|  After reading yesterday's post about the future Euro-Trash Mustang, the sad reality is that most of us are incorrectly reading between the lines. Fortunately for me, I have a soapbox, slathered in venom: assuming Ford killed the Panthers, the Ranger, the Mercury brand and castrated Lincoln for a good reason, the Mustang shall remain rear-wheel drive with the requisite proportions. It won't be a Probe, as the public/UAW outcry (with the ensuing hate mail to Ford execs) and the stunning (straight line) performance of the 1987 Ford Mustang 5.0 put those worries to bed. Even the Bruce Jenner Mustang wasn't a big deal, so let's all be cool.
Back to the Venom on the Vellum. As to the Mustang-Aston Martin connection, don't sweat it: the original Pony car ripped off other designs for its unique take on Americana. So I welcome the future AMM, or Aston Martin Mustang! The dirty little secret is that the Mustang never was unique. The original riffed on Edsel Ford's dream of making a "Continental" themed coupe with a long hood and short deck; the Ford Falcon's wheelbase adjustment proves the point. Hell, even the kick-up under the quarter windows was a blatant rip-off of the Continental Mark II. The next small Mustang, the Mustang II, was every tacky bit of 1970′s personal luxury on the same theme. The Mustang III (Fox) made no bones about its Mercedes SLC influence and European influenced aerodynamics. So who gives a shit about an Aston Martin Mustang (AMM)?  I must admit that I love the changes to the new Mustang, even if they are too subtle. A weekend of liposuction was needed, but the chrome grille frame, clear signal lenses (???), extra negative area in the front bumper and lump-free hood on this baseline V6 model does a fantastic job cleaning up the look. It's no minimalist Fox, but this Mustang does a better job emulating the original's tasteful theme.
 The Mustang has a great trapezoidal theme about it, all stemming from a centerline on the bumper. I think the new bumper just accentuates these trapezoids, as they seem larger and more focused on complementing the grilles' shape. Then again, perhaps I need to see old and new together to really know.
 Wait, why are the block off plates on the grille spaced out in this manner? Was someone playing Connect Four while in the Alias (software program) studio lab? Then again, I must admit the golfball dimples do help take away from the cheapness of it all.
 As with any mild, mid-cycle redesign, the Mustang looks about the same as you turn the corner. Not necessarily a bad thing, even if many of this platform's detractors wish this was more of a pure Pony car and not a bloated, steroid-infused Muscle car.
 The moment I saw this center cap on an older S197 Mustang, I immediately thought of better days when automakers made really expensive emblems out of things like metal, glass and various plated finishes. Yes, it's that good.
 The subtle nod to the original Mustang's fake vent is much appreciated, especially after we had to endure that awful appendage on the 1999-2004 model in the same location. Not just awful, but Pontiac Aztek awful!
 Yes, this sheet metal isn't new for 2013. But the curvaceous belt line and gentle upkick to the rear of the door does take away from the height of this machine. Hopefully the new Aston Martin model will have more greenhouse and less body.
And don't say it cannot be done! Look at the Toyota/Subaru/Scion sports coupe at this price point, it is totally doable!!!  There's something about the new rear end treatment that just blows me away. In a good way. I like the bulk-distractors surrounding the license plate, and I truly adore the smoky tail light and trunk treatment. Something about the clean and minimalistic lines harkens back to the 1987-93 Mustang LX 5.0, just not literally. That said, imagine if the fake gas cap went away and the license plate went up there instead? Very foxy indeed.
 Note how I cropped this photo to help you imagine the Mustang as a shorter, sleeker body. If the exhaust pipes moved up, and as mentioned before, if the license plate replaced the phony gas cap…oh my, I think I need a cold shower!
 This is where I normally expect a hunk of black plastic to visually thin the booty, just like the outgoing model. Nope! There's a subtle black plastic insert under a pair of red reflectors. I assume this not only looks great to you, but makes conversion to Euro-spec lighting a breeze. If so, kudos to you, Ford. This bodes very well for the future Aston Martin Mustang.
 I wish the crease in the quarter panel matched the seam where the bumper meets said hunk of paneling. Integration is a little thing, but that's what this column is all about!
 These pods look even better at night, but they are very futuristic even in the brutal sun of a Houston lunch hour. I suspect these will age well, just like the cult-classic status butt of a Mustang LX 5.0 notchback.
 That's a rather gigantic cowl to hood trim panel. As much as I'd like to think I know why we're seeing this, I really don't know. But I certainly don't care for it. This is more proof why cars need to shrink, and lose pointless, frivolous bulk.
And on that note: the ball is in your court, upcoming Aston Martin Mustang.
from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com | 
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