S650 Rear Styling Debate

[Tonystark]

I am not a fan of the rear for a few reasons that others have mentioned. I like the front much better. To me, visually, the rear end and the front end just don't 'match-up', for the lack of a better word, and look like they belong on two different cars, IMO. The 550 was more cohesive from front to rear.

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[9secondko]

The more I see the s650 rear, the more I like it. It’s upturned, edgy, racy looking, and just plain screams “I’m a fast sports car.”

I liked the s550 until this was revealed. The new rear makes the s550 look like a diaper butt in comparison.

the lights are the rights size. Not childish crayola looking things. And the angular look of the lines really adds to the exoticism. The integration with the deck lid duck tail and fenders is really sharp as is the sharply creased convex form. It is a massive improvement and adds much needed lean masculinity to a car that, while pretty, had looked fairly tame in most models - in the rear portion.

the valance area could use some work though. A lot of plain looking plastic there. But the deck lid, taillights, fenders, minimalist bumper, etc. look tremendous. Kudos to the design team on that.

one thing I’m hypothesizing with the design though is this: it seems clear Ford has left purposeful room for upcoming facelifts.
Rather than go all in on the design from the hit - like the 2016 Camaro - and then struggle with how to facelift the thing - like say the 2019 Camaro - ford has left opportunities for pleasant change. I think they’ve succeeded in making a car that looks great now as well as one that will look great facelifted later.

 

[9secondko]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, takes like this make zero sense. You're saying you're mad ford took cues from the mach-e, which is highly debatable. But even if they did, the mach-e took it's design cues from the mustang. So you're mad that ford used mustang cues on a mustang, I just don't get it. It's like being mad if the 911 had taillights like the macan, while ignoring that the macan drew it's design from Porsche sports cars like the 911. We just went in a circle bro. At best, the only element of the s650 that's even close to the mach-e is the LEDs in the headlights, and even then, it's not even close aside from the fact that they're both tri-bars, which is a classic mustang design cue. The, it looks like a mach-e comments are almost as bad as the, it looks like a Camaro comments, almost.

Mach e isn’t a real mustang. That’s why people don’t want to see cues from it on the genuine article. SUV stuff doesn’t belong on a sports/pony car.

as much as Mach e fans so want real mustang fans to validate the SUV, it’s just not going to happen because it’s s disingenuous marketing exercise.

thats just the way it is.

 

[Dragster]

I’ll reserve judgment until I see it in person, but I like the look overall. I would extend the tail lights down so that the trunk line is flat across the back instead of angling upward towards the lights, but whatever.

 

[DeluxeStang]

Mach e isn’t a real mustang. That’s why people don’t want to see cues from it on the genuine article. SUV stuff doesn’t belong on a sports/pony car.

as much as Mach e fans so want real mustang fans to validate the SUV, it’s just not going to happen because it’s s disingenuous marketing exercise.

thats just the way it is.

But that's completely missing the point of what I'm saying. I'm not saying the mach-e is a replacement for the traditional coupe. All I'm saying is the "It looks like a mach-e" argument makes no sense when the mach-e looks like a mustang. It's attacking a mustang design for looking like a mustang. Just because it looks better, and more modern doesn't mean it's ripping off the mach-e's design, that's all I'm saying.

 

[DeluxeStang]

The more I see the s650 rear, the more I like it. It’s upturned, edgy, racy looking, and just plain screams “I’m a fast sports car.”

I liked the s550 until this was revealed. The new rear makes the s550 look like a diaper butt in comparison.

the lights are the rights size. Not childish crayola looking things. And the angular look of the lines really adds to the exoticism. The integration with the deck lid duck tail and fenders is really sharp as is the sharply creased convex form. It is a massive improvement and adds much needed lean masculinity to a car that, while pretty, had looked fairly tame in most models - in the rear portion.

the valance area could use some work though. A lot of plain looking plastic there. But the deck lid, taillights, fenders, minimalist bumper, etc. look tremendous. Kudos to the design team on that.

one thing I’m hypothesizing with the design though is this: it seems clear Ford has left purposeful room for upcoming facelifts.
Rather than go all in on the design from the hit - like the 2016 Camaro - and then struggle with how to facelift the thing - like say the 2019 Camaro - ford has left opportunities for pleasant change. I think they’ve succeeded in making a car that looks great now as well as one that will look great facelifted later.

But I agree, I feel as though this sketch is either teasing a potential high performance model, kinda like how some of the gt350 design cues were shown in the original 2015 sketches. Or it could be a good direction for a facelift. If the rear looked like this, it would basically be perfect.

 

[fordmustangnerd]

It's just a more aggressive take on what's currently on the Mach E.

I think Ford went the wrong way. Mach borrowing from the Mustang is fine. Mustang borrowing from the Mach is horrid.

Just my take.

It's not though The Mach E was supposed to be borrowing from the 7th Gen mustang, however, Ford got the Mach E out first due to internal delays with the gen 7 program. Due to this the Mach E came out to public first but internally it always borrowed from Gen 7

 

[Evo1986]

I also like the rear of the S650 compared to the S550. The smaller taillights kind of make the car more aggressive and the cut in the trunk area is really nice. Without the rear wing, it really look more like a longtail version.

The only thing I would change aftermarket is the diffusor. Unlike the front, it is completely in plastic, which doesn't fit. I'd get it painted glossy black. Yummy

 

[9secondko]

But that's completely missing the point of what I'm saying. I'm not saying the mach-e is a replacement for the traditional coupe. All I'm saying is the "It looks like a mach-e" argument makes no sense when the mach-e looks like a mustang. It's attacking a mustang design for looking like a mustang. Just because it looks better, and more modern doesn't mean it's ripping off the mach-e's design, that's all I'm saying.

but that’s erroneous. The Mach e looks like an suv with some mustang elements added on.

so you can’t borrow mustang-looking elements from the Mach e since the mustang already has them.

but to borrow Mach e elements waters down the mustang.

In your effort to elevate the Mach e, you’re completely missing the point the other poster brought up. What you are saying doesn’t make sense.

the mustang preexistrd the Mach e. Therefore the mach e borrowed mustang design cues., yet tweaked to be appropriate for an SUV that soccer moms will like. Now… being that the mustang always already had its own cues, it’s not going to look like another product trying to look like it. It will look like itself. And nobody wantsthe mustang cues to be multilayer into resembling an SUV take on the real mustang. We want specific evolution of Mustang design that Carries the mustang forward and not resembling something that was “inspired by” the mustang and then along that. That is dilution and getting away from the real thing.

for example, let’s say for sake of argument that the Corvair was inspired by the corvette. But you don’t want the next corvette to turn around and be inspired by the Corvair. That would be horrible and backwards.That’s the issue here.

 

[9secondko]

But I agree, I feel as though this sketch is either teasing a potential high performance model, kinda like how some of the gt350 design cues were shown in the original 2015 sketches. Or it could be a good direction for a facelift. If the rear looked like this, it would basically be perfect.

Looks like. Gt500/cobra rear minus the spoiler. The only thing is that the tails look a bit sparse and the horizontal line doesn’t have a reason to exist. But overall it is s nice aggressive take on s650 rear. Unfortunately, it’s always been like that with concept art. Once you go into taping out production design, the feasibility from a mass production, cost, and assembly standpoint, things change in a hurry. The taillights are sn example of unnecessary multiple parts when a single part would save money, production time, and assembly time.

 

[Crew4991]

F

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, takes like this make zero sense. You're saying you're mad ford took cues from the mach-e, which is highly debatable. But even if they did, the mach-e took it's design cues from the mustang. So you're mad that ford used mustang cues on a mustang, I just don't get it. It's like being mad if the 911 had taillights like the macan, while ignoring that the macan drew it's design from Porsche sports cars like the 911. We just went in a circle bro. At best, the only element of the s650 that's even close to the mach-e is the LEDs in the headlights, and even then, it's not even close aside from the fact that they're both tri-bars, which is a classic mustang design cue. The, it looks like a mach-e comments are almost as bad as the, it looks like a Camaro comments, almost.

I agree @DeluxeStang. The way you described the connection to Porsche is real! The 911 was always a great sports car but when Porsche came out with the Cayenne the SUV actually saved the company. Everyone wants the cool sleek sexy car like the 911 or Mustang, but most people can't live with those cars on a daily basis whether it is because of local weather conditions, kids, luggage space ect. The Cayenne, Macan and now the Mach E Mustang are the ones that will continue to sell to the masses because they have the style of the sports car that people want. The sale of the SUVs tend to keep the sports car version alive only because it makes profitable sense to do so. Whether we like it or not, the Mustang styled electric SUV is making the V8 engine AND manual transmission last longer, even though deep down we all pretty much know sometime in the future it might disappear entirely.

 

[300C Hemi]

Minor gripes:
1. The plastic lower valance seems rather tall. I think the S550 proportions look better.
2. I'd prefer the panel between the taillights to be black. I think this looks really good on the S550. But this is extremely subjective and easily fixed with aftermarket.

Major gripe:
- The S650 taillights are too small. There's clearly space for them to extend lower on the bumper but Ford chose to have them rise upward.

Having seen the S650 in Detroit. The actual car looks amazing where the pictures doesn't pick up the fantastic looks of the actual S650. From front to rear and inside. This is s special Mustang. I read articles referring to the black rear valence. It looks fantastic in person. The removal of The black trim between the taillights gives the S650 a cleaner, improved look that makes the taillights pop. I love the S550 but it was past it's expiration date. The poor sales numbers support my statement.

 

[Tonystark]

I will wait to actually see it, but that rear end does little for me. 'From photos' it has just very minor character and dimension. For me, the gloss black center would have given it more justice.

 

[DeluxeStang]

but that’s erroneous. The Mach e looks like an suv with some mustang elements added on.

so you can’t borrow mustang-looking elements from the Mach e since the mustang already has them.

but to borrow Mach e elements waters down the mustang.

In your effort to elevate the Mach e, you’re completely missing the point the other poster brought up. What you are saying doesn’t make sense.

the mustang preexistrd the Mach e. Therefore the mach e borrowed mustang design cues., yet tweaked to be appropriate for an SUV that soccer moms will like. Now… being that the mustang always already had its own cues, it’s not going to look like another product trying to look like it. It will look like itself. And nobody wantsthe mustang cues to be multilayer into resembling an SUV take on the real mustang. We want specific evolution of Mustang design that Carries the mustang forward and not resembling something that was “inspired by” the mustang and then along that. That is dilution and getting away from the real thing.

for example, let’s say for sake of argument that the Corvair was inspired by the corvette. But you don’t want the next corvette to turn around and be inspired by the Corvair. That would be horrible and backwards.That’s the issue here.

The issues is as an aspiring designer, I don't see a single s650 cue that looks like the mach-e. The only part that gets close is the more sharply angled taillights. Even then, they're nothing alike.

 

[Hack]

I like the idea for the poll in general. Thanks for creating it. However, there were no options for how I feel about the S650.

I voted Meh, I like S550 better.

However, here's the thing. I think the rear of the S550 is awesome. Way better than the front of the S550 and much better than almost any other car that normal people can afford.

I also think the S650 rear styling looks really good. And I'm glad that Ford changed the design significantly rather than being excessively conservative and not changing the design very much. I like how dramatic the new design is. I definitely do not have any MEH feelings at all about the S650 rear styling.

So, if available I would have voted for an option something like: I really like the S650 rear styling, but the S550 has slightly better rear styling.

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