The Ford Mustang debuted in 1964 to become the fastest-selling car in American history, but Ford didn’t mess with the basic design too much in the first generation. Besides offering a fastback, coupe, and convertible version of the Mustang, as well as the track-focused Shelby models, the Blue Oval never dared to produce a Mustang station wagon or two-seater, despite the pleas of enthusiasts. 

As part of the Ford Mustang’s 50th anniversary celebration though, Ford is taking a look back at various Mustang concept cars that didn’t quite make the cut.

We’ve already covered some of these cars, including some of the earliest Mustang concepts like the Avanti and Allegro. However, there are some even-cooler Mustang concepts that we haven’t even touched on, like the hardtop Mustang 1 concept from 1962 that looks shockingly similar to the Ford GT40. This sleek two-seater was never seriously considered for production, but it still adds to the mystique of the Mustang.

Amazingly, Ford even considered a four-door version of the Mustang (which looked awful) as well as a Mustang station wagon (which looked awesome). Alas, neither one went into production, which may or may not have been for the best. In an entirely different vein, neither did the Mustang Mach 2 concept, which would have turned the teenager-friendly four-person Mustang into a racing-only two-seater.

One Mustang concept we wish had come closer to production is the original Mach 1, which looked a lot like a ‘67 Mustang, but with a chopped roof and a porthole quarter window. But our favorite classic Mustang concept by far is the Milano, which again had the chopped roof and pointed snout.

 Ford took a hiatus from Mustang concept car for most of the 70s, returning in 1980 with the Mustang RSX, a European rally-style car that was seen as a potential competitor. Ford ultimately thought better of the Mustang RSX though and tossed the design in the trash bin. It was later joined by the too-soft “Bruce Jenner” Mustang, which was designed as a replacement for the Fox-body in 1990. A more aggressive “Rambo” Mustang design was also discarded for being too “extreme”, even though the 1990s was all about extreme.

Thankfully, Ford has sense enough to also dispatch the bulbous Mach III Mustang concept, which joins the ranks of unbuilt Mustang concepts. Some of these we really wouldn’t have minded seeing come to fruition; others we wish we had never seen. It just shows how much sway Ford has given Mustang designers over the past few decades. And yet somehow the Mustang has stayed true to the original concept better than nearly any other automobile.