# The new Mustang is god-awful ugly **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 13, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485 "2004-11-13T00:10:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/21 "2004-11-13T05:35:03Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I’d like to see the convertible. If the convertible is as well-styled and can hold two sets of clubs in the trunk, I’ll need to change my username to **Upper Montclair** because I’m moving to the suburbs to have one. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/22 "2004-11-13T05:44:57Z")
It reminds me of the Mach I (I think that’s the correct Roman numeral) back when Ford re-designed the Mustang the first time. It didn’t go over well that time, either. It’s a bit bulkier looking, but that’s about it. It’s not super hideous, but it’s nothing to write home about. Personally, I’m sick of Mustangs altogether, since where I live, everyone and their brother has one. I still prefer the look of the '98, since we have one. 🙂 (We got ours first, dammit!) ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/23 "2004-11-13T07:35:24Z")
Chock me up as yet another who vastly prefers the 05 to the prior models. Before the 05, I would never want to be caught dead driving a Mustang, but were I to have the resources, I’d happily buy an 05 model. Gotta give props to Ford, and I’m not usually a fan of theirs by any means. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/24 "2004-11-13T08:48:57Z")
I love it! Had I the resources, I’d buy it yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/25 "2004-11-13T08:50:47Z")
Look, I know the original Mustang was a great marketing success-Lee Iococca made his reputation and fortune via this car. But, was it all that great? It was just a nice looking body on a Ford Falcon chassis-a cheaply made bucket of bolts. All of the people I knew who had them had the following complaints: -they leaked rain -they vibrated and shook (particularly the convertibles-there was no roof to hold the body together.) -numerous defects in the controls -really dangerous design errors-like the gas tank integral with the trunk! Lots of firesin rear-end collisions! So I don’t understand why people think the MUSTANG was such a great automobile0to me it was 99% marketingof a really (even for the 1960’s) a rather technologically dated product. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/26 "2004-11-13T09:46:15Z")
Ick.\* \*Even with this footnote, I do believe this is my shortest post ever. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/27 "2004-11-13T11:02:46Z")
Meh. Americans can’t style sports-cars anyway. You need to be English or Italian {or, dare I say it, Japanese} to do that. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/28 "2004-11-13T14:24:44Z")
Chalk me up as another user who loves the new Mustang. I was driving down the road last night and caught a glimpse of one out of the corner of my eye. I immediately made a death-defying u-turn(ok, maybe not so much death-defying as pulling into a gas station and turning around but we are talking about a sports car) and pulled into the dealership parking lot to see this beautiful car up close. Now all I need to do is hit the lottery and “It will be mine…Oh yes, It will be mine”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/29 "2004-11-13T16:09:47Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > Except for **Nightsong** , Jesus H. Christ on a friggin’ pogo stick, have you all lost your fricken minds? > > I don’t know about you people. No, you apparently need new glasses. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/30 "2004-11-13T16:33:39Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > Except for **Nightsong** , Jesus H. Christ on a friggin’ pogo stick, have you all lost your fricken minds? > > I don’t know about you people. Historically, Ford (compared to Chevy) has been largely unable to design a car that didn’t look like a potato on wheels, or a rolling box. Comparing the 50s, 60s and 70s models of both makes easily demonstrates this. The Mustang, while an innovative concept, was not a particularly attractive or aerodynamic vehicle. Over the years, Ford has made disastrous attempts to make it look like anything but a clunker (with the notable exception of the Shelby). I like the new look. It’s muscular, sleek and looks like they put some thought into the thing. I agree that they’ll sell a bunch of them. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/31 "2004-11-13T17:03:15Z")
I’ve only seen the ads, not the car in real life, but put me down as a fan. I’m in the market for a new car and if I go sports car it may well be one of those. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/32 "2004-11-13T17:56:16Z")
I like it. It’s a nice departure from the “Every Ford looks like a jellybean” rule, which made the 2004 look boring. It’s obviously a throwback to the Mustangs of 30 years ago, but, hey, I liked those broad-shouldered Mustangs. It’s not as aero-slippery as a jellybean, but once you drop in a big V-8, even a jellybean won’t get good gas mileage anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Rock-n-Rolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@Rock-n-Rolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock-n-Rolga)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/33 "2004-11-13T18:13:19Z")
> [@iwakura43](#): > > Doesn’t the new Mustang cost approximately the same as the old one 😕 Heck no! With a big rebate and some haggling, I paid just over 16K for my new '04. The '05’s are in the mid-20s, there was a waiting list for every dealer around me, and no buyer incentives/rebates. So in my case it was a difference of at least five grand (if you take into consideration the '04’s original MRSP). I’ve had two Mustangs and a Thunderbird over the past 19 years, and they were all a joy to own (and I put a LOT of city miles on them). In fact I’d still have the T-bird if I could afford to keep two cars. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/34 "2004-11-13T19:07:40Z")
Pencil me in as someone who doesn’t like it. When Ford originally unveiled the prototype, it looked good, but obviously some features from the prototype didn’t make it into the production version. And saying it’s an improvement over current Ford designs, is like saying contracting Malaria is better than getting Ebola. Neither one is a disease I’d really want to have, ya know? What I find _most_ appalling, however, is that they’re using Steve McQueen in their ads for the car (yeah, he’s dead). It’s a horrible “cut-n-paste” commercial that rips off _Field of Dreams_, and McQueen’s hopefully joining Harley Earl in plotting a return from the grave, to hunt down the bastards who’ve crapped all over them in the years since they died. McQueen was _very_ protective of his image, and only did **one** commercial after he became a well-known celebrity. He was sick, and unable to find work, so he did it for the money, but even then, he placed a lot of conditions on it. The ad couldn’t be used in America, and could only shown **once**. IIRC, it was Honda that used McQueen to advertise their dirt bikes in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/35 "2004-11-13T20:48:32Z")
I like the new design, I guess. Not that I’d ever drive one, because it’s next to impossible to find a not-hugely-expensive sports car that fits a big guy. And frankly, I prefer sedans, anyway. But still, I like the design. A little stubby for my tastes… bring the hood out another eight inches, and the trunk another six, and it’d look killer. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/36 "2004-11-14T02:22:26Z")
I love the new 'stang. Here’s an image of the 2005 Mustang convertible concept car. [![](http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/concept/s197/pics/MSN-6.jpg) ](http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/concept/s197/pics/MSN-6.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![KunkaJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b77776/32.png) [@KunkaJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KunkaJ)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/37 "2004-11-14T02:32:02Z")
I think it looks cool, but this is cooler still… [http://www.fordvehicles.com/fordgt/](http://www.fordvehicles.com/fordgt/) So what do you drive? ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/38 "2004-11-14T04:35:39Z")
For a reference point, and partially in response to **KunkaJ** 😉 here’s what I drive (truthfully, it’s my parents car): [http://fff.fathom.org/pages/nightsong/img/008\_5A.JPG](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/nightsong/img/008_5A.JPG) Look for the Wimbleton White '67 Mustang on the far left by the fence! 😃 And, as a reference point, here’s the '05 'Stang they showcased at this car show: [http://fff.fathom.org/pages/nightsong/img/026\_23A.JPG](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/nightsong/img/026_23A.JPG) (Note the differences between that one and the one shown on Ford’s website.) * * * \<\< The truth is out there. It’s just not indexed very well. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![eno801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@eno801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eno801)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/39 "2004-11-14T04:37:31Z")
i like it. i don’t remember where i read that a good style car always had a “face”. this one does. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485/40 "2004-11-14T05:04:20Z")
Gotta say that even before this thread I noticed a new Mustang on the street and thought, “Hmm. Not bad. They actually made it look like a Mustang again”. Put me down in the “likes it” camp, though not enough to actually want one. It **is** a Ford, after all (I’m still in denial about what’s happened with Mazda over the last several years). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-mustang-is-god-awful-ugly/274485.md?page=3)