{"id":58358,"date":"2013-02-20T10:44:11","date_gmt":"2013-02-20T15:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=58358"},"modified":"2013-02-20T10:44:11","modified_gmt":"2013-02-20T15:44:11","slug":"spy-shots-prepping-the-next-mustang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2013\/02\/spy-shots-prepping-the-next-mustang\/","title":{"rendered":"Spy Shots: Prepping the Next Mustang"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
It may look like the current Mustang...but it's a "mule" helping develop the next-gen pony car - and a long-rumored Lincoln coupe spin-off.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At first glance, this Mustang looks completely familiar. Well, not completely. Take a closer look and you\u2019ll soon realize it has been somewhat altered in a number of ways from the pony car in the showroom today.<\/p>\n

That makes it clear to our spy shooters that they\u2019ve captured a \u201cmule\u201d being used to test the platform and, very likely, the updated engine that will go into a completely updated version of the Mustang now just a couple years away.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Your Power News Source!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And that means we\u2019re also getting some hints about the planned rear-wheel-drive Lincoln model that Ford CEO Alan Mulally recently acknowledged during an interview with TheDetroitBureau.com is currently under development.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
An independent rear suspension is partially hidden here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, what should you be looking for with these images? From the front there is little to see that\u2019s different. But that galloping horse set alone in the grille is a design not offered on current Mustang models.<\/p>\n

From the side, there are the blacked-out wheels. I counted twenty spokes in these rims, many more than you see on any current Mustang, and a big hint to the car\u2019s true identity. They are the kind of wheels you find on much more expensive cars than the Mustang. Can you say \u201cLincoln\u201d?<\/p>\n

At the rear, some work is evident from the tear-up of the modesty panel. Material is cut away at the sides of the panel near the exhaust pipes and below the bumper line. That\u2019s to make room for the repositioned tailpipes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The next Mustang is expected to appear in time to mark the pony car's 50th anniversary in mid-2014.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Below all is a silly little receiver that\u2019s usually used for a trailer tow bar. Here, it\u2019s used as a disguise to hide the new independent rear suspension that Ford is planning for the 2015 Mustang (and that Lincoln coupe).<\/p>\n

Still doubt the purpose of this vehicle? Check out the M-plate at the rear and the PITOT tube on the roof. Pure test vehicle.<\/p>\n

The next Ford Mustang is likely to be launched in mid-2014 and while it would normally be declared a 2015 , the maker is reportedly planning to label it a 2014-1\/2 to honor the original mid-model-year designation of the very first Mustang — which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An all-new Mustang is due in mid-2014, marking the pony car’s 50th anniversary. And there will be some big changes in store — likely including a long-desired independent rear suspension. That’s one of the things revealed by new spy pics from TheDetroitBureau.com of a Mustang mule being tested. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":553,"featured_media":58359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[151],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58358"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/553"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58358"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=58358"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=58358"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=58358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}