Ford China's Mustang Design Contest Takes the Pony Car into New Territory | Carscoops

      Forget about the four-door coupe variant of the Mustang; our focus is on this chic shooting brake.

      On April 23, 2025, at 21:17, Michael Gauthier reported that Ford recently organized a design competition in China, inviting students to reimagine the Mustang.

      The Mustang Mach-S Concept is a striking design that envisions the pony car as a shooting brake.

      Meanwhile, the Mustang Super Utility Concept is an electric vehicle that merges coupe aesthetics with the functionality of a truck.

      Stellantis’ Drive For Design contest is nearing its conclusion, but Ford recently conducted a similar challenge for the Mustang in China called “Mustang: A Grand Tour Of Re-imagination.” This initiative teamed Ford Design China with local design students to conceptualize the future of the iconic pony car.

      The program launched late last year and engaged 25 students from 22 various colleges and universities, both in China and internationally. In February, eight students were chosen to attend Ford’s design center in Shanghai for an intensive week-long design experience where they collaborated directly with professional designers. During this process, they translated their sketches into three-dimensional digital models.

      Ultimately, three designs were recognized for their excellence and chosen for physical development. The standout creation is the Mustang Mach-S Concept by Liu Sizhuo, a student from Tsinghua University, who designed a sleek shooting brake that remains unmistakably Mustang yet offers greater practicality.

      Xie Yian from Germany took a completely different approach with his Mustang Super Utility Concept, aiming to blend coupe design with the utility of a pickup truck, envisioned as a fully electric model.

      Lai Yushun's Mustang Hyper Tandem Concept draws inspiration from racing, featuring a tandem cockpit reminiscent of fighter jets. This configuration places drivers at the forefront of the experience while the rest of the vehicle showcases an “exaggerated and visually striking aerodynamic design.”

      All three concept models will be featured at the Shanghai Auto Show, where Ford’s Max Wolff expressed his pride, stating, “We are honored to have attracted so many exceptional young design talents to this very rare training opportunity.”