2015 Ford Mustang: How Close Were the Predictions?

Here's the 2015 Ford Mustang with its predecessor on the day of its reveal in New York. How close did the predictions get? Photo by John Rosevear.

It's a ritual that repeats itself every time a hot new car gets close to being revealed: Car magazines rush to check in with their "inside scoop" on what the new model will be like.

Over the last year or so we've seen this ritual play out (just as it has for decades) with General Motors' (GM -0.17%) all-new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and, most recently, with Ford's (F 0.66%) 2015 Mustang.

Back in October, Car and Driver posted an article titled "Leaked! This is Almost Definitely the 2015 Ford Mustang." The magazine offered up extremely detailed predictions about Ford's upcoming pony, along with a rendered 360-degree image.

It was a well-done article that was surely informed by some genuine "inside" information. Articles like this have been big hits for Car and Driver and its rivals for more than a generation, and this one was no different. It was widely cited around the Internet, even here at the Fool.

But how close were the predictions? How close can any magazine get to uncovering all the details about a new product that's shrouded in secrecy? Last week, at Ford's New York event unveiling the Mustang, the "Motor Money" team of Rex Moore and John Rosevear considered Car and Driver's predictions while looking at the actual all-new Mustang in the metal. Their verdict? Watch this short video and find out.