More than meets the eye – Ford Mustang glass roof

2010 Ford Mustang - glass roof

It doesn’t come as a shock to announce that the 2010 Ford Mustang comes with a glass roof, offering up sun soakers the chance to take it all in while cruising in their favorite Legendary pony car. Aside from shielding passengers and the interior from about 90% of the (harmful) ultra-violet rays inbound, the glass does much more. It also insulates the cabin while providing a great panoramic view, further reducing the amount of energy required by the air conditioning system to keep the car comfortable. Additionally, the glass roof on the Ford Mustang insulates the cabin from a substantial amount of noise pollution, vibration, and harshness. This revolutionary offering from Ford for the Mustang is available for both the V6 and GT models and holds a sticker price of $1,995. Keep reading to get the official scoop in the Press Release from Ford.

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Press Release

READY FOR SUMMER: MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE GOOD FOR THE SOUL, GLASS ROOF PROTECTS FROM HARMFUL RAYS

Panoramic glass used on the 2010 Ford Glass Roof Mustang filters almost all of the sun’s harmful rays and reduces cool-down time and wind noise while offering a convertible-like driving experience Scientific studies show increased exposure to sunshine or bright light – like that provided in the convertible and Glass Roof Mustang – is therapeutic because it regulates the body’s mood-regulating hormone and circadian cycle of sleep and wakefulness; also triggers a natural remedy for “the blues” Panoramic sunroofs have doubled in popularity during the past five years; tilt/slide type sunroofs will remain dominant, followed by panoramic and spoiler types through 2011 The 2010 Mustang – including Glass Roof and convertible versions – builds on the safety success of the 2008 Mustang – the first sports car and first convertible to earn five-star ratings in U.S. government frontal crash, side impact and rollover tests

CONTEXT / BACKGROUND:

The 2010 Ford Glass Roof Mustang and Mustang GT convertible, which are arriving in dealerships now, offer consumers sun-soaked driving and top-rated safety heritage. Fans of open-air motoring have made the Mustang convertible a perennial bestseller. Those who love the sun but want to cut back on sunscreen use can choose the pony car with the panoramic glass roof, which filters nearly all of the sun’s harmful rays.

DETAILS:

The 2010 Mustang builds on the safety success of the 2008 Mustang, which became the first sports car and the first convertible to earn five-stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal crash, side impact and rollover tests.

The Mustang’s considerable body stiffness contributes to its driving performance and has an added benefit in accident protection. While the coupe’s body structure is 31 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity than its predecessor, the convertible’s is more than twice as stiff – creating a “safety cage” that helps protect the cabin from deformation and intrusion during an impact.

The front structure is designed to absorb and help dissipate it before it can reach the passenger compartment. The Mustang’s front rails have an octagonal shape designed to spread forces evenly at the firewall and progressively deform for increased protection in offset frontal crashes.

Protective sun-drenched driving The 2010 Ford Glass Roof Mustang offers consumers convertible-like driving without the need for sunscreen, because its factory-installed panoramic glass roof filters 90 percent of the sun’s heat-generating infrared (IR) rays and 96 percent of burn-causing ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The UV-filtering capability of the new Mustang’s fixed glass roof is comparable to sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of approximately 50, which exceeds the dermatologist-recommended sunscreen strength of at least SPF-15.

The glass roof’s ability to filter IR rays reduces heat load in the cabin so that occupants remain comfortable while enjoying the sun. The reflective glass also reduces energy used by the vehicle’s air conditioner system while protecting the interior fabric from fading and deteriorating.

Good for the soul Sun-soaked cruising is the convertible and Glass Roof Mustang’s top appeal factor. Scientific studies show that increased exposure to sunshine or bright light is therapeutic because it regulates the body’s synthesis of melatonin, a mood-regulating hormone that modulates the circadian cycle of sleep and wakefulness. Sunshine also triggers the body’s conversion to active vitamin D, considered to be an effective natural remedy for “the blues.”

Health experts caution that cool breezes in convertibles can misleadingly mask the sun’s harmful rays as occupants may not feel as hot as when they’re stationary under the sun. Therefore, dermatologists recommend the use of sun-block lotion or moisturizer with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher prior for top-down drives.

Roof glass popularity rising According to J.D. Power feature content research, 62 percent of buyers in the sports car segment wanted a sunroof/moon roof on their next vehicle. Since its introduction in 2008, the Glass Roof Mustang – which is available as a $1,995 option on both the V-6 model and the GT – has accounted for 10 percent of all Mustang sales. The convertible accounts for 25 percent of Mustang sales, and sell most strongly in California, Florida, Texas and Georgia.

Mustang is just one Ford model that features ample sunlight and generous views. The 2010 Lincoln MKS and 2009 Ford Flex, Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX also offer sun-splashed driving enjoyment with an optional panoramic roof glass that is privacy tinted for the occupants’ comfort and protection.

According to CSM Worldwide, over the last five years panoramic sunroofs have doubled in the popularity in North America. The installation of tilt/slide type sunroofs will remain dominant, followed by panoramic and spoiler types throughout 2011.