MUSTANGS THAT NEVER WERE

1970 MUSTANG MILANO CONCEPT

This concept was first unveiled to the public at the 1970 Chicago Auto Show. It hinted at the nearly-horizontal rear deck and sharp, extended nose that the 1971 production model would employ.

"RAMBO" DESIGN STUDY

This vehicle had the opposite problem when compared to the "Bruce Jenner" - it was actually deemed too extreme for production.

"BRUCE JENNER" DESIGN STUDY

Ford decided to bring back many of the original design elements in the fourth-generation Mustang - of which many were dropped for the third-generation - including the pony on the grille, the side scoops, and the tri-bar taillamps. This softer concept, known as the "Bruce Jenner," wasn't considered aggressive enough to be a Mustang.

1961-62 TWO-SEATER STUDIES

Two-seaters were considered early on in the designing of the Mustang, as they were seen as a more affordable return to the roots of the Thunderbird, the latter of which had grown into a larger four-seater. In fact, two-seat Mustangs were an idea designers often returned to between the original Mustang 1 concept and the 1992 Mach III. There has never been a strictly two-seat production Mustang.

1966 MACH 1 CONCEPT

This concept was first shown at the 1967 Detroit Auto Show, and included a face that was close to what was on production Mustangs at the time. While the low-cut roofline and racing-type fuel cap were scrapped before production, the hatchback did make it to production eventually, on the 1974 Mustang II.

1967 ALLEGRO II CONCEPT

This design was reworked from a 1962 design concept. It started with the Avanti/Allegro coupe, and the greenhouse was then removed and replaced with a low-cut speedster-style windshield. Ford designers then added a rollbar, flying buttresses on the rear deck, and a new rear end.

1992 MACH III CONCEPT

The Mach III provided a few hints at the design direction of the upcoming fourth-generation Mustang in 1994. The two-seat layout and low-cut speedster windshield never became part of any production model, but the concept did include classic Mustang elements such as the grille pony badge, tri-bar taillamps, and side scoops.'

AVANTI/ALLEGRO CONCEPT

This was the physical design model of the Avventura, and changes from the design sketch included replacing the hatch with a trunk, and having the rear seats face forward in a more conventional orientation. Originally known internally as Avanti, the name was changed to Allegro, most likely because Studebaker had already introduced its own Avanti coupe around the same time.

1963 TWO-SEAT, MID-ENGINE

Ford says this hard-top variation of the Mustang 1 concept likely was never seriously considered for production. It did, however, provide inspiration for the GT40 MK I that would race at La Mans in 1964.

1965 FOUR-DOOR MUSTANG

As tempting as it would have been to capitalize on the Mustang's success and add new iterations beyond the coupe and convertible, Ford passed on this four-door model.

1967 MACH 2 CONCEPT

Ford wasted no time trying new layouts for the Mustang following the vehicle's successful launch in 1964. This concept had a mid-engine layout, with the V8 sitting behind the two seats, and was considered as a successor to the Shelby Cobra. The vehicle never went beyond the auto show circuit.

1980 MUSTANG RSX CONCEPT

This concept was created at the Italian Ghia design studio, and was conceived as a rally special based on the new Fox-body third-gen Mustang that debuted for the 1979 model year. The RSX had a wider track, shorter wheelbase, and additional ride height compared to the road-going Mustang, all of which allowed it to off-road in European rallies.