Become a Member: Get Ad-Free Access to All Our Content
2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

With 39 years of storied automotive history, 8 million customers and legions of fanatic fans to satisfy, Ford is introducing two all-new Mustang design concepts at the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

The Mustang GT convertible and coupe concepts arrive ready to take enthusiasts breath away three design-generations after the original made history in 1964. The latest legends of the American pony car are contemporary automobiles that capture the essence of Mustangs design and performance heritage.

Presented as a two-seat fastback coupe and convertible, the Mustang GT concepts are strong indicators of the next-generation Mustang’s design direction. They emerge as a bold testament to the timeless value that automotive enthusiasts hold for the original American pony car.

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

Introspective and Extroverted

The Mustang GT concepts draw on the very elements that have made Mustang the definitive American sports car for nearly four decades. Their exterior designs are clearly inspired by some of the extroverted Mustangs of the past and have been created by a design team that took an introspective approach to updating a classic design.

The designs are modern, crisp and reveal the true character of what Mustang means to so many people. The original 1964½ Mustang actually evolved from the racing-inspired, two-seat concept car called the Mustang 1. After reviewing archived files, Mustangs modern-day crafters were struck by how the original design embraced the same inspirational cues that communicate performance. The design team looked beyond production models to the Mustang 1 concept for modern inspiration. Much like the Mustang 1 and the later Mustang Mach 1 show car in 1968, the Mustang GT concepts are rare, radical designs that will appeal to everyone.

By melding the true character of Mustang into these fully modern offerings, we’ve ensured that even the uninitiated will instantly recognize these cars as Mustangs, says Mays. We went beyond their exterior designs to truly understand the extent to which Mustang has embedded itself in American culture.

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

New Design

The Mustang GT concepts are instantly recognizable as Mustangs, yet they stretch the design far into the future with a distinctly modern look. Like the Mustang 1 concept, the GT concepts are two-place sportscars: one a coupe and the other a convertible. Both cars started out with a significantly modified Ford Thunderbird rear-wheel-drive architecture. The platform was sectioned to achieve the proper proportion. The front-end geometry is all original customized to accommodate the signature Mustang MOD 4.6-liter V-8.

In concert with plans for the all-new Mustang, due in 2004, the exterior and interior designs of the Mustang GT concepts were penned by designers in Ford’s Living Legends Studio in Dearborn, Mich., and Ford’s California Design Center in Southern California. The concept design execution was done exclusively at the California Design Center.

Interior

Inside, there’s no mistaking the no-holds-barred Mustang classic cues. The cockpit is dramatic for the driver and passenger with lush red and charcoal leather accented by billet-aluminum hardware. They’re reminiscent of another era yet, inside and out, the Mustang GT concepts are thoroughly modern.

The view from behind the wheel of a Mustang GT concept is as good as the view from afar. The Mustang GT concept vehicles put the driver and the passenger in a most enviable place the future of the pony car.

While the evocative unmistakable exterior designs draw admirers, it is the inviting interiors that demand closer inspection. The modern interior designs pay homage to another era in Mustang history while their use of high-quality materials, precision craftsmanship and technical innovations point to Mustangs to come.

The Mustang GT coupe and convertible concept cars interiors are awash in supple red and charcoal leather and accented with billet-aluminum hardware that gives an appearance that is robust and highly technical.

These incredible interiors speak volumes about where Mustang and Ford are headed in the future, said J Mays, Ford Motor Company, vice president, Design. The functional, contemporary look of this interior and its precise execution set a new standard for muscle car design.

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept Gallery

2003 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Concept

In Detail

submitted by Richard Owen
engine 90 Degree, Cast Iron, MOD V8
position Front Longitudinal
valvetrain DOHC, 4 Valves per Cyl
displacement 4601 cc / 280.8 in³
bore 90.2 mm / 3.55 in
stroke 90 mm / 3.54 in
power 298.3 kw / 400 bhp @ 6000 rpm
specific output 86.94 bhp per litre
torque 528.77 nm / 390 ft lbs @ 3500 rpm
redline 6500
front tires 245/40ZR20
rear tires 275/35ZR20
front brakes Brembo Vented Discs
f brake size x 351 mm / x 13.8 in
rear brakes Brembro Vented Discs
r brake size x 351 mm / x 13.8 in
front wheels F 50.8 x 21.6 cm / 20 x 8.5 in
rear wheels R 50.8 x 24.1 cm / 20 x 9.5 in
length 4623 mm / 182 in
width 1880 mm / 74.7 in
height 1290 mm / 50.8 in
transmission 6-Speed Manual
gear ratios :1
final drive 3.55:1

 

Story by Ford Motor Corporation