Mustang Decisions By Ford

[Sonic Blue GT]

Folks:

I have been in contact with a pretty reliable Ford dealer as to the future of the upcoming specialty Mustang models Ford has been tossing ideas around about.

I was told that Ford has plans for a 2008 Mustang Bullit, a 2009 Mustang Mach 1 and a 2010 Boss 302. However given the current financial situation that Ford has been considering cancelling the Bullit, Mach 1 and Boss in favor of extending the GT500 so as to not have to retool production lines in any way. Nothing is definite at this point.

Also I am not getting into any pissing matches about the reliability of this information. It is not gospel but it has some merit given Ford's financial situation as to what Ford may be considering at the moment.

That's all that was said and that is all that I am will say about the matter.

 

[JVENOM]

yeah they don't need more mustangs, just more attention to the cars they have now.

 

[Wishing4Cobra]

i hope they have a boss... that would be sweet. The uprising competition will force ford to produce better mustangs.

 

[tvguy]

I'm confused. They are "considering" producing these cars, yet may cancel them all at the same time?
pacotaco

 

[JVENOM]

good point, if thats what it comes to for them to build a better stang, let it be the boss they bring it instead of all these other types of stangs.

 

[mblgjr]

Ahhh, the Rumor Mill is a great machine.

 

[thomas91169]

what ford needs is the base GT to be at least 350hp. No more overpriced shelby bullshit GT like they want to do.

they also need better "normal" cars. everything but the stang and their trucks is crap when compared to its competition from any other maker.

 

[JVENOM]

what ford needs is the base GT to be at least 350hp. No more overpriced shelby bullshit GT like they want to do.

they also need better "normal" cars. everything but the stang and their trucks is crap when compared to its competition from any other maker.

very true.

 

[poopnut2]

I remember working at a dealership and hearing all kinds of speculations for mustangs. I remember when it was 100% certain that Ford would produce the GT-R, then it was 100% certain that the GT-R was cancelled but Ford would be damned if they didn't put the cammer 302 into a production stang. I remember rumors of 340hp when they released the Mach 1's, and all kinds of crap. Remember when the new Mustang GT could "be had for under $20,000?"

 

[CentennialVert]

That is relatively correct. It's all up in the air right now from what I'm told. They are putting more money into Lincoln to try to bring the brand up to date...including a sport coupe on the mustang platform (way different looks though) that is supposed to have the 390 hp 302ci. They are throwing everything in right now to stay afloat. People in Detroit are saying that if what they have planned doesn't take off soon and start making them money, they only have about 2 years left.

 

[rmgtc01]

The latest MM&FF said that the Bullitt was a go.....but they also said the Boss was too in an issue earlier this year. I don't know what to believe anymore, but what I do know is that I will have another stang by next year for which ever one falls into the 25-40k range.

 

[Steve@TF]

That is relatively correct. It's all up in the air right now from what I'm told. They are putting more money into Lincoln to try to bring the brand up to date...including a sport coupe on the mustang platform (way different looks though) that is supposed to have the 390 hp 302ci. They are throwing everything in right now to stay afloat. People in Detroit are saying that if what they have planned doesn't take off soon and start making them money, they only have about 2 years left.

a Lincoln based mustang would be badass and good competition against the G35 and 3 series crowd. as long as it is actually nice and looks damn good too. having good power sure wouldnt hurt but a V6 version would need waay more power to compete in that price range.

 

[tehnick]

With the Boss, it is speculated that only 1,000 or so will be produced. So the main issue right now is that the current Mustang GT is still way underpowered but the plan to introduce a car that actually competes with the competition will be limited in availability as opposed to the production of the others. Compare it to a 2002 Camaro SS. I mean hell, that car is technically 5-6 years old and still whips a brand new GT stock for stock.

I know that we haven't really seen anything from GM other than the C5, C6, Z06, GTO, and the Charger and SRT-8 variations from Dodge. That's no excuse for Ford to be lax on why the Mustang has no power. Back when the F-bodies were still in production they still ran circles around the GTs. Ford needs to step it up because the other guys are doing just that while Ford sits on their thumbs. The only vehicles that Ford have offered that will compete are from SVT or the Mach 1, STILL a limited production vehicle.

 

[GLHS837]

Lincoln? Why not a Mercury, and make it a Cougar? Would be nice to see the Cougar go back to its roots, a slightly upscale, slightly softer version of the Stang, like the 300 is to the Charger.

You could sell the hell out of those, I think. Not to me, not til the kids are grown and gone, but lots of folks would buy, I think.

 

[93SVTCobra]

Nothing against your dealer buddy but his source is less than connected and his statements aren't based on facts.

What does "retooling the production line" mean? Considering that tooling is used in the actual production of parts not vehicles I find the entire statement hard to believe.

 

[Badasp5.0]

Ford needs to replace the worthless, boring 500 with the Aussie Falcon...

 

[sawman70]

what ford needs is the base GT to be at least 350hp. No more overpriced shelby bullshit GT like they want to do.

they also need better "normal" cars. everything but the stang and their trucks is crap when compared to its competition from any other maker.

Yeah, that is why the Fusion passed Accord and Camry in reliablility this year and is Fords top selling car.

Fusion, Milan and MKZ are winners guys. Look around today, they are all over the place.

Now, 30 more HP in the 500 and they could have a success there too.

 

[sgt d]

Ford needs to replace the worthless, boring 500 with the Aussie Falcon...

+1000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

[Silverstrike]

Ford needs to replace the worthless, boring 500 with the Aussie Falcon...

I want to know how your going to make it left hand drive. You can't so no Falcon for us. What they really need to do is after the restyle of the new Falcon platform I th ink its 08 or maybe 10 when it happens. Bring the Pursuit over as a new Ranchero line from the base 6 cyl to the GT with 5.4
I think it would diff create a totally new model line for Ford.

 

[Sonic Blue GT]

Nothing against your dealer buddy but his source is less than connected and his statements aren't based on facts.

What does "retooling the production line" mean? Considering that tooling is used in the actual production of parts not vehicles I find the entire statement hard to believe.

Well one thing is certain about my source...he is probably much better connected than you are since he is part of the original SVT program before it got absorbed at the close of 04.

While you are at it pick up the book "Iron Fist and Lead Foot" and do some reading about the line headaches that were caused by mixing the assembly of the SVT Terminator into the assembly line for regular Mustang Production.

Having once worked on such a line myself there is some changeover that must occur when going from one style of the same model to another as well as some process revisions that must occur to handle the deviations. These types of things have cost runs which if you haven't hear Ford is trying to eliminate or control as much as possible.

So you do the "probability" math as to what you believe as opposed to what my source heard.