As for the production numbers, I was at the International Auto Show here in Miami today and spoke with one of the Ford reps at the show. I was told that they have "officially" slated production of 8000-10000 GT500s per year for the next 3 years so there is likely to be more than plenty to go around.
They had a black convertible at the show on a rotating pedestal that no one could get very close to, but I still got some pics of the car and the engine as the hood was open. To be honest, and this was kinda suprising because I've owned 3 Mustangs in the past and consider myself an enthusiastic Mustang fan, I really wasn't overly blown away by it. I mean the engine looks formidable and I'm sure the driving experience is fun (but likely not much more fun than my 2006 STi is which worked out to just under $32,000 OTD nicely equipped
), but I just didn't get the "wow factor" I thought I would from seeing it in person. I think part of the "desensitization" is because Mustangs are so common on the street, even modified Mustangs, that IMHO the GT500 is just a "bragging rights" and die-hard fan car without as much long-term appeal as many may think. Not to mention, as a daily driver, I can only imagine what the monthly gas bills will look like if the commute is more than a few miles a day round trip! Sure there are some people out there with enough money that buying the GT500 is just another toy to them and could care less about the price or maintenance cost, but these really aren’t the people this car is suppose to be targeting and Ford is not likely to get a lot of sales from because they can obviously afford more “exotic”, if not more justifiably priced vehicles. Personally, even if I was currently in the market for a car, which I'm not (extremely happy with my STi 
), I just can't justify paying $42K+TTF for a Mustang, even for a brute of a Mustang like the GT500 with warranty and all.
Along these same lines, after visiting the show, I can honestly say that car manufacturers have completely lost touch with reality with many of their car models and how they are pricing vehicles these days. Many brands now make it seem like people shouldn't be thinking twice about paying around $40K for a non-base model vehicle with some nice amenities and that most vehicles priced less than this are suppose to be for the peasants, commoners, and poor people that can only afford a car that's less than that "magic number". Maybe they think that it was ok to run up prices right along with the housing boom in some areas of the country because "hey, if the houses are going up in price so much, why shouldn't our cars?". The only problem with that is that cars are not a long term asset for the most part with HUGE depreciation, and most people are not going to cash the equity out of their house to make that kind of "investment". People still have to be able to afford the payments too you know? I suspect just as the housing markets are already showing, the automobile manufacturers will, and are already seeing a substantial period of correction in the auto sales market in both demand and pricing which will continue until prices slow down, incomes and the overall economy catch up, or a combination of all the above. Fortunately there are a couple of brands out there that still truly know the meaning of the words "value" and "bang for your buck".
On a final note, as mentioned in some other threads, I agree about the moronic marketing and poor adaptation to today's consumer/market that Ford and some others have exhibited over the past 5+ years. Some competitors have done a much better job of it.
They had a black convertible at the show on a rotating pedestal that no one could get very close to, but I still got some pics of the car and the engine as the hood was open. To be honest, and this was kinda suprising because I've owned 3 Mustangs in the past and consider myself an enthusiastic Mustang fan, I really wasn't overly blown away by it. I mean the engine looks formidable and I'm sure the driving experience is fun (but likely not much more fun than my 2006 STi is which worked out to just under $32,000 OTD nicely equipped
), but I just didn't get the "wow factor" I thought I would from seeing it in person. I think part of the "desensitization" is because Mustangs are so common on the street, even modified Mustangs, that IMHO the GT500 is just a "bragging rights" and die-hard fan car without as much long-term appeal as many may think. Not to mention, as a daily driver, I can only imagine what the monthly gas bills will look like if the commute is more than a few miles a day round trip! Sure there are some people out there with enough money that buying the GT500 is just another toy to them and could care less about the price or maintenance cost, but these really aren’t the people this car is suppose to be targeting and Ford is not likely to get a lot of sales from because they can obviously afford more “exotic”, if not more justifiably priced vehicles. Personally, even if I was currently in the market for a car, which I'm not (extremely happy with my STi ), I just can't justify paying $42K+TTF for a Mustang, even for a brute of a Mustang like the GT500 with warranty and all. Along these same lines, after visiting the show, I can honestly say that car manufacturers have completely lost touch with reality with many of their car models and how they are pricing vehicles these days. Many brands now make it seem like people shouldn't be thinking twice about paying around $40K for a non-base model vehicle with some nice amenities and that most vehicles priced less than this are suppose to be for the peasants, commoners, and poor people that can only afford a car that's less than that "magic number". Maybe they think that it was ok to run up prices right along with the housing boom in some areas of the country because "hey, if the houses are going up in price so much, why shouldn't our cars?". The only problem with that is that cars are not a long term asset for the most part with HUGE depreciation, and most people are not going to cash the equity out of their house to make that kind of "investment". People still have to be able to afford the payments too you know? I suspect just as the housing markets are already showing, the automobile manufacturers will, and are already seeing a substantial period of correction in the auto sales market in both demand and pricing which will continue until prices slow down, incomes and the overall economy catch up, or a combination of all the above. Fortunately there are a couple of brands out there that still truly know the meaning of the words "value" and "bang for your buck".
On a final note, as mentioned in some other threads, I agree about the moronic marketing and poor adaptation to today's consumer/market that Ford and some others have exhibited over the past 5+ years. Some competitors have done a much better job of it.
