As Mustang's 50th anniversary rapidly approaches, its maker is under enormous pressure to deliver a worthy update that will satisfy legions of loyal fans and appeal to masses around the globe. Ford finally is taking its iconic Mustang overseas.Think of it as the flip side of One Ford, the program that brought the European Focus and Fiesta to the U.S. Ford will deploy America's original ponycar in new markets including such right-hand-drive countries as England, Japan, and Australia. For the first time, studios in Australia and Europe are contributing to the design of the new model. And the Mustang will finally get an independent rear suspension.A decade after then-Ford veep Phil Martens' infamous attempt to save $100 a car by scrapping IRS in favor of retaining the live axle, the Mustang will finally enter the 21st century. There will no doubt be feelings of anger, grief, and betrayal from Mustang loyalists. Aging drag racers who argued for the live axle's stoplight launch advantages gave Ford a handy excuse for the cost-cutting. Ford has done amazing things with the live rear axle, but that technology's days are past. We expect Ford will revive the independent suspension design intended for the current-generation Mustang to keep costs down, even though the cost of putting it back in is far higher than that $100 per car saved six years ago.

Believed to be based on the inexpensive and lightweight Control Blade suspension Ford developed for the hind ends of its modern front-drive cars, the suspension will be similar to that of the Australian Ford Falcon. Computer-controlled torque vectoring may be in the cards for further handling improvements. There's a small chance the live rear axle could live on in a low-volume special edition aimed at drag racers, but this would force packaging compromises in the area over the differential.