1991 Ford Mustang on 2040-cars

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2015 Ford Mustang renders reveal look of the real thing

This is, according to the pony-car obsessed kids over at Mustang6G.com, the closest, most accurate rendering of the new, 2015 Ford Mustang to date. Artis Chazcron used a combination of Ford CAD images and information from assorted spy shots to assemble a fairly handsome car, albeit one that conforms to the tired cliché of being more evolutionary than revolutionary.
Now, it's very important to note that these are still speculative renders, and that they only represent the base car - that could explain the lack of the Mustang's vestigial side scoops, along with other, newer styling cues that Mustang6G seems to think will arrive on production models. Those items include a new, double-bubble roof, although the Mustang aficionados claim that even if it were present, it'd barely be visible from these angles.
The front end is pretty spot on, compared to what we've seen from earlier spy shots, while the tail, with its interesting light design is something new. The louvered taillights look quite different from the current version, obviously, though Mustang has gone the whimsical route with taillights before. Also, note the new rear diffuser uses an integrated reverse light and rear foglight, the latter of which is required for sale in Europe.

2024 Lincoln Aviator and 2024 Ford Explorer lose hybrid option

The 2024 Lincoln Aviator will not be available with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, a spokesman for the brand confirmed. Lincoln dropped the gasoline-electric option to focus on more popular variants of the SUV, and it's making a handful of small changes for the new model year. "Given timing, the 2024 Aviator is a limited production run and as such, we are focusing on our most popular offering," a spokesman told Autoblog via email. While nothing is official yet, unverified reports suggest that the SUV will receive a major round of updates for 2025. In the meantime, the Aviator will enter the 2024 model year with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 as its only engine option. The six-cylinder makes 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive is offered at an extra cost, though keep in mind that Lincoln hasn't published the full list of changes it's making to the model for 2024 yet. Ditching the hybrid system means buyers now have three trims to choose from. Previously named Standard, the entry-level trim is called Premiere for 2024. The mid-range Reserve and the range-topping Black Label carry over. Pricing starts at $53,340 excluding destination. More details about the 2024 Lincoln Aviator should emerge in the coming weeks. Lincoln parent company Ford is axing the Explorer's available hybrid system in the civilian model as well. But the police version of the SUV is only available as a hybrid, and will continue to be. "To meet continued strong demand for the Ford Police Interceptor Utility hybrid and other Ford hybrid vehicles, the 2024-model-year Explorer will only be offered with the fuel-efficient 2.3-liter four-cylinder Ecoboost and the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. Those two engines account for the majority of Explorer sales," a spokesperson for the Blue Oval confirmed to Autoblog. There's no word on when or if the hybrid will return for civilian Explorers. Offered through 2023, the Explorer's optional gasoline-electric drivetrain was only available on the top-of-the-line Limited and Platinum variants. And, like the Aviator it's related to, the Explorer is expected to get a round of updates inside and out for the 2025 model year.

These horribly misguided front-drive design studies nearly became the Mustang

As we eagerly await the unveiling of the all-new sixth-generation Mustang, Ford has been giving us some great information over the past few months showing what has gone into shaping its venerable pony car. As many changes as the Mustang has gone through in its 50 years, though, it appears the fourth-gen model played a decisive and pivotal role in the car's future.
As is part of Mustang lore, the front-wheel drive Ford Probe was originally developed as a next-generation Mustang in the Eighties before cooler heads prevailed. The Blue Oval has just released a handful of images showing how bad things could have been - including a full-scale clay model of a front-wheel-drive Mustang (shown above). Fortunately, the FWD Mustang plan was scrapped and Ford went to work designing a rear-wheel-drive replacement for the Fox Body Mustang, with three design studies making it far enough to become full-scale models. These include the soft "Bruce Jenner" Mustang, the over-the-top "Rambo" Mustang and the middle-ground "Arnold Schwarzenegger" Mustang, which finally became the basis for the 1994 'Stang.
By early 1991, the design language of the fourth-generation Mustang had been worked out, and the rest, they say, is history. Scroll down for the fascinating press release telling the story of the fourth-gen Mustang, and be sure to check out the gallery of horribly misguided sketches and various design studies that were all on the table in the late 1980s.