However, one Ford product has conformed somewhat. It's the Ford Mustang model, marketed starting in the spring of 1964. Besides grille design, Mustang has had other styling continuity items including body side sculpting and tail light design. I dealt with some of that here.
Today's post presents examples of Mustang grilles over the six design generation cited in the Wikipedia entry above. It seems that some high-performance Mustang sub-models were given special grilles and other detailing. But the images below present basic grille designs at the start of each generation with the exception of the grille design at the end of what Wikipedia considers the first generation. Unless noted, those images are of cars for sale or, for 2015, a factory image.
This is the original design. It is mounted high and features a side view of a galloping mustang pony.
This grille at the end of the first generation is lower because the hood has been reshaped. The pony remains.
The controversial Mustang II had a grille reminiscent of the original, though the pony is not framed.
As I mentioned in the post cited above, the third-generation Mustang was the least Mustang-like of all. Retained is the theme of the grille opening being framed by headlight. However, the pony has been moved to a small hood medallion.
As aerodynamic testing became common, primary air intakes moved closer to the ground. The result here is a small opening between the headlights with a tiny pony centered. Wikipedia considers 1993 the last of the 1979 generation.
The same can be said for the '94 design, though the opening is better related to hood sculpting.
Now the major air intake has been raised, better recalling early Mustangs.
The most recent design features the horizontal chrome strips of the original car as well as framing for the pony.
1 comment:
The grille shown for the picture of a 6th generation (S550 Mustang) is a special grille, it was only offered on the 50th anniversary cars (1,964 built), and 2015 GT models with the 50th anniversary appearance package. The typical stock Mustang grille for the 6th generation has a chrome galloping pony in the center, although Ford has a fairly popular "blackout" package that paints all badging (front pony included) black.
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