By the time 1979 rolled around, America was reeling from recession, inflation, and ridiculous gas prices. This caused companies like Ford to radically redesign their cars for a more-discerning consumer. Cars like the four-cylinder turbo Mustang SVO were the answer to those woes, though Ford was ready to try some other radical ideas as well.

This included the two-seater Mustang RSX, built by the Ghia coachworks. But while Jalopnik thinks this was the rally Mustang that 1980s dreams are made of, we see a very different car, one focused on personal sportiness and comfort rather than just backwoods racing.

By 1980 Ford completely owned Ghia, and tasked the coachworks with designing a lightweight Mustang concept that would appeal to Europeans and Americans. The result was the lightweight, two-seater known as the Mustang RSX. It was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show along with two other two-seaters, the Ford EXP and Mercury LN7, both based on the front-drive Ford Escort.

The Mustang RSX was never intended for production, and was never taken to rally racing. It was a neat idea, but as a two-person car the Mustang would be less youth-oriented, which has always been its strong point. As a personal luxury coupe though, the Mustang could have struck a chord with buyers who flocked to rides like the Lincoln LSC later in the decade.

The EXP did go into production as a sporty two seat version of the Escort. However the car is likely better remembered today for the quality and mechanical issues that plagued it, than for anything else. That said, we rather like the Fox-body Mustang as it is, and we’re glad the Mustang RSX remained as a concept.