2015 Ford Mustang Spy Photos. Ford's next muscle car looks like it's been through P90X. From Car & Driver.

What It Is: The next-generation Ford Mustang, buried under enough camouflage, cladding, and vinyl to make Lady Gaga jealous. Like the pop star, we’re pretty sure this Mustang is on parade, dressed this way, to get some attention. (Okay, sure, Ford has real-world testing to do, too.)

Why It Matters: Along with the F-150, the Mustang is nothing less than the heart and soul of Ford. The upcoming version is the company’s attempt to bring its storied muscle car into the 21st century—meaning this could be the model’s first real break from orthodoxy since the 1970s. It should be lighter and faster than the outgoing Mustang, and it will kick the retro styling.

Platform: A new platform, codenamed “S550,” finally will bring an independent rear suspension to the series-production Mustang. (If you recall, the 1999–2004 SVT Cobra, built in limited numbers, had a special IRS.) Engineers suggest the sixth-generation Stang will be as many as 200 pounds lighter than the outgoing car.


Powertrain: You name it. Today’s 3.7-liter V-6 will undergo slight renovation before slotting into base cars, power climbing past the current 305 horses. Europeans—and potentially we Yankees—will be offered a turbocharged 2.3-liter four, complete with an EcoBoost badge and a higher sticker price than the six. The top of the Mustang line will, of course, be V-8–dominated. Base eights will displace more than five liters, while engines for higher-performance cars will see liberal modification and forced induction.

Competition: Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and/or SRT Barracuda.

Estimated Arrival and Prices: Look for a debut on the Mustang’s 50th birthday next April. Figure on needing $23,000 for a basic V-6 car and at least $32,000 to get into an eight-cylinder model. More photos here: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2015-ford-mustang-spy-photos-news-1?src=spr_FBPAGE&spr_id=1458_9688833