The new dashboard is a big mistake IMO

[DRB]

Isn't that always who they sell the most cars to? Makes sense.

Sponsored

 

[CANTWN4LSN]

I have to wonder if the design team did any kind of polling to assess potential consumer approval or disapproval of the aesthetic appeal of the new dash. While functional and will have to be accepted if you want a Mustang(as there is no option to order with the older double brow style), if the price was the same it would be interesting to see if more people would order the new vs the old.
But since this is an IMO thread, I wouldn't give up my GT350 for an S650 unless some tremendously appealing FP product comes out that is as much or more of a driver's car so that it would make me have to accept that new dash.

 

[DRB]

I'm sure they did exactly that. What you're going to find when you poll a representative cross-section of current consumers is not necessarily the response you get when you sample the opinions of a long-time dedicated fanbase.

The question is not "did they get feedback from likely customers" but to what extent and how seriously they weight the enthusiast blow-back.

I've gone car shopping with a number of younger folks in the last few years ( most folks are younger than me, right). I'd say enthusiasm for these digital cabin elements is pretty much a given. "Like an iPhone" is not actually a pejorative.

 

[24PONY]

I really want to buy the new mustang but everytime i see the dash with the tablets it just makes me sick. The double brow, round analog gauges, and round steering wheel is iconic for the mustang. I could of accepted an all digital dash but not a couple of i pads attached to a ugly flat dash Im just glad they didnt turn it into a 4 door coupe.

 

[Dave2013M3]

I think a lot of people once they sit in the car, the dash will wow you. Just an FYI I have an analog dash now with my S550.

 

[Veteran]

It’s not so much the iPad dash that is the problem,
the whole execution of the dash sucks .
The designer is imho not very talented. They could have done a much more attractive iPad dash with mustang dna built in.

 

[Ericc B]

The designer is imho not very talented.

And design management have no clue what a Mustang is, otherwise they would never have approved this. I could have imagined something like this happening with that office chair retailer at the helm, but it happening under Jim Farley that's just a massive disappointment. He's supposed to be the car guy.

 

[Charlemagne]

"Like an iPhone" is not actually a pejorative.

If it means mere phone for 1k$ and replacing it every year then yeah, it's a pejorative to me, utter waste of money and materialism at its best. Sorry, couldn't help it. I don't like this Apple approach.

 

[Ace]

While I could live with the dashboard design, I think it's a much bigger disappointment that besides the dashboard itself the whole interior just looks like S550 carryovers with very minor adjustments.

Take a look at these pictures from model year 2014 and the brand new generation of 2024.

I think the rear seats are even completely unchanged...

Even the digital gauges doesn't seem to be thought through. What's the point of such a big screen if like a quarter of the actual screen space isn't even used? Especially with the typical infos just being centered it feels like a waste of potential.

As a comparison here's how the C8 is using the space much better with only minor gaps on the top edges that are fully used in track mode.

 

[DRB]

If it means mere phone for 1k$ and replacing it every year then yeah, it's a pejorative to me, utter waste of money and materialism at its best. Sorry, couldn't help it. I don't like this Apple approach.

So what? You missed the point.

 

[Stonehauler]

If it means mere phone for 1k$ and replacing it every year then yeah, it's a pejorative to me, utter waste of money and materialism at its best. Sorry, couldn't help it. I don't like this Apple approach.

umm, not sure where you get the "replace every year"
I own an iPhone. I tend to replace mine every 5-6 years. I tend to replace my car every 10-12 years, and probably for the same reason. After a while, things start breaking or (in case of a computer) it can no longer do the job I require of it.

I know people who replace their phones every year, I also know people who buy a new car every 2-3 years, and even one person who does it after driving their old one 500 miles (yeah, I don't get it either)

Things change. Sometimes for the worse, but most of the time, it's changing for the better. Let's hope that this new system will actually allow us to fully customize and actually use these displays to give us the information we want/need from our dash instead of just what the engineers/designers thought we wanted.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Aside from what's already been mentioned about the hideous dash layout ---

I'm even wondering how that hideous dash will affect the stereo aficionados too - because you can't just pull module A, B, C and/or display, it's now all integrated into that hideous dash cluster... have fun!

 

[Bikeman315]

umm, not sure where you get the "replace every year"
I own an iPhone. I tend to replace mine every 5-6 years. I tend to replace my car every 10-12 years, and probably for the same reason. After a while, things start breaking or (in case of a computer) it can no longer do the job I require of it.

I know people who replace their phones every year, I also know people who buy a new car every 2-3 years, and even one person who does it after driving their old one 500 miles (yeah, I don't get it either)

Things change. Sometimes for the worse, but most of the time, it's changing for the better. Let's hope that this new system will actually allow us to fully customize and actually use these displays to give us the information we want/need from our dash instead of just what the engineers/designers thought we wanted.

I would love to fast forward a year to see how many of the haters actually buy something else instead of a Mustang. Internet hate is easy, but when it comes down to putting down the Benjamin’s I’m willing to bet a lot if folks will be singing a different tune. Just like 2015 and 2018.

 

[Charlemagne]

So what? You missed the point.

It was only a joke

People must love tablets in cars now otherwise they wouldn't put them there. But I don't know anyone or any car enthusiast who does tbh. Nice example is Mach E with the atrocious vertical tablet, that's a lot bigger abomination than this. At least in Tesla it works fine with minimalist interior and one horizontal tablet in the center and nothing else.

If they wanted big display they should have went with design identical to Ford Evos. That is at least symmetrical and somehow looks better to me. But I wouldn't like it in Mustang either, it's too modern. In EV Mustang, sure.

 

[Cobra Jet]

While I could live with the dashboard design, I think it's a much bigger disappointment that besides the dashboard itself the whole interior just looks like S550 carryovers with very minor adjustments.

Take a look at these pictures from model year 2014 and the brand new generation of 2024.

I think the rear seats are even completely unchanged...

As for the rear seating area - the rear 1/4 plastics are different as well as the rear deck and rear seat belt retractor pods. Upholstery design looks a little different but not much and seat swaps will probably still work. Can't tell if the trans tunnel/floor pans are elevated (more shallow) or lower (deeper) than the S550.

At the front, the A-pillars are different and the obvious door panel changes. Probably can swap those too, depending on if the back sides of each will integrate into any body shell holes/clips providing they're in the same locations. Center console definitely different due to e-brake design. Front seats may be swappable to S550 depending on seat tracks, bolt orientations and/or seat modules for power/heat/cool features.

Sponsored