.

@hotrodw, thats exactly my point, even if its easy, you don't make a new application of an engine for 1 model year, its a waste of time and money.

@redgeminipa1, keep that going for the rest of the industry, you will find that most platforms have a pretty long life cycle. This isn't new or specific to ford.

@lostboyz: Yeah, but to keep using 90% of the same sheet metal for much if its life? That's a bit much, don't ya think?

A little off topic, but here's another gimmick Ford's horrible at: badge engineering.

Take the Fusion, MKZ and Milan and put them all in a row, end to end. Cover the wheels, headlights and taillights, tint the windows and strip the badges off the sides. Could you tell them apart? Most likely not, since what you're seeing is the same between the three cars. Same with the F-150/Mark LT, Ranger/B-Series, Escape/Tribute/Mariner, Expedition/Navigator, Explorer/Mountaineer/Aviator. Ford is STILL doing what GM did in the 80's.

Now, take the Acadia, Traverse, Enclave and Outlook, and do the same thing. Could you tell them apart? Absolutely. Same goes for the late 90's - early 00's Regal, Grand Prix, Intrigue & Aurora ('01-'03). This test would even work for the previous generation Regal, Grand Prix and Cutlass Supreme sedans. That's "badge engineering" done right. I'll admit that GM would fail this test with the Escalade/Tahoe/Yukon, minivans, Solstice/Sky, Canyon/Colorado, but you get the idea.

If you take a car from Europe and slap a domestic badge on it, that isn't as bad (looking at you, Regal). American consumers don't have to be fooled because the original brand isn't sold here.

Argue if you want, but it's a valid point.

None of the European car makers belong to the Big 7 automakers, that makes it an invalid point.

@redgeminipa1, what do you think about audi, bmw, merc, vw, etc who put the same face on every car they sell? I don't think ford has anything to worry about with a little rebadging.

Also, mercury doesn't exist anymore, and mazda shared vehicles are done as of this year, so your examples are no where near as compelling as you think they are.

Notice the fogs and the wheels, I'm gonna say GT500. Then again notice the halogen headlights. Howabout boss 328 boss anyone? Shelby GTS?

It might be a GT500. It's def not a Boss. My guess is it's a mule for the EcoBoost SVO Mustang.

I know this is a ridiculous comment to make, but c'mon Ford...throw some HIDs in your premium products. The fact that the Boss 302 can't be ordered from the factory with xenons is one of the major reasons I won't buy one. Fast cars need light to see at night. Ugly yellow halogens just don't cut it anymore.

i say its a normal GT mustang (5.0) im calling it right now so wait until they announce it and you will see im right!

Customers participating in the APEAL study also praised Ford Mustang, making it the highest ranked vehicle in the Midsize Sporty Car segment - for the second straight year. This is the third year in a row that Mustang has received an APEAL award, having garnered the Sporty Car segment award in 2005.

JD Power & Associates

The Mustang is no longer a gritty performer that gives up on ride quality, creature comfort, technology or performance. This Mustang provides a world-class automotive experience that no Mustang lover should live without-ever!

2011 MGT, BABY

BRISTOL, Tenn., June 24, 2010 – The 2011 Ford Mustang, which made history when it became the first car ever to deliver more than 30 mpg and 305 horsepower, has set a new record by running 1,457 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway while averaging 48.5 mpg.

The Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge was designed to demonstrate that a stock production Mustang V-6 could run 1,000 laps and 533 miles on a single of tank of fuel. With the aid of fuel efficient driving techniques by Ford engineers, the Mustang far surpassed its goal of 1,000 laps.

And yes the Camaro has a modern independent rear suspension and the Mustang still does not. But you know what? After comparing the two of them back-to-back this week, we have to admit that Ford still has the best behaving rear suspension even if the design does date back a few centuries. Were officially and begrudgingly done carping about the Mustangs lack of an IRS here at TMN. Chevy has proven that it is not a magic bullet.

Fords decision to borrow billions in 2006 when the capital markets were thriving will go down as one of the most significant moves in the companys 105-year history.
Ford grabbed headlines when CR led off a news release by announcing that "Ford has secured its position as the only Detroit automaker with world-class reliability." It went on to mention instances where Ford cars outpace some Asian models and added that about 90% of Ford Motor cars have better than average reliability. GM and Chrysler can't make similar claims.

Anyone doubting the Mustang could "run even" with an M3 on a road course needs to tune in to a Koni Challenge Series race for a strong dose of reality. The Mustangs are saddled with intake restrictors yet still manage to take the M3's lunch money with annoying regularity.

The freshened Ford Mustang outpointed two other reincarnated muscle cars -- the Chevrolet Camaro and the Dodge Challenger -- as well as the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe in Consumer Reports' tests of six sporty cars and coupes, that also included the Subaru Impreza WRX, and the Nissan 370Z, in the October issue

Forbidden Fruit

Ford will bring some of its most successful European designs to the US., starting with the 2010 Fiesta. For now, Fords hottest car this side of the Mustang, the Focus RS, will remain an American fantasy. The RS has a lusty 2.5-liter 300-hp five-cylinder turbo with 325 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed. Toggle the key; the engine spins and settles into a nervous , slightly uneven idle. The gear lever slots quickly and cleanly. Even at low speeds, the engine has sufficient torque to pull from low revs. Speed up and...Pow! The kick in the back starts at just above 2000 rpm and hits hard all the way to 7000. The hard-edged growl mixes with wastegate chatter off throttle and a distant "POP" as unburnt fuel ignites in the exhaust. The steering is uncannily accurate. It tells you of impending front-wheel slides before they happen, road-surface changes the second you've crossed them and which side of the coin the tires just have run over.

Car and Driver magazine recently declared a 2010 Mustang equipped with a Track Pack the winner in a comparison test against the new Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, calling the body control of the Mustang with the Track Pack "astounding."