When the first prototype of Ford's all-new Mustang coupe rolled out of the company's super-secret test lab one rainy day in June, a few photogs snapped pics and had them online within an hour. But they didn't show much.

That was no accident.

Automakers go to great lengths to keep new models from prying eyes, and the stylists responsible for a car's design work with engineers and the vehicle test crew to keep photographers with long lenses and fanbois with camera phones from getting clear shots of the car. Ford's got a full-time camouflage expert who's only job is keeping a new car hidden, even when it's in plain view.

"Before a single one of these test vehicles is allowed to leave the prototype plant, a camouflage package is developed and must be approved by the design, engineering and test track safety departments," says Al Wilkinson, whose job title of "camouflage coordinator" sounds like something you'd find at the Pentagon, not an automaker. “With all of the camo in place, even a good photograph should not give away the design details of the new car.”

This goes beyond minimizing corporate spying and fueling automaker rivalries. Those unfamiliar with the automotive world may be surprised to know that there are, for lack of a better term, paparazzi who try to nab photos of new models before anyone else. Magazines and websites pay handsomely for these photos, and automakers do all they can to stop them. They want to control when, where, and how images are released.

This was particularly important with the new Mustang, one of the most eagerly anticipated new models in years. The Mustang is an icon, and the first photographer to snap a clear pic would have quite a prize. Ford was determined to keep the car under wraps as long as possible, which was a bit of a challenge given its telltale fastback shape. Ford did what any automaker does to camo a car – slap on some swirly paint, add a few bogus bulges here and there, that sort of thing. The brass took one look and said, "Uh, no."

"When I saw the first camouflage package the team suggested, I knew it wasn’t good enough to counter the paparazzi, so we went back to the drawing board," says Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer.

Creating the right camo is an art form. Things like turn signals, headlights and tailights have to work, and obviously doors must open, windows roll down and so forth. And some things, like a car's wheelbase, simply can't be changed. So the trick is hiding or modifying styling elements and general shapes without adversely affecting performance or safety.

Wilkinson's crew used foam blocks to alter the car's silhouette – strategically placing them on the rear glass, fenders and doors – then blanketed the whole thing in black vinyl so it looks (something) like a notchback. It's ugly as sin, but that's the point. Only after seeing photos of the Mustang could you look at the camo'd car and think, Oh yeah... I see a Mustang in there. The cloak is painstakingly assembled to ensure the aerodynamics are sound and nothing comes flying off at 80 mph. All in, the camouflage weighs just 49 pounds and according to Ford didn't affect the dynamics testing.

No less important, it did the job. In some ways, it worked too well. One reason automakers are loathe to have spy shots leak out is they don't want people forming opinions on things that may not be real.

"This camouflage was better at hiding the lines and contours, but in some ways it backfired," says Brenda Priddy, the doyenne of automotive spy photography. When the shots began circulating, even with all that camo, enthusiasts began decrying the death of the Mustang's iconic design. Not that they could glean anything through the massive cover.

Now that the Mustang has been revealed – and its design largely praised – there's no need to hide anything. At least until the next-gen Shelby GT500 breaks cover, anyway. Priddy will be ready. And though she knows how the game is played, she's still a little surprised by it.

"They do all that just because of a handful of people like me?"