It's time to climb into the Jalopnik Dimensional Fold-O-Tron, our patented device that allows us to travel to alternate realities (it's still in the beta stage, so don't blame us if you get stuck in the one with the Lizard Men) and explore some Ford Mustang concepts that never happened. Onward!
Actually, these photos aren't from the Fold-O-Tron. We don't have enough plutonium to make that operational yet. Instead, Ford opened up their archives to dig out some crazy Mustang concepts in preparation for the car's 50th birthday. As we're getting close to the debut of the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang, it seems like as good a time as any to explore some dead-end branches of the family tree.
Some of these concepts are pretty amazing. Others are ones I'm kind of glad didn't go anywhere. All of them are fascinating, though. Which one is your favorite?
The Avanti/Allego Concept
1962 Allegro Design Study
1963 Two-Seat Mid-Engine Concept
Ford says this design helped inspire the famous GT40 that kicked ass for America at Le Mans.
1965 Ford Mustang Sedan Concept
Considered as a way to expand the Mustang brand in light of the car's immense popularity but then canceled after "cooler heads prevailed" at Ford. Funny because the original Mustang was based on the Falcon sedan platform.
1966 Mustang Wagon
Pure, 100 percent unadulterated Jalop-porn right here.
1967 Allegro II Concept
1966 Mach I Concept
1967 Mach II Concept
1970 Mustang Milano Concept
1980 Mustang RSX Concept
Hey, we've seen this guy before!
1990 "Bruce Jenner" Design Study
Named after the famous Olympian. (Isn't he Kim Kardashian's stepdad too? Hell if I know.) You can definitely tell where these design cues would go a few years later. It may not be aggressive enough for a Mustang, but I like it. Very clean and elegant.
1990 "Rambo" Design Study
The above car's counterpart. Ford says it was deemed "too extreme" for production. I think it looks a little bit like the Holden Monaro-based Pontiac GTO from the mid-2000s.
1992 Mach III Concept
This car is so 90s I can't even handle it. Once again, more elements that would make it to the fourth generation Mustang.
These Crazy Mutant Mustangs Are From Futures That Didn't Happen