The most drastic improvement, however, may not be the engine or design -- but the interior. According to Knudsen, in fact, an extra inch of usable space has been added to front and back - the result of which is more legroom in the back and a more comfortable driving experience up front. "We really focused not just throwing money at parts, but in better execution of design," said Knudsen. "We used a different studio process, a smarter process. For example, we used this technology named opticore - which gave us a real-time model of the interior whenever we made changes." "The interior is going to be a big surprise. It will really hook you in."
Interior improvements include three design themes, including a color-configurable (125 possibilities) instrument panel, prominent dual chrome-ringed gauges, and chrome-ringed air vents. The Interior Color Accent Package is charcoal with red leather seats, red door inserts and red floor mats. Ford also claims to have significantly improved sound dampening, which provides a quieter, more relaxed driving experience. According to Knudsen, people will notice the difference in the interior materials, and the margins between elements. He cited work such as the increased space and the sculpted rear seats as items that will really stand out as improved. “For existing Mustang owners, I think they’ll appreciate the step up in the general level of refinement of the car, the execution and craftsmanship,” said Knudsen. “We’re moving from a 30 year-old platform. If the overall execution and interior quality wasn't where it was supposed to be, we've raised the bar significantly now.” The new Mustang is built on a shortened version of the Lincoln LS platform, and will measure 107.1 inches in length, a full six inches longer than its predecessor. With so much new, Knudsen feels confident that the Mustang character is still intact, and that people – whether they’ve owned a Mustang in the past or not – will appreciate just how fun it is to drive the vehicle. “Being on the inside, and having driven the car…you just want to keep on driving.”
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