The line between muscle cars and sports cars is blurrier than ever, with models like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro being able to compete with Models like the Porsche Boxster, Jaguar F-Type, and even the Aston Martin Vanquish – at least in terms of style, anyway. But, there was a time when muscle cars were exactly that – cars with big muscle under the hood and chiseled bodies. For the younger crowd out there, the term American muscle means a completely different thing than it does to those of us that grew up around big blocks, carburetors, and engine bays without miles of wire routed every which way. To those of us who remember what muscle cars used to be, it’s easy to see that today’s “muscle cars” are slowly losing their heritage in the style department. Just take a look at this Mustang design that is based on the current Mustang, but tweaked with lots of old school cues, giving us a glimpse at what the current-gen Mustang should look like.

The designs you see here were submitted to us by one of our long-time readers, Chris Cyrulewski, and is a modern interpretation of the Notchback design Ford has used in the past. It’s not his first rodeo when it comes to designing Mustangs, as he has had his hand in designing a GT350 Concept car for Ford as a freelance digital sculptor a while back as well. Needless to say, Ford should probably get in touch with him and work out a deal because this thing is gorgeous. Join me a little farther down the page to learn about the specifics.

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The Definition of Sexy

First off, the biggest thing to know here is that this Mustang has been modified to take on the Notchback design. As such, the rear glass has been repositioned and shortened to sit almost vertically while the roof and rear deck is flatter. The standard GT spoiler has been removed and been replaced by a smaller fin, while the rear end has been widened by about four inches. The fender arches are more pronounced, and the rear diffuser takes on a bit of GT3 DNA (the diffuser for the police car is more toned down, for obvious reasons.) Move around to the sides, and you’ll see the fender vents from the GT350 moved to the rear quarters where they actively route air to cool the rear brakes.

The front end has been changed up as well, with the most noticeable thing being the air inlets next to the headlights, a feature inspired by the 1970 Mach 1. The front end was widened by a total of three inches, adding to the muscular appearance, and the hood features a single vent in the front. The front fascia is quite similar to that of the current Mustang, but the corner vents are much larger, thanks to the extra width, and the air dam has been sized down a little. Finally, the nose has been dropped slightly with a more aggressive slant, a feature inspired by the Shelby GT500.

One thing is for sure; this is the most aggressive looking Mustang that I’ve seen in a long while. It’s packed with features from the past and busting at the seams with heritage. Currently, Mr. Cyrulewski has finished the design phase and is hoping to make this car a reality. As a project, he’s looking for investors to help make it a reality, but I think Ford needs to reach out and buy the design directly. I’m not much of a Ford fan these days, but if Ford brought this design to the market, you might just color me a Ford owner once again. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments section below.