"mustang" interceptor

for the last few weeks, the media has been abuzz about the notion of ford spinning other models off of the popular mustang. there were shouts of "not a mustang 4-door! nooo!" and "a mustang wagon would be terrible!!"

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there never was any danger of there being mustangs with extra doors. the public misinterpreted the ford's idea. using the mustang platform for other models was the idea, much like nissan uses the same platform for the 350z, the G35 coupe and sedan, as well as the FX35 and FX45. they don't look much alike, because nissan takes the platform and stretches it, bends it, adds or removes metal based on what the car is supposed to be. it's called platform sharing and platform engineering. it's done for most models of car, because usually a single model of car doesn't justify the expense of a dedicated platform, but multiple models on the same platform saves billions in engineering dollars and gives the company a constant when designing a car.

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enter the Interceptor. it's loosely based on the mustang D2C platform, itself an evolution of the DEW98 platform that underpinned the jaguar S-type and Lincoln LS. the DEW98 itself was too long, too heavy, small engine bay due to a sophisticated front suspension setup, and had a small transmission tunnel. therefore, it couldn't be directly used for a "lightweight" mustang project. after much deliberation, ford "fixed" that DEW98, and it was significantly different enough to be it's own platform, the D2C. as well as the mustang sells, 200,000 cars in the car business usually isn't enough to leave the mustang on a unique platform. so, ford has been kicking around ideas on what could be developed by modifying it, and what we are seeing now are cars like the Interceptor, itself a stretched, bent, and tweaked mustang/D2C.

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i like it, more than the lincoln i showed you a few days ago. something about a big, sleek, distinctly american car i really love.