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Your Thoughts on the 2018 Mustang !

57K views 371 replies 87 participants last post by  5.0 Coyote 
#1 ·
Ok guys,the 2018 Mustang photos and some specs have been released today,so far it seems like there is a LOT of unhappy folks.Please post your thoughts.
PS. 5.0 Coyote DOESN'T like it at all,may my garage queen S 197 2011 GT live forever,LOL.:smile:
 
#3 ·
I'm sticking with my '12, thanks. Just having a hard time warming up to the look of the +15 Mustangs despite the goodies underneath (flat plane crank, big brakes, magnetic suspension, IRS, freer flowing heads and intake, etc.). The lower hood on the '18 is a good improvement step but the front just needs a lot of work. Despite my squawks, Ford will sell a bunch of Mustangs so I have hope that they will eventually make another gorgeous Mustang someday. >:)

Chris
 
#5 ·
It's the Mustang upgrade I would seriously consider. The Magneride suspension, more horsepower (no specifics yet), LCD display for gauges and my favorite, heated steering wheel. Yes. I'm old and grabbing on to a -3 degree steering wheel, even with gloves, is not fun.

As for looks, I like it.
 
#50 ·
11-14? Do you mean 10-12 or 13-14? There was a major update in 13 and why exclude the '10. I'd say 13-14 ftw...

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#7 ·
I've tried so hard to make me love the 2015+ Mustangs, I can't :crying:
 
#8 ·
Without a doubt, the 10-12 cars had the best front ends and are my favorite iteration of the Mustang. I do like the hood change, the interior is nice, not fond of the computer screen gauges though, like old school gauges better, glad to see the handling and exhaust improvements, and I like the wider rear in the 15-18 cars. Still hate the headlights - they don't look Mustang to me. But the most important thing is how it will drive!
 
#11 ·
I'm somewhere between neutral/indifferent/OK to it and sort of like it. I really need to see more pictures, with different colors and from more angles. The fuzzy initial pictures (the yellow ones) aren't good enough to waste any time with beyond "yeah, the 2018 Mustang is coming". The only picture from the rear that I've seen . . . it needs wider wheels and tires. From the side, I think the nose sits a little too high relative to the rear - not much, and it might only take half an inch of front lowering to fix.

Externally, all I'm likely to notice would be the hood line when I'm driving and my opinion on most everything else would be about how well it contributes to function (cooling, head light illumination, maybe reduction of lift on the track, etc.) and whether or not it makes washing the car a fussier process. Otherwise, out of sight, out of mind.

Internally . . . I might be OK with the instrument panel, but I'd have to actually experience it first. There are times and sunlight conditions where the gauges in my '08 GT are virtually unreadable at a quick glance (say, at a track day when you're going to have adverse lighting at least once on every lap). But I know I don't want a huge screen for the radio and whatever else anywhere on the dash. Don't even want a little one, but probably don't have that choice any more.


Norm
 
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#12 ·
I have never liked the S550 except for the GT350 but I think the 2018 is a step in the right direction. The lower hood and the quad exhaust kinda won me over. I'm due for a new Mustang since it's been 3 years, so ......................
 
#13 ·
My only complaint in the looks department is that the front end looks a little too squashed, too compressed for my liking. I don't know if it's the sloping hood or the side profile that makes it look like the bottom half of the bumper is sloping up a tick but it just looks horizontally squashed to me. Not a total dealbreaker for me and seems like something that can be solved fairly easy when new exterior parts become available.

I like the goodies in the new models and my next Mustang will definitely be a v8 now that the v6s have gone to that v6 engine farm in the sky. cryin.gif However, I'll be keeping my 2011 v6 for a long LONG time so the desire to upgrade just isn't there at the moment.

It doesn't look bad to me based on the pictures I see. I'd drive it with no shame if I had to get one but I'd like to see it in person before I cast my final judgment on the looks.
 
#16 ·
Exactly I think Ford is trying to please everyone entirely with their new Mustang look but in the process are putting their true community and fans on the back burner and are just focusing on a whole market (US and Europe). I think the 2015-2017 like I said did grow on people but it did take time and because of that Ford thought it would be okay to do it again, but no now this has gone from a European car with American Muscle accents to a full European car. I think if Ford actually looks at the reviews of the new Mustang and not from their European audience but from their original American Muscle audience they will see there once was a very strong and dedicated Mustang community, but now there is a lot of controversy of what Ford is doing in it. :grin:
 
#17 · (Edited)
I rather like the hood being lower - I'll need to see it in the metal to be sure, but for cars in general, slender > boxy and graceful > truck-ish.

Any improvement in sight lines benefits everybody, whether the reasons involve autocrossing, track days, or just not wanting to curb-rash your wheels. Better still if the hood vents actually function properly (not all vent placements do).


Norm
 
#19 ·
Down hear in S/W Florida the car show season is always in full swing during the winter months,the weather is cooler and a lot of snowbirds show and bring there cars down hear to enjoy the activities.Ever since the S550 was introduced,with the EURO look ,IRS,4 Banger there has been a huge riff with the S197 group,no look at the stop lights,no thumbs up or waves,and some just ignore them at car events.I think a lot of that has to do with the S550 gang thinking and saying there is another S197, with that outdated Retro look with the buckboard suspension.I can't even imagine what it will be now,can't even recognize it as a Mustang anymore,I agree Ford has taken an AMERICAN Icon and turned it into a Euro Bot,VERY SAD,Just glad I still have a real Mustang,I will be even happier with it when Ford turns to the 1/2 electric verson in 2020.RIP Mustang.
 
#20 ·
I don't really mind the looks of the 15-17's and I have test driven a 16 GT rental car awhile back and enjoyed driving it compared to any other rental options. I did not take it on a track to try ad feel the difference with IRS. I won't ever trade in my 13 for a newer model unless it was a GT350. I will stick to renting an 18 model and see it up close before rendering a detailed opinion.
 
#21 ·
The 'new style' , which for me represents that European/cookie cutter style, shows Ford got away from what a Mustang is and what loyal drivers expect. It's about being true to keeping that 'retro' look. Maybe Ford should look at the Dodge Challenger as a measuring stick, or maybe they were looking at drawing in more of the younger crowed.

My opinion has not changed. The 2018 style is to me as sacrilegious as back in 2015.

No thanks, I'll proudly keep my 2006 thank you.
 
#22 ·
The 'new style' , which for me represents that European/cookie cutter style, shows Ford got away from what a Mustang is and what loyal drivers expect. It's about being true to keeping that 'retro' look. Maybe Ford should look at the Dodge Challenger as a measuring stick, or maybe they were looking at drawing in more of the younger crowed.

My opinion has not changed. The 2018 style is to me as sacrilegious as back in 2015.

No thanks, I'll proudly keep my 2006 thank you.
As Ford slides more to the Euro side of things,and the $$ keep going up,the YOUNGER group will be out of the buying pool as well,and the S197 folks feel like you and I.Sad times for the Mustang,it used to be an American Icon.
 
#23 ·
I like the look of the new S550 very much. I don't own one (yet) but I've driven them and they are great to drive.

I've driven the recent Camaro and hated it. I felt like I was in a big box with narrow slots all around and very limited visibility. I'm not a Chevy hater by any means and so please don't take my comment as such. I'm sure there are others who love driving the Camaro a lot more than the Mustang.

Looking at sales figures, it seems my opinion matches the general consensus as Mustang is handily outselling the competition.

I had a '90 LX 5.0 and it was an unruly beast. Fun to drive but always felt on the edge of being out of control (didn't help I was really too young and immature to have such a car... doh!) but the new one is a huge improvement.


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#25 ·
Ive been around Mustangs all my and its life.

Its always the same story.

I hate the 67-69-71-74-79-94-05-15...

Im keeping my 66-68-73-78 (well maybe not the 78)-93-04-14 forever...

What I dont like is the reduction of choices. We love our 14 V6 premium convertible. Ford took that choice away from us in 15.

We will get over it and buy a new body style one when we are done with this one. We always do.
 
#27 ·
Does nobody see the Dodge Dart headlights ? oops4.gif
 

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#39 ·
Or a BMW. There are certain aspects of technology that automakers adopt. When they do that, parts start looking similar.
 
#28 ·
I think the value of my 2015 just went up by a bunch. The nicest thing about the new body style is the way they cut the angles and the "hips" in the rear. It looks like they softened those too much and now it's just mush. They had a smash hit with the 2015 body style, why mess with that so soon? Stupid.
 
#29 ·
I think a 6 year cycle for major changes and 3 years for minor refreshes is a great thing:

  • For us as consumers because we get continually updated technology and choices that adapt to our changing tastes and economic conditions (ie: oil prices)
  • For the automaker who can keep prices higher and therefore profits as well, they accomplish this by:
    • limiting used car inventory by each model (to reduce downward price pressure of high 'supply')
    • keeping demand high for the new models (to help increase prices they can charge)

It has become standard in the industry to do major changes every 6 - 8 years with minor refreshes every 3 - 4 years between major updates. This must therefore be a good trade-off between the high cost of each new model (development, tooling, etc) and theneed to not let the model get too old.
 

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#35 ·
I have no inside information but if I had to guess I would say likely a small increase.

I work for an automotive company and part of my responsibility for business development is forecasting demand for our global operations. We have a database with detailed forecasting data by customer, by car model, by plant, etc. Looking at Ford's own volume planning I see that they expect small year over year decreases in S550 demand until the new 2020 major change to the S650. Based on that and the fact that refresh seems to involve fairly minor I updates I would suspect they will not want increase the price very much at the risk of reducing sales even more.

Overall Ford Motor Company has been one of the first to share their pessimism for short to mid-term sales levels and they are expecting general volumes to drop. So far their pessimism seems warranted as the steady increase in YoY vehicle demand since the doldrums of the 2009 market bottom has stalled.


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