1965 Giugiaro Mustang

The March 2007 issue Giugiaro Mustang cover car is an eye-catching blend of Italian design and American muscle. However, this hybrid combo has been done before and, believe it or not, by some of the same people.

Giorgetto Giugiaro worked at Bertone in the mid-1960s and styled this Bertone Mustang 2+2 as a joint-venture project between Ford and hardbound car publication Automobile Quarterly. Four decades later, Giugiaro runs his own studio, Italdesign, and his son Maurizio spearheads the new one.

As with the old, the modern version retains the stock Mustang's chassis and dimensions, but all body panels were replaced. The interior received a full redesign, too. Both are still recognizable as Mustangs, but with a decidedly Latin flair. The Bertone car's slim roof pillars and airy greenhouse are typical of the period. The first was introduced to the public at the New York auto show in April 1965. The new one broke cover at the Los Angeles show, 41 years, seven months later.

COVERAGE JULY 1966

On this page, you'll find Bertone's take on the original Mustang. Motor Trend's July 1966 cover featured our take on Chevy's response to it. Its codename was "Panther," but it soon became known by its production handle, Camaro. We're not sure why our forebears used this stylized illustration--which didn't look much like the real car--because there were spy shots of it inside the issue. Stirling Moss also gave us a monthly racing column, starting with this issue.