This story contains fictional renderings of the Mustang created by Thanos Pappas for CarScoops that are neither related to nor endorsed by Ford.
Some say that the 2024 Ford Mustang that debuted a few months ago looks very similar to its predecessor, despite having a completely redesigned bodywork. Thus, we decided to include it in one of our face-swapping sessions, using previous generations of the pony car as donor vehicles for the digital transplant.
The Mustang has seen seven generations from 1965 to date, although not all of them would be compatible with the new model’s design language. We obviously omitted the sixth-gen because it wouldn’t make any notable difference. In our eyes, the best results were achieved with the 1969 first-gen model, the 1999 fourth-gen facelift, and the 2010 fifth-gen facelift. Even though the last two are too young for a reverse restomod, the gap between them is large enough to make it interesting.
1969 Ford Mustang (First-Gen)
The first generation is considered to be the holy grail of Mustangs and this is why it has inspired so many of the later models. The donor car was a ’69 Mustang Boss 429 although we were quite tempted to use a later example from 1970 or 1972. The massive age difference between the original Mustang and the new model creates some incompatibility in terms of the front overhang and bumper design. This meant we had to enlarge the face of the old Mustang and fill the gap below its thin bumper with a portion of the intakes and the splitter of the modern car. The result is not what we would call smooth, but it is definitely full of the muscle car’s most iconic elements including the round headlights and the toned-up rear fenders. The retro wheels also help, although they wouldn’t exist in this diameter.
1999 Ford Mustang (Fourth-Gen)
Fast forward to the late ’90s for our next victim. The fourth-gen Mustang was one of the most rounded designs which is why we opted for the facelifted model’s angrier and boxier face. More specifically we took the face from a contemporary ’99 Mustang GT Convertible “35 Anniversary” instead of a flashy Cobra R as it would be hard to integrate the huge chin and bulged bonnet.
Read: What If The Next 2026 Shelby GT500 Looked Like This Render?
The profile and the tail of the modern pony car are significantly more sculpted compared to its grandfather that has turned into a youngtimer. On the other hand, the grille looks tiny by today’s standards and the bumper can’t really hide its age. However, the end result is surprisingly balanced, even though it is the least likely of the three to ever be materialized.
2010 Ford Mustang (Fifth-Gen)
Our last surgery for today is trying to make the seventh-gen Mustang look 13 years older. The original fifth generation was too brutal for our conversion but the facelifted variant with the more heavily sculpted nose was the perfect contestant. Again, we borrowed the front end of a regular ’10 Mustang GT and not from an angrier Shelby GT500 since the body also comes from an entry-level spec. Admittedly, this face-swap is the most successful of the three thanks to the timeless looks of this specific retro-flavored face. Having said that, we still prefer the original combinations of face and body.
Which Mustang generation has the most attractive face in your opinion and which one would you choose as a transplant for the latest model? Let us know in the comment section below alongside your suggestions for our next face swap.
