The new Ford GT will soon be upon us, so a mid-engine Mustang seems like a pointless idea. Back in 1967, however, Ford envisioned a future where a Mustang with a middle-mounted engine replaced the iconic Shelby Cobra.
Bold Ride reminded us of the 1967 Mustang Mach 2 concept, which first made its debut at the 1967 Chicago Auto Show. The car was penned by former Ford design chief Gene Bordinat, who was asked to marry the Mustang’s styling to a mid-engine platform. We’d say he was successful, giving the Mach 2 unmistakable Mustang styling cues such as a short deck and long hood.
Powering the Mach 2 was Ford’s ‘HiPo’ 289 cubic-inch Windsor V8, a variation of which Caroll Shelby also used in the Mustang GT350. Unfortunately, we never got to find out what kind of performance this engine would dish out in the mid-engine Mustang, as Ford axed the Mach 2 before it could reach production. It’s not exactly clear why the Mach 2 was never produced, but some rumors suggest the ‘unsafe at any speed’ Corvair gave Ford cold feet about selling a car with the engine anywhere but in front of the driver.
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