A mid-engined vehicle setup conjures thoughts of (mostly) European vehicles with great balance and high performance, but did you know that The Blue Oval created its very own mid-engined Mustang? Yes, The Ford Mustang Mach 2 was a fairly good-looking design study, but never reached production status. Here’s its story.
In the 1960s, Ford design chief Gene Bordinat was tasked with creating a design study that combined the sports car demeanor of the Mustang with the brutality of the Shelby Cobra. The Mustang Mach 2 was his creation. It features gorgeous lines similar to many European machine, along with plenty of American muscle car influences, especially towards the concept’s rear.
The overall design was inspired by GT cars, and Ford explored the possibility of the Mustang Mach 2 replacing the Shelby Cobra. The concept made its debut at the 1967 Chicago Auto Show and featured many parts from the traditional Mustang parts bin, including the pony car’s front suspension, front and rear brakes and of course the 289 cubic-inch (3.1-liter) V8. But unlike the traditional Mustang, the engine was behind the driver in the Mustang Mach 2.
Unfortunately for enthusiasts, the Mustang Mach 2 never became a reality after being shown around the auto show circuit. Who knows what kind of history the Mustang would have had if Ford had decided to place the engine behind the seats, or if the design would have even lasted. But even though this design is for the history books and we now have the all-new Ford GT, we can’t get enough of the Mach 2’s styling.
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