With the 45th anniversary of the Mustang fast approaching and the
Camaro and Challenger due to be resurrected, there have been rumors
circulating that Fords engineering team has been testing the 2009
Mustang in the Arizona desert.

This has created a lot of excitement throughout the Mustang community,
as enthusiasts now want a peek at what will be available in 2009. Many
wonder will the new Mustang have the styling, power and handling to
dominate the much anticipated revivals of the Camaro and Challenger?

Well, no reason to wait any longer, lets have look at some of the
things you expect for 2009:

The new Mustang will be based on the current S197 platform and will not
be completely redesigned from the ground up. A complete redesign would
prove too costly, so Ford intends to make any necessary improvements
with the current platform to compete with the Camaro and Challenger.

When it comes to appearance, the 2009 Mustang will not disappoint.
While, the wheelbase and overall dimensions of the car probably won't
change much, the 2009 Mustang will be more aggressive and audacious in
its styling. With modern body lines, more pronounced front and rear
flanks and a proportionally smaller glass area, the 2009 Mustang will
have a sleek, yet aggressive appearance. It's expected that retro
styling will continue to dominate the theme of the car, but there are
certainly going to be some modern details included, such as projector
beam headlights in its newly designed front facia.

The heart of 2009 Mustang GT will most likely beat through Fords new
3-valve 4.6L V8, although there has been some speculation that it could
see either the 4-valve 4.6L V-8 or the 3-valve 5.4L V-8. Whichever
engine Ford decides to plant under the hood of the 2009 Mustang, one
thing is for sure, displacement on demand (DOD) technology will be
used. This feature allows the engine to shut off four of the 8
cylinders to improve fuel economy when the engine is lightly loaded. By
using the DOD technology, a more aggressive engine tune may be possible
which could give the Mustang a potent 325-340hp. All this power will
likely be harnessed through a 5 speed gearbox, unless the competition
forces Ford to do drop a six-speed in.

Although it's expected that the 2009 Mustang will ride on a refined
version of the "DEW-lite" chassis which is currently used in the
S197 Mustang, one possible change could be an independent rear
suspension in place of the solid rear axle. The Camaro and Challenger
are both expected to sport an IRS, so Ford may be forced to follow
suit.

The interior of the 2009 Mustang will likely be just as bold as the
exterior. Look for improvements such as a new steering wheel,
instrument cluster and door panels which will continue to give the
Mustang a retro look, yet modern feel. One feature that will surely be
dropped from the 2009 Mustang is the "My-Color" instruments, which
allows the color of the instrument panel to be changed to suit the
drivers styling needs. This option has proven costly for Ford and
removing it should help keep production costs down.

With the Camaro and Challenger hitting the streets in the near future,
the 2009 Mustang Concept certainly proves that Ford is not waiting
around for the competition to catch up. As we can see, the Mustang once
again aims to be a leader and not a follower.

Patrick