The Ford Mustang received its complete retro-inspired redesign for the 2005 model year.
Ford unveiled the redesigned Mustang at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, but it was sold as a 2005 model. The car represented the fifth Mustang generation and carried the internal designation S197. Its styling deliberately echoed fastback Mustangs from the late 1960s, giving the car a modern interpretation of classic proportions, headlights, grille treatment, and rear-quarter styling.
Ford design chief J Mays described the approach as “retro-futurism”: familiar historical cues were combined with contemporary engineering and manufacturing. The program was developed under chief engineer Hau Thai-Tang, with exterior design by Sid Ramnarace. Two concept cars previewed the production design at the 2003 Detroit auto show.
A common mix-up is 2004, because production began in late 2004 and customer deliveries started that year. However, 2004 was the launch period, while 2005 is the model year associated with the redesign. The 2010 Mustang was only a facelift of the same S197 generation, not a complete generational redesign.