Saw this on MSN Money. Let's not let something like this happen to the 6th Gen Camaro! I'm a fan of all American muscle cars. The competion keeps each of them on their toes and produces a better product each year for everyone. Ford has stepped up the game recently with IRS and a much improved engine (yeah, they have some transmission issues). I'd hate to see the next Stang be a glorified Fusion, just like the Mustang II was nothing more than a Pinto with pride! I think the Ford fans will keep this from happening. We're all anxiously awaiting what the next gen Camaro will be; let's not go down the 190 Hp, gas sipping, cast-iron bumper days of yore.
http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post...0-8b4761349204
Ford Mustang's new European look: A big mistake?
The Detroit auto giant is preparing to overhaul an American icon, even though many middle-aged fans may not be ready for an update.
By
TheWeek.com 19 hours ago
Few things are more classically American than a
Ford (
F -0.77%) Mustang, the Pony car that spawned dozens of imitators after it was launched in 1964.
Today's Mustang still bears a strong resemblance to the original, part of a years-long attempt by Ford to ride a retro trend that saw baby boomers buying
Volkswagen (
VLKAY -1.59%) Beetles and
Chevrolet (
GM -0.42%) Camaros. But all that is about to change, says Mike Ramsey at the Wall Street Journal. Ford is planning a
sleeker, more European look for its new Mustang in a bid to attract younger consumers who have less affection for muscle cars of yore. The new Mustang will reportedly launch in 2014 and will likely look like a Ford Fusion or the Evos model that was unveiled by Ford in late 2011.
Will the Mustang's new look backfire?
Ford might destroy an iconic brand. "This is a scary moment for Ford, and it really needs to tread carefully," says Justin Cupler at
TopSpeed. The last time Ford tried to remake the Mustang -- the zippy Mustang II in the 1970s -- it "nearly killed off the Mustang name altogether." The Mustang is a "muscle car," and Ford would be wise not to stray too far with its makeover.
But the Mustang's style is getting old. The automotive world's retro trend may have "finally run its course," says Paul A. Eisenstein at
MSNBC. Ford is facing "increasingly stringent fuel economy standards" in the U.S., and intense competition outside North America, necessitating not only a new look, but a new paradigm. "There are even rumors of a Mustang hybrid." Ford does risk "a tidal wave of opposition from traditionalists," but a younger generation might "be more accepting" of a toned-down Mustang.
And Ford has to move beyond baby boomers. The average Mustang buyer is 51 years old, and is considered a "near-luxury" consumer in "terms of spending habits," says Mike Ramsey at the
Wall Street Journal. While baby boomers are "still an important demographic," fueling sales in minivans and SUVs, "that generation is near the end of its run as hard-charging car consumers." Ford and others face the difficult challenge of tapping into Generation Y -- those born in the 80s and 90s -- many of whom are less excited about owning cars than their parents.