Ford welded 2 Mustangs together to celebrate automotive innovation.

Ford is showcasing 50 years of automotive innovation with one strange and distinct exhibit.

Ford and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum in Alexandria, Virginia will unveil Wednesday morning a permanent new display to celebrate 50 years of automotive innovation: a 1965 and a 2015 Mustang fused together lengthwise.

The odd creation is part of an exhibit at the museum's Property Power Exhibit that underscores the story and importance of intellectual property.

Honestly, though, that message is a bit lost on me. Seems somebody just wanted to cut some 'Stangs in half and find reason to get away with it.

If you dig beneath the skin, though, the message becomes clearer. That's because the first Mustang in 1965 included some Ford patents like the rear-seat speaker and a power convertible top.

What is perhaps most striking to me is just how different the cars have become over the years. Granted, the '15 has a retro look to it, but it is significantly beefier than the '65.

Not only will museum visitors be able to sit inside both halves of the car and fiddle with their dashboard bits, they'll also be able to hear recordings of the V8s that powered both models at idle.

Before you pony car purists start sending in your hate mail, I should let you know that only one real Mustang was sacrificed for this exhibit: a righthand-drive '15. The lefthand portion of the '65 is a replica.