The sixth generation Ford Mustang (S550) is the current iteration of the Mustang pony car manufactured by Ford. In departure from prior Mustang models, the sixth generation Mustang includes fully independent rear suspension on all models, as well as an optional 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder engine. The new Mustang was introduced as a 2015 model year vehicle, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Mustang, which was revealed as a 1965 model year vehicle on April 17, 1964.
The sixth generation is also the first Ford Mustang to be marketed and sold globally, and represented the first time that factory right hand drive Mustangs were produced in addition to the left hand drive models. This is part of the "One Ford" business plan, which also applies to the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion/Mondeo, Escape/Kuga, Edge, Ford Transit Connect, and Ford Transit, as well as other models.
Development of the 2015 Mustang, codenamed "S550", began in 2009 under chief engineer Dave Pericak and (from late-2009) exterior design director Joel Piaskowski, shortly after the updated 2010 model year Mustang went on sale. In December 2010, an exterior design theme proposal by Kemal Curic from Ford's Cologne, Germany design studios was selected by design management. Curic (also responsible for the 2011 Focus (2012 in the US) and the 2014 Mondeo/Fusion) relocated to Ford's design studios in Dearborn in January 2011. During mid-stage development, Curic's original exterior design proposal was eventually rejected by Ford executives, resulting in rapid design changes. After reviewing 3 different exterior theme proposals (A, B, and C) in design clinics in September 2012, the final exterior design (Theme A) was approved by Ford management, with the final design freeze occurring in December 2012, 20 months ahead of originally scheduled August 2014 production. The interior design program began in the spring of 2010, under Doyle Letson. By late 2011, a final interior proposal was settled on and was a combination of Themes A & B. In June 2012, the final interior design was frozen. The decision to utilize an independent rear suspension for this generation (which had been standard on the 99-04 SVT Cobra) was made very early on (the original intent had been to append an IRS to the existing S197 platform, which ironically enough had been tested with an IRS during its development), and its inclusion resulted in several changes to the platform, not least of which being the redesign of the front suspension (the new platform features a double-pivot MacPherson strut front suspension, similar to a design used on many BMWs); the end result, according to Chief Engineer Dave Pericak, was a brand new platform that had very little in common with its predecessor, from a structural perspective, other than the wheelbase, which carried over. The first test mules in 2010 model year bodies were spotted earlier in June 2012, and the first S550 prototypes were built five months later (exterior design freeze) in May 2013.
The new Mustang’s interior body style resembles that of an airplane cockpit along with an increased body width, and a larger cabin similar to the Ford GT. This design gives more room in the back of the vehicle for rear passengers.
A metal tag on the dashboard bears the Ford Mustang "Running Horse" insignia.
Standard features for all 2015+ Ford Mustangs include: proximity key entry with door-mounted touch sensors and keyless entry, push-button start system, an A/M-F/M stereo with single-disc CD/MP3 player, color LCD display, the Ford SYNC System with Bluetooth hands-free phone and A2DP wireless stereo audio streaming, USB/iPod and 3.5-millimeter auxiliary audio input jacks, a cluster-mounted central color LCD driver's information display screen, electronic traction control system (ETCS), electronic stability control system (ESCS), antilock braking system (ABS), front and side-mounted SRS airbags, automatic 9-1-1 call for airbag deployment, and a rear backup camera system.
Optional features include Sirius XM Satellite Radio, the MyFord Touch (2015) or SYNC 3 (2016+) touch-screen multimedia infotainment system with an 8-inch color touch-screen LCD display, smartphone integration, app integration, support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (introduced in 2017), Sirius XM Travel Link, HD Radio, and a microSD card slot, plus enhanced voice control. GPS navigation is available, as is a nine-speaker premium sound system, or a twelve-speaker Shaker Pro surround-sound system.
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