Ward's article on 05 Mustang Platform Development

[awalbert88]

"It is doable, and when the Mustang lineup is complete, thought can be given to a high-performance Lincoln, Martens says."

This sounds like something that could provide for the beginning of the rebirth of Lincoln - a nice roadster, something to compete with the Cadillac XLR, the BMW Z4, etc.

All in all, this article isn't say too much new, other than the "nine" variants of the Mustang. As for the talk of rebates, I think you guys are wrong. Ford is trying to get the hell out of the rebate game. GM is pushing that one so hard to keep sales up, and Ford doesn't want to continue playing. It doesn't help the manufacturer that much. I honestly don't think there will be much problem keeping Mustang sales up for awhile, and even if they settle down to around 150K per year, that's still very much profitable. The biggest job for this new Mustang is to get people into showrooms who maybe aren't too serious about a new car, but want to get a look at the one and only American pony car. And while they're there, they might notice that new Ford Five Hundred sedan and say, "well, hey, a test drive wouldn't hurt..."

Much like the new F-150 brought people into dealerships and increased Ranger sales as a result, the new Mustang can bring people into dealerships and increase sales of other vehicles as well.

All that being said... Ford is making it increasingly hard for me to not want to buy an 05 Mustang GT Vert (presuming they offer the Vert this year.... which maybe they won't, as a way of bumping sales for 06?)

 

[awalbert88]

“We'll do 180,000 in the first year, so it needs to be cheap. Besides, you'll soon see a cracking roll-out of limited editions: the Mach One, Bullitt (and) Boss Cobra.”

What? Holy jeebus. Did anybody notice this one? It's from the other article: http://waw.wardsauto.com/ar/auto_ford_tweaks_styling/index.htm

Boss Cobra? Bullit? Mach 1? All of these? Talk about bringing up your heritage!

 

[ThRippeR]

Vyto2 did the Police Stang. I like it. Question is, would you race him?

<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~tuki12/cop1.jpg">

<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~tuki12/cop1rear.jpg">

 

[66Satellite]

You are correct.

Right now Ford is planing on building 170,000 - 180,000 S197 Mustangs per year. This sounds like 2 shifts going flat out to me. If order's significantly exceed expectations Ford's options to increase production are:

1. Overtime - long shifts, extra days
2. Add 3rd shift
3. Add another production line at another plant.

#3 is very low probability. I don't think that Ford would want to make the investment in an additional line because we all know that sales will fade after the first couple years.

#2, adding a 3rd shift makes a big bump in production, but creates complications because of the costs involved both adding the shift and then eliminating the extra shift when sales fade and they need to end the extra shift. I'd say the only way this will happen is if on May 17, the unexpected happens and Ford is just over run with orders as they were on April 17, 1964.

So that really leaves option #1. Which means that Ford would be able to stretch production up to 200,000 - 220,000 a year and that's it.

My expectation for US sales are(assuming Ford builds to meet orders):
2005 - 250.000+
2006 - 200,000
2007 - 170,000 - First rebates will appear at the end of the 2000 MY - August 07
2008 - 150,000 - Here's where you will see significant rebates
2009 - 165,000 - Ford will do some significant freshening this year to keep sales going.

This sounds about right to me. I'm wondering how long dealers will be getting above MSRP and when they will start dipping significantly below.

 

[USAF-Sergeant]

So there are 4 special editions right there. Ford recently renewed its tradmark on the "Boss" name too.

I would love to read the article talking about Ford renewing its "Boss" trademark. The latest I heard was that it was still in the courts.

If these are correct, just seeing these varients on the road again will give me more American pride then I might be able to stand. THE MUSCLE CAR LIVES!!!!

Again, I would really like to read about the "Boss" name, so if anyone can reference that, it'd be much appreciated.

 

[Omegalock]

How would you guys feel about this happening?

Cobra in 06
Bullit in 07(For the new Bullit movie which should have a Charger playmate by then)
Mach/Cobra R in 08
Boss in 09.

That would sure as hell keep people intrested until the complete redesign.
Now we just need a huge Cobra jet.

 

[351CJ]

I would love to read the article talking about Ford renewing its "Boss" trademark. The latest I heard was that it was still in the courts.

Again, I would really like to read about the "Boss" name, so if anyone can reference that, it'd be much appreciated.

Nothing to read. Someone posted a long list of trade mark names that Ford just renewed or applied for and has received the trade marks. I belive they got them off of the US Patent office web site.

Someone from Shinoda posted a reply that confirmed that Ford owns "Boss 302" Shinoda owns "Shinoda Boss" and Ford & Shinoda share "Boss" ownership. I think this all went on @ Brad's site, but the exchange was lost when he had to change his web host. IIRC Boss 351 and Boss 429 were also renewed. Trade marks must be renewed something like every 7 years.

 

[tfritz]

if I ever see a 2005+ mustang police interceptor in any form I will trade mine in and never buy a mustang again.

What's the problem with that?

Maybe they'll cut you some slack when you're pulled over and they'll want to compare notes.

But I don't see what the big deal is?

 

[Wylde]

This sounds about right to me. I'm wondering how long dealers will be getting above MSRP and when they will start dipping significantly below.

I will not be paying above MSRP...if that is the case I won't buy one, it's that simple. It's a Mustang for crying out loud, not a limited production car and if dealers are going to play that game, only fools are going to pay more than MSRP and the rest will not. May happen for the ones who want to have the first one or the second one, but that's it. By the time I buy mine (estimated May 2005) I am hoping it will get a bit less than MSRP. (even if it's only $1000)

 

[stupidiot5]

Hello friends,

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. Am I the only one who want's to see the Cobra R in '06?? If the new R is anything like the last one, it's going to blow the doors off other cars. I would want to see the Cobra R before the Vert.

It's nice to meet you,

Tim

 

[USAF-Sergeant]

Welcome Tim.

As much as I would LOVE to see a Cobra-R in '06, I would rather put a couple years into the S197 chassis and learn it. Then they can have more experiance to work with and make it that much better. Just my opinion. Anything worth having is worth a little waiting for.

 

[Detroit_guy]

66Satellite and tfritz I say I would never buy a mustang again if the police ever used one is because im young I want a sweet sports car not a crown vic. one that I can feel good driving and the ladys can see me coming and say heeey! not oh no it's the police. I used to drive a nice clean red 94 crown vic the same car and color the gang squad or undercover cops drive in Detroit. it's not always a good feeling driving around and having people almost break and run when you come around (well sometimes it is ). ford makes the crown vic for the police and cab companies and soon only for them so lets keep the mustang pure. and just my luck when I can afford my first new stang that johnny law would want one too . you don't see vette police cars and I don't think ford will let them use the new mustang either too risky for sales because alot of people may feel the same way I do.

 

[Lawman85]

What's the problem with that?

Maybe they'll cut you some slack when you're pulled over and they'll want to compare notes.

But I don't see what the big deal is?

Yeah, remember the Mustang coupe police interceptors...Those were awesome. We have 4 of the camaros and they are fast, but they are so uncomfortable and cramped that no one wants to drive them. The unit argues over who has to take them. I want to see the new mustang re-claim the interceptor role.

 

[Lawman85]

66Satellite and tfritz I say I would never buy a mustang again if the police ever used one is because im young I want a sweet sports car not a crown vic. one that I can feel good driving and the ladys can see me coming and say heeey! not oh no it's the police. I used to drive a nice clean red 94 crown vic the same car and color the gang squad or undercover cops drive in Detroit. it's not always a good feeling driving around and having people almost break and run when you come around (well sometimes it is ). ford makes the crown vic for the police and cab companies and soon only for them so lets keep the mustang pure. and just my luck when I can afford my first new stang that johnny law would want one too . you don't see vette police cars and I don't think ford will let them use the new mustang either too risky for sales because alot of people may feel the same way I do.

Being used as a police car never hurt the popularity in the late 80's and early 90's....hell, that's why i became a cop to drive those things everyday....lol

 

[Mach428]

So who wants to start speculating on what the 9 variants will be?

1. V6
2. V6 Pony
3. GT
4. Bullitt
5. Mach 1
6. GT-350
7. GT-500
8. Cobra
9. Cobra-R

I thought about that lineup myself, Personally I believe the lineup will be the same Minus the V6 Pony and Mach 1. I have herd the Mach 1 name plate is now officially retired.

 

[mustang sallad]

Being used as a police car never hurt the popularity in the late 80's and early 90's....hell, that's why i became a cop to drive those things everyday....lol

yeah, my parents' 89 crown vic (deceased) and 91 grand marquis (lol, both wagons, the mercury with wood panelling) are so much cooler because that's what the cops use. An equivalent buick or pontiac wagon would be just lame.
The merc's got dual exhaust, i keep tellin my dad to slip some nice chrome tips on there to give a little subtle reminder of what's inside. i'm amazed at how many of my friends are surprised when i tell them its got a v8, pfff, shows what they know. Sorry for gettin off topic, but did anyone see that video with Bubb Rubb about the exhaust whistles in oakland or something? If you haven't, just look up bubb rubb, its a newscast video, pretty funny. anyways, there's a shot of a woody merc wagon that somebody put the whistles on, i liked that.

but yeah, so anyways, i think the crown vic is a lot cooler cause of the cops using it. i'm not sure if you could do the same thing with the stang. but its not like it would be the regular cruiser, its what the cops would use when they really wanna haul, ain't it? so i think that would make the car seem pretty damn cool. I'm from montreal, so i only remember seeing the camaro interceptor once. how common is it to see?
I still wish they'd go with that v10 crown vic interceptor that i read about in popular mechanics like 3 years ago or something. I wonder how easy it would be to slip that engine in my parents wagon...

if they did make a mustang interceptor, what kind of power do you think it'd get?

 

[351CJ]

I will not be paying above MSRP...if that is the case I won't buy one, it's that simple.

Same here, I don't need to be the first one on my block to have an 05 Mustang.

If you want to know why, just ask anyone who paid $3K - $5K over MSRP for a 03 Mach 1 when they first came out. Ask them how they feel now that you can get a Mach 1 for invoice, less a $4K rebate.

 

[Detroit_guy]

I will still be buying a red on red 05 fully loaded gt stang come sept/oct on a-plan so they have to sell it to me below invoice.

 

[Omegalock]

Cop Stangs don't hurt the breed. They give it another little bit of umph. Texas State Troopers used to have quite a few Fox interceptors and the things are cool. Besides they are fairly unique I mean you'd have to be blind not to see the lightbar on top. Hell they are cruising around here in Texas in F-150 trucks with full on police packages. And that sure hasn't hurt the popularity of that thing but it's cool(and funny as hell) to see one cruising down the road and then see some retard jet up along side it not realizing it's a cop until it's too late.

 

[usa1]

My expectation for US sales are(assuming Ford builds to meet orders):
2005 - 250.000+
2006 - 200,000
2007 - 170,000 - First rebates will appear at the end of the 2000 MY - August 07
2008 - 150,000 - Here's where you will see significant rebates
2009 - 165,000 - Ford will do some significant freshening this year to keep sales going.

I don't see first year production being above 200,000 units. Ford's job 1 on the Mustang is September 7 (according to BON) and that means they won't hit the dealers in volume until November. That's a late start. Also, production on new model Fords has been pretty slow at start up to maintain quality. Other than that, I would agree with your predictions.

My bold prediction for rebates is for them to start on the Mustang in January 2006.

Mark