Help me sort fact from fiction

Well I have to disagree with you on the production numbers, this isnt just another Mustang Cobra, Its A Shelby Mustang Cobra, and a 500hp version to boot. I guarantee their was not this kind of salivating from the potential buying public before the 03 came out. I know Ford doesnt want to get burned on too large a production run but they should look at this as the kind of unique high demand offering it is insted of basing it off recent mustang platform sales. I dont think the two compare all that well.
 
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ANGELMAV said:
Well I have to disagree with you on the production numbers, this isnt just another Mustang Cobra, Its A Shelby Mustang Cobra, and a 500hp version to boot!


I'm afraid that you're wasting pixels Angel....

Mr. Dyoct is evidently emblematic of the deep seated problems in Dearborn.

Having given birth to the goose who laid the golden egg, Ford now wants to keep it on a diet in a dark corner of their kingdom.

Its going to be a shame to see the amount of frustration that gets vented once these fine machines hit the showroom, but none are available for sale (again!).
 
Yeah I am starting to come around to the understanding that Ford is only interested in appeasing the collectors and dealers with this offering. I mean in their own literature they warn dealers not to make any promises due to "The Unprecedented Interest in the Upcoming GT500 Shelby" yet they are holding to that 7,200 figure. This is a stance I just dont understand. I would think you would build what the public wants to buy and in great enough supply to meet the demand, which a very limited edition 2yr run fails to do. Well at least they will be nice to look at at car shows because thats as close as most will be able to get to it. :bang:
 
shooterm1 said:
Mr. Dyoct is evidently emblematic of the deep seated problems in Dearborn.

Aw man, I'm trying to be a part of the solution, not the problem. I'm an enthaust too guys, and I wish Ford would build more of these ponies, but there isn't an easy "let's build a 500hp Mustang and throw a million of them out there" strategy. Ford doesn't build every component as well, the superchargers, the suspensions, the engine components, the wheels, bolts, etc are coming from suppliers, it's tough to get everyone together and have their production up to par...it's not cheap to just expand production facilities, especially in NA Operations. Trust me ladies and gentlemen, we are listening, some of us actually care, and all of us can't just reveal everything up "Bill's sleeve" as well.
 
03 SVT VERT said:
The engine is hand assembled, the transmission is put in by hand, the badges/insignias are applied by hand, the seats are put in by hand, and I believe the suspension is put in and adjusted by hand. It isn't a fully hand assembled car like the FORD GT, but it does have a lot more that goes into it then the base Mustang GT.

The difference between the GT500 & a Base Mustang GT is the components. The GT500 has upgraded components to be sure, however they must be able to be installed on the production line in the same amount of time as all the other Mustangs coming down the line. The sequence the car goes together is also the same. In the old Dearborn Assembly plant the Cobra parts were right next to all the other part. Check out the Dearborn truck assembly plant if you want to see how much "hand" work is done.
 
Just a thought, there might be more to the whole "why don't they build 20,000 units." Aren't there EPA laws that set the standard that a % of cars produced must get X amount of MPG? If Ford sells 20,000 units of a supercharged 5.4 they are going to have to off-set the average by either cutting back on production of other "polluters" like the truck/suv line, or they will have to produce more of the econo-boxes.
If this is the case, I vote on producing the 20,000 cobras and cutting back on the suvs... (since sales are sliding anyway).
 
RetiredGeneral said:
Just a thought, there might be more to the whole "why don't they build 20,000 units." Aren't there EPA laws that set the standard that a % of cars produced must get X amount of MPG? If Ford sells 20,000 units of a supercharged 5.4 they are going to have to off-set the average by either cutting back on production of other "polluters" like the truck/suv line, or they will have to produce more of the econo-boxes.
If this is the case, I vote on producing the 20,000 cobras and cutting back on the suvs... (since sales are sliding anyway).

Yes, you have an excellent point on CAFE rules there. As a whole, Ford has a very low fuel economy average because of the nearly 1million F-Series trucks sold each year. Toyota is now getting slammed by environmental groups because their fuel economy has gotten worse over the past decade. This is in fact due to them furthering their war on domestics by offering SUVs and trucks to their lineup. Honda has the "best" fuel economy because they didn't have a truck until just the 05MY. Their economy will "worsen" now as a result.

Also, Ford is struggling with sliding sales of pickups and trucks, some that provide as much as $15,000 in profit to smaller, $3,000 profit vehicles. I'm not sure what the Mustang provides profit-wise.
 
Dyoct said:
Ford is struggling with sliding sales of pickups and trucks, some that provide as much as $15,000 in profit to smaller, $3,000 profit vehicles..
Ford can afford to use some of those lost CAFE points then and put them towards more Shelby GT 500's right? :D
I'm not sure what the Mustang provides profit-wise.
Ahh, come-on! You just dont want to say,

(btw / tell Bill to call me) :nice:
 
Making 10,000 seems smart in a lot of way's, everyone is going to want one but
A. Wont be able to afford one (upkeep, insurance , family, ect...)
B. Limited production run and you can repeat it the next year.
C. Saleens, Roush are basically in the same market and doubt they sell
that many a year combined.
D. A California Special version makes sense's. (it was known as the
poormans shelby back in the 60's). Mostly cosmetic's .
E. Aftermarket kits going to make alot of clones for less.
F. You make a hundred thousand and the Shelby mustang becomes just another mustang.
 
ANGELMAV said:
Well Ford has done so well with the new Mustang they toyed with the idea of opening another production line so that should tell you something!
Where were they thinking of putting this new production line? The old DAP is gone. Have you any idea of how much goes into a vehicle production line? FORD did up the production for the year at AAI.
 
ANGELMAV said:
Well Ford has done so well with the new Mustang they toyed with the idea of opening another production line so that should tell you something!

Yes Ford considered a 2nd faciltiy to produce the Mustang, but the decision was made NOT to start up a 2nd Mustang line.

That appears to have been a good decision as Mustang sales have already slowed down.
 
Does anyone think if I called my Ford dealer tomorrow to try and get one ordered/on hold they would laugh at me? Basically do you think by now they've all been spoken for?