The inspiration for the 2006
Ford Giugiaro Mustang Concept came directly from the race prepared FR500C Mustang, a sweet race car distributed only to privateers The inspired design of the 2006 Guigiaro developed its performance and handling features directly from but of course to out do the FR500C.
Father and son Italian designers created the Guigiaro team, and in just under four months turned over the unmistakably Italian exterior model to a very impressed J Mays,
Ford Motor Group’s Vice President of Design. With the green light to continue the project, the Giugiaros set about creating an Italian version of the classic Mustang, only better.
The Los Angeles Auto Show was rocked by the unveiling of the swank and stylin’ 2006
Ford Guigiaro Mustang. Critics, skeptics, enthusiasts, and the just plain dumbfounded looked on with mouths agape and imaginations soaring at the American classic’s Italian facelift.
The American muscle car in its new Italian suit has a more compact presence than the production version. By reducing the rear overhang and creatively angling the tapering to its absolute mechanical outline limitation, the result was a fabulous “Mustang swagger,” in a slightly smaller appearance.
Appearance, however, isn’t everything. The concept’s overhauling of the American classic included widening the front end by 30mm and the rear by 80mm, stamping it with obvious Italian ownership. The details throughout maintained the Mustang’s decree of rebellion and freedom, American style.
With the extended hood and the trunk that shrunk to barely discernable, the interior screams Mustang with a vengeance. The seat cushions and backrests received an up-do of mottled dark brown horsehide with the dark brown horsehide headrests accented with a delightful horse logo. The gauges, circular by design, project vehemently from behind the thrumming with anticipation steering wheel. Adding to the dramatic effect, the instrumentation spreads across the width of the car.
The doors add their own drama, at the base of the upright A pillar they are cleverly hinged to swing open vertical style with the simple command of pressing a button. Sliding into either the passenger or driver seat, a full vista view is offered from the single glass pane bridge that connects the rear and front windshields. Crafted from fibrous material that effectively filters out absolutely 100% of the sun’s UV rays, this intelligent design feature lends to the feel of the Mustang’s signature freedom card.
The bespoke tail lights were obviously taken directly from the ’64 model, the three element lights were graciously given a slightly more arrow dynamic shape in order to link it to the louver panels which were designed to replace the rear side windows.
In an effective effort to hint toward mimicking the tail fins that distinguished cars of the 50’s, they added a visible curl that draws the eye right along the crest of the carbon fiber fenders. Details like these create the ambiance of the original Mustangs and blend them with the power hungry Mustangs of the modern era.
Nothing screams performance car quite as loudly as the effect of four
Ford unique 20 inch rims that are outfitted in road hugging 275/40 front tires and 315/35 rear tires. Like all the Mustangs before her, she is ready to take what you can dish out.
Naturally, no creative up-do can be complete without a few adjustments to the heart of the vehicle.
Ford Racing happily got involved in the overhaul of the power train and chassis. Adequately enhanced by
Ford Motor Company’s motor sports development and operations team, the original; 300 heart pounding horses under the hood gave way to some serious tweaking.
The 300 horse power 100% aluminum 4.6 Litre 3 valve V8 engine is now being cooled by a brand new inter-cooled twin screw supercharger. The vastly enhanced fuel injectors combined with the unique engine calibration as well as the increased air intake system (increased with 95mm mass air meter and a new conical air filtration system) was just the beginning. The new exhaust performance was given an X-pipe on top of
Ford Racing mufflers.
The power train enhancements in combination with a boost level of the heart stopping 11 psi
Ford Racing Super Charger which was intelligently cooled with a new high efficiency aluminum radiator equaled a performance increase of 200 whopping horses. The original ample 300 horse power engine has been re-modified to deliver 500 horses for extreme high performance quality.
Of course, with all the hype, the drooling, and the swirling of the pulses, every car enthusiast under the sun has looked this pony over and asked where and when can they sign up. No such luck. Just like his father commemorated his 50th year in the car design business with his very own unique and personally designed
Ferrari, Junior is the sole owner and proprietor of this down to the second mind blowing version of the all American classic.
This “modern performance classic” may not be available to the average driver, or even the superior and extraordinarily wealthy driver, but it serves as an inspiration to
Ford and
Ford owners that the Mustang is much more than a classic icon recreated, it is a work in perpetual motion that will only be held back by the strings of imagination and the overall supply and demand ration. On the heels of this supercharged ride ‘em cowboy master of style and design,
Ford should have no problem developing the next Mustang to win the hearts of the Guigiaro envious.
Ford may not be next in line to build the concept car of the future, but they should be on the look out, as this Mustang “interpretation” was noticed by everyone even remotely interested in car reviews.
The actual intensity of the Guigiaro may not be matched, but the styling features and the base model definitely leave more room open for “interpretation.” What sweaty palmed driver wouldn’t break a leg trying to chase down one of these bad boys, even if it was the closest thing they could get?
© 2007 Kiersten Stetser and Ken Leonard for www.sport-cars.org
April 1, 2008, 11:28 am
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