2023 Ford Mustang v 2022 Ford Mustang: styling faceoff

Ever since the Fairlane-based first-generation Ford Mustang's game-changing grand debut at the New York World's Fair of 1964, whenever a new Ford Mustang comes along, it's a big deal.

With the covers whipped off the seventh-generation 2023 Mustang's for the first time just days ago, and the outgoing S550 Mustang having been on the market since 2014, expect this fresh new face from Ford to grow very familiar over the immediate future before it's eventually replaced with a next-generation vehicle (V8 will remain if demand is there, says Ford CEO Jim Farley).

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While Ford's original pony car of the ‘60s launched into the baby boomer generation during a period of significant post-war economic expansion, ostensibly inventing its own vehicle segment for many first-time recreational sports car buyers, the 2023 Mustang targets a much younger demographic faced with a crowded, and globalised, sports car segment with a heavier emphasis on modern, inoffensive styling and technology.

The outgoing generation of Mustang is of particular Australian pertinence, having ruled the roost as Australia's best-selling sports car ever since it first lobbed onto the scene. Ford Australia previously offered a limited production special 2001 Ford Mustang Cobra 'officially converted' by Tickford, but the sixth-gen S550 was the first factory-produced Mustang in history.

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It's an immensely popular car the instant local success of which was unforeseen even by Ford Australia. The new one will have to impress.

Read on below as we breakdown all the ways the new-look Mustang looks new.

Exterior

Ford's taken a cautionary approach to 2023 Mustang, and looks about how you'd expect a modern facelift of the outgoing Mustang would look.

The front end now boasts a sharper horizontal leading edge, lending to the illusion of width and a lower bonnet.

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The new grille is larger, with a less bottom-weighted profile than the outgoing S550. The more symmetrical anchor points of the new grille evoke the softer curves of the original ‘60s Mustang. The headlights, like all new cars, are thinner.

At the rear, the tri-bar tail-lights mimic that of the US-only Mustang Mach-E, with the current car's blacked out rear valance replaced with body colour paint. The integrated rear diffuser has also been reprofiled to visually swallow more bumper real estate.

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The new rear haunches have been dramatically blistered, giving the whole rear quarter view an edgy, almost Cyberpunk-like vibe.

Four-cylinder turbo Mustangs and V8 GTs can be newly distinguished by the GT's more aggressive grille, bonnet vents and distinct front splitter.

Interior

The interior of the 2023 Ford Mustang makes more divergent strides from the familiar Mustang we know and love.

The cockpit-inspired cabin is headlined by a new 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster that seamlessly flows into the driver-oriented 13.2-inch central touchscreen. The new Mustang also introduces Ford's latest Sync4 operating system

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For us nerds out there, the graphics on the digital instrument cluster are powered by video game developer Epic's Unreal Engine, just like Fortnite, Gears 5 and Borderlands 3.

The seventh-gen Mustang introduces a new flat-bottomed steering wheel with an octagonal centre pad, though with largely similar button layouts.

The existing Mustang's three central air vents have been replaced by two larger horizontal units mounted below the central touchscreen, with a redesigned HVAC interface sitting atop similarly-placed USB ports, 12v plug and a redesigned mobile phone charger.

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The 2023 Mustang also brings added active safety features as part of Ford's newest CoPilot360 suite, including: Intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, evasive steer assist and reverse brake assist.

Active Pothole Mitigation comes part of the US Performance Package, and enables the car to monitor the road, detects incoming potholes, and dynamically overdamps the system, effectively 'catching' the wheel before suspension travel allows it to fall into the hole.