With the hype regarding the 2013 Mustang refresh finally settling down, those of us in the auto-writing business are turning our collective focus towards the future. Specifically, we are all wondering what the 2015 Mustang, which will be the 50th anniversary of Ford’s pony car, will bring to the table. Turbocharged EcoBoost engines are all but certain at this point, but what about another long-time dream of Mustang fans, an independent rear suspension?

Recent spy shots from Car & Driver seem to suggest that the next Mustang will indeed get an independent rear suspension, if all the collective analysis proves true. You’ll have to go to C&D’s website to see the pics for yourself.

Though the car in these shots looks like just another 2013 Mustang, there are subtle hints here and there that this is not the case. For one, the gaps between the body panels seems too wide, and if you look at the under-car-shot, you can see that both wheels have more camper than a solid axle setup will allow. This all but confirms the addition of an IRS to the Mustang, finally.

But there are plenty of other questions being raised by the 2015 Mustang. What sorts of engines will it use? The 5.0 V8 will surely carry over…but what about 3.7 liter V6? Will Ford keep a V6 engine option, or replace it with an EcoBoost engine? The clock is ticking, and we’ll know soon enough what Ford has planned for this celebratory version of the Mustang. Was an independent rear suspension on your wish list too?