Mustang (stickers) headed to NASCAR

The "sport" of stock car racing lost its luster for true car enthusiasts years ago. NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow put the final nail in the coffin of legitimacy, taking all variables out of the race except for the pit crew and driver. Fans of Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota can root on their favorite make, but in reality their just cheering for a particular set of decals.

It was with this lament in mind that many had been hoping for a rebirth in the sport, with manufacturers taking advantage of the recent resurgence of the pony car wars to bring some real competition to the track, in the form of actual Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers going head-to-head, perhaps in the minor-league Nationwide Series.

Well, based on the picture below, that might be kind of happening, but not really. Ford wants to campaign the "Mustang" in Nationwide, but of course they can't stray from the formula of standard template bodies on special tube frames, covered in stickers that minimally resemble what they hock on the showroom floor.

I found the following quote from the press release amusing: "Ford Racing has gone through the official NASCAR submission and approval process for the new car, and, once templates are finalized, production of Mustang parts will start so teams can build the first cars for testing later this fall." Testing what? Do different stickers (i.e. "parts") actually have divergent wind tunnel properties?

C'mon NASCAR, let's get back to roots and give fans something to actually cheer for.

When Knight Falls

Well, apparently it's official: in the new Knight Rider movie, the part of KITT will be played by a Mustang Shelby GT500KR. Having worked at Ford's ad agency, I know how shrewd they can be when it comes to product placement, and this is quite a coup for the brand. But BOOOOOOOOO!!!

To me, this goes against everything that KITT should be: a sleek, stealthy and futuristic-looking coupe. In fact, when I was growing up, KITT set the standard for me as to what a sports car should look like. It was a classic, wedge-shaped coupe that shared styling cues with the American sports car flagship, the Corvette. Anything that didn't look like that was just...wrong.

So my sense of automotive style has since matured and expanded. But my sense of television right and wrong has remained, and I think this choice is just dumb. Especially when there was a much clearer choice: the Corvette Z06. Sure, there's no Trans Am around currently to carry the torch, but the Z06 is not only a GM product, but it also has the classic wedge shape and, as it happens, a perfect spot for KITT's oscillating strobe. Check out this chop job that illustrates the point beautifully.

Another important aspect, which has been overlooked by many, is the sound. KITT's running shots were always accompanied by that futuristic, mechanical whooshing sound. It was the sound of precision and stealth. The Z06 may not be tuned as quietly, but it's certainly more in line with the original than the all-out rumble that the GT500KR will exhibit. The sound of a Vette engine is precision. The sound of a Mustang engine is testosterone. Sure, Michael Knight and KITT had plenty of both, but they knew when to use them, and the former was the default mode.

I suppose what's done is done, and the decision won't change. I'll still see the movie with enthusiasm. But in the back of my mind I'll always be pining for what could've been.

Blind Loyalty

I've been giving some thought to my loyalties since starting this new job early last month. At the ad agency, my only client was Ford. I'd never been the biggest fan of domestic cars, but I also happen to be the kind of person who develops loyalties quite easily. As soon as I started there, my perspective changed, and I began to root for Ford hard core. I also started to drink the Kool Aid, giving FoMoCo the benefit of the doubt in terms of product quality and appeal. Most people would do this at least to some extent, so I guess it's nothing unique. But I probably lost perspective a bit too much.

I also gained an unnatural hatred for certain competitive products. Mind you, it wasn't out of control. I still appreciated that the Corvette was one of the best performance values on the market, for example. But I would write off vehicles like the new Challenger and Camaro, thinking that they'd never be as cool as the Mustang.

I must say, it's quite a load off to not feel constrained in this way anymore. In my new position, I do projects for nearly every OEM, so there's not much chance of an unwarranted bias. I'm free to love and hate vehicles with utter abandon.

Interestingly enough, I also don't feel quite the disappointment anymore about the sale of Aston Martin. I thought of it as the crown jewel in the Ford empire, and I was sad to see it go. I felt like I was losing my personal connection with the brand. But no longer do I think of it as my losing Aston. The brand and its heritage are the property of the car enthusiast world in my eyes, and it can be as much a part of me as it ever was.

My First Post - Giugiaro Mustang

I saw this concept several weeks ago, and since then I'd been searching for a full-size image to use as my wallpaper. After pulling an all-nighter studying how to spell Giugiaro, I finally found one (thanks ultimatecarpage.com, you rock). I'm clearly not the first one to say it, but this car is gorgeous. It also answers the age-old question, "How the hell do you redesign a retro classic?"

VW was faced with this dilemma, and they copped out, adding a few circles to the lights. MINI took the same route, creating a car that inspired the headline "Same Difference" in Motor Trend. Hey, the Cooper's a great looking car already, but if you're just gonna stretch the headlights a bit, why even touch it at all?

It apparently takes a designer with such bravado and conceit as Fabrizio Giugiaro to think he can improve on a car as hot as the '05 Mustang...and he's right. It's a fully American creation, but with the taste of Italy. It's just like pizza...and every damn bit as tasty.