Ford will make next Mustang look smaller, design chief says
By RICK KRANZ, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

Ford’s Peter Horbury: "We have a car which I think is more suitable for the times than the Challenger and the Camaro."
In an environment in which a big car might be viewed as a gasoline hog, Ford Motor Co.'s intention to make the next-generation Ford Mustang look smaller may be politically correct.

"We have a car which I think is more suitable for the times than the Challenger and the Camaro," said Peter Horbury, Ford Motor's North American design director. "Especially the Challenger--it is a huge car when you see it on the road."

The restyled, re-engineered 2010 Mustang goes on sale early next year.

The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 went on sale this spring.

Overall, the Challenger is 10.1 inches longer and 1.8 inches wider than the 2008 Mustang. The dimensions of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro have not been released, but the Camaro concept is 1.4 inches shorter and 5.7 inches wider than the 2008 Mustang.

Speaking of the 2010 Mustang, Horbury said the overall length and width are the same as those of the 2008 Mustang

"By cleverness in design, we've been able to make it look like the wheels are further out, further forward and further rearward," Horbury said during an interview at a Ford event last month in New York.

"The center line is the longest part" of the next Mustang, he said, "and the widest part of the car is the middle. From there on, you can tuck it in and bring the apparent size down."

"Especially the Challenger--it is a huge car when you see it on the road."