Car of the Day - Ford Mustang Giugiaro Concept

Car of the Day - 2006 Ford Mustang Giugiaro Concept

Ford brought about the second coming of the Mustang with the 2005 model. While it is open to debate just when the start of the decline of the iconic brand commenced, the very date of it’s resurgence is the launch of the 05 model year. The styling of the new Mustang did not just get the general public and enthusiasts excited it also got one Fabrizio Giugiaro, styling director of Italdesign - Giugiaro S.P.A. to thinking that the new Mustang would make an ideal platform for a new Italo-US concept and show car.

The name Giugiaro already had connections with Ford and the Mustang brand with Fabrizios’ legendary father Giorgetto Giugiaro having designed a 1965 Concept Mustang while at Bertone. The 1965 Bertone Mustang was a collaboration between Ford and the distinguished enthusiast journal Automobile Quarterly.

With the Giugiaro name already having a history with Ford the pitch to J Mays group vice president, Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford received a successful outcome and the new collaboration commenced. The Ford Mustang Giugiaro Concept was shown in November 2006 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Giugiaro Mustang of Fabrizio followed his fathers Ferrari GG50 (see separate COTD) and the familiar resemblance of the Giugiaro style is obvious. This was not Fabrizios first foray into the US bucket of iconic cars though as he had already been responsible for the 2003 Corvette Moray.

The end result of the Giugiaro styling can only be judged as highly successful and beautifully shows an Italians interpretation of a US Muscle Car. While appearing more compact than the production car 30 mm has been added to the front and the width increases by 80 mm at the rear. The attention to detail is superb and the Western themed “Pony Car” interior styling and Orange paint make for a dramatic presence.

This is a very usable concept car and motivation comes from a Ford Racing warmed all-aluminum 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8 engine delivering 500 horsepower with the attached Ford Racing supercharger.

Fabrizio states Ital Design put 30,000 man hours into the design and build of the Mustang Giugiaro - time well spent..

Rod Halligan