Mustang is going global

by Marconius Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:33 pm

The following is an excerpt from a recent "Popular Hot Rodding" magazine.

2015 Mustang Is Going Global

Word has it that Ford is designing the new 2015 Mustang to be built in both lefthand and righthand drive; the plan is to aggressively export Mustang to countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. For the first time in the modern era, consumers in these countries will be able to buy the Mustang right off the dealer showroom floor as a mainstream model instead of some gray-market specialty like it is now.

In Australia, for instance, cars must be converted to righthand drive to be street legal. Mustangs have been imported for decades in small numbers and converted at a high cost for a select few. Other countries see small amounts of Mustangs sold, but it’s not widely supported by dealer networks. It is understood that dealers in the UK and Europe are being told to anticipate the Mustang as a regular production model.

Some Mustang purists in America are already taking it as an affront that Mustang may be getting compromised here and there to meet the tastes of people “over there.” The reality is that the Mustang will be improved in several key ways that could only result from training it to run with the thoroughbreds in Europe. After all, it’s only lately that we have seen the Mustang being tested at the Nurburgring, and there’s a reason for that.

Best of all, by exporting Mustang around the world, the aftermarket industry will benefit from a whole new marketplace of consumers and increased economies of scale that could result in a wider variety of go-fast mods for all of us down the road. So look at the bright side and get ready to start sharing the love on your favorite forums with our new Mustang brothers and sisters around the globe!

Read more: http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/1112phr_sneak_peek_2015_ford_mustang/viewall.html#ixzz23uqRQYWA

I would post a pic, but there are so many conflicting reports and design images, no one knows what the car will look like. I am wondering how many will buy it. I know the Japanese have been begging for it. Chinese will not buy it (they prefer more stoic vehicles). Most mainland Europeans liked the 'Stang when I lived there (but that was more than 2 decades ago). Aussies love them as do many South and Central Americans. Since I just bought a 2013 'stang, I will not be getting one any time soon.

by **Bryant** Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:16 pm

Gha, your a Ford guy! BAN! (jk)

I hope these will be American made Mustangs being shipped across the world.

by Marconius Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:55 am

Bryant wrote:Gha, your a Ford guy! BAN! (jk)

I hope these will be American made Mustangs being shipped across the world.

From what I am gathering, all Mustangs will be made right here in tUSA.

The ones that are being made today are a match for the BMW 3 series. I know that sounds like heresey (the 3 series is known as the best all around car ever made), but it is true. Power, handling, quality.....all there. Yeah they have that cheesy "puddle lamp" that shows a running horse along side the car when the lights are on, but we turned ours off. With 420hp and 399 lb/ft on tap, the thing goes.

Just uploaded a pic onto Facebook and this damn nanny software on this friggin comp won't let me even backdoor to Facebook to get the pic for this forum. Sometimes I hate IT.

by Miles1 Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:45 pm

Marconius wrote:

Just uploaded a pic onto Facebook and this damn nanny software on this friggin comp won't let me even backdoor to Facebook to get the pic for this forum. Sometimes I hate IT.

Try this:
- open up facebook on a computer you can see it on
- open up the pic, then right-click and choose "copy image location" (or "copy image URL", dependsing on your browser
- email that to the computer you post on here, and use that

by Marconius Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:10 pm

Well, I just feel like a dumbshit now.

Would you buy one Miles???

Mustang is going global 484397_435512313166721_1712157793_n

by Miles1 Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:55 am

Marconius wrote:

Would you buy one Miles???

Well, given that this is my current car:

Mustang is going global Fiat-Panda-1

...what do you think? :-P

The problem tho is that that kind of car is made for big open roads and travelling rather fast (the mustang not my fiat panda) - neither of which really applies in ireland.

by Marconius Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:33 pm

Miles1 wrote:

Well, given that this is my current car:

...what do you think? :-P

The problem tho is that that kind of car is made for big open roads and travelling rather fast (the mustang not my fiat panda) - neither of which really applies in ireland.

Miles, I see nothing at all wrong with a Fiat. They make damn good cars. They were absent on our shores for a few decades, but now the 500 is being sold. I wish tUSA wouldn't make it so hard on car makers(another industry that we have overregulated). Most of the good stuff stays off our roads. Fiat itself has a few models that I would like to see over here.

The Mustang is made for the open road, but it handles like a BMW 3-series so the twisties make the car come alive. Right now it still has a solid rear axle instead of independant so bumpy roads will not be that fun. The next version will have an independant rear system. It will hurt acceleration, but make up for it in ride quality.

by Miles1 Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:14 am

Marconius wrote:
Miles, I see nothing at all wrong with a Fiat. They make damn good cars. They were absent on our shores for a few decades, but now the 500 is being sold. I wish tUSA wouldn't make it so hard on car makers(another industry that we have overregulated). Most of the good stuff stays off our roads. Fiat itself has a few models that I would like to see over here.

Yeah, the fiat panda is a great little city car, is nippy, easy to park and pretty easy-going on gas, but compare the 2 pics there, which would you prefer to be seen driving around in? :-p

Is the Fiat 500 on sale in the US? I thought you guys went in for slightly bigger cars than that - have seen cars on my trip to the states where a fiat 500 would fit in the trunk (and you'd need it there as a spare car for when your behemoth runs out of gas 10 miles after leaving the gas station)

The Mustang is made for the open road, but it handles like a BMW 3-series so the twisties make the car come alive. Right now it still has a solid rear axle instead of independant so bumpy roads will not be that fun. The next version will have an independant rear system. It will hurt acceleration, but make up for it in ride quality.

Bumpy roads are bad in it eh? Well, ain't many roads around here that aren't bumpy, so that might not be good.

by Dennis324 Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:54 pm

Miles1 wrote:
Yeah, the fiat panda is a great little city car, is nippy, easy to park and pretty easy-going on gas, but compare the 2 pics there, which would you prefer to be seen driving around in? :-p

Is the Fiat 500 on sale in the US? I thought you guys went in for slightly bigger cars than that - have seen cars on my trip to the states where a fiat 500 would fit in the trunk (and you'd need it there as a spare car for when your behemoth runs out of gas 10 miles after leaving the gas station)

Easy going on gas. Thats a big point that consumers in europe will need to consider when checking out the Mustang. Awsomely fun car! Looks great and is fast. But that horsepower is gonna suck down the petrol. Rich folks probably wont care. But the average Joe will likely pass given the price at the pump in Europe.

Yep the Fiat 500 is going to be sold here in the states. Fiat USA The Abarth is what they are pushing right now with the Charlie Sheen commercials. Smile

Excellent auto for the cities and college campuses.

by Miles1 Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:27 am

Dennis324 wrote:The Abarth is what they are pushing right now with the Charlie Sheen commercials.

Charlie Sheen commercials? What, is he snorting coke off the hood and trying to bang a porn star in the back seat (impractical but fun to try maybe)?

"The Fiat 500 - Winning!"

by Marconius Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:37 pm

Miles1 wrote:
Yeah, the fiat panda is a great little city car, is nippy, easy to park and pretty easy-going on gas, but compare the 2 pics there, which would you prefer to be seen driving around in? :-p
Fiat's have that "yuppie" factor going for them. I know yuppie carries a negative conotation, but I don't want to say hipster. They are seen as very cool over here. Just the name "Fiat" sounds better than "Ford". To make you jealous, I will tell you that I took that pic of my car on a cliff overlooking the oil field I work in. Damn do I have it bad out in Cali.

Is the Fiat 500 on sale in the US? I thought you guys went in for slightly bigger cars than that - have seen cars on my trip to the states where a fiat 500 would fit in the trunk (and you'd need it there as a spare car for when your behemoth runs out of gas 10 miles after leaving the gas station)
There has been a strong move towards smaller cars over the last 5-8 years. The big SUV's are not near as common. The new Mini kinda started it and now we have several types of small cars that dot the roads. The SUV's that you see now are all of the smaller variations (like the Mazda CX-7 and the Ford Excape).

Bumpy roads are bad in it eh? Well, ain't many roads around here that aren't bumpy, so that might not be good.
Next one will take the bumps better. What's more is that the V-8 is goona die (except for the fire breathing Shelby and it's 650 hp) which is the main reason I bought this one. You will get twin turbo 6 and 4 cylinder versions of the ecoboost engine. Given the lack of restrictions on cars overseas, the car will also be lighter and get better gas mileage than we see over here. The 6 will get about 30-35 mpg over here and the 4 will get over 40 over here. Translated to the lighter cars sold elsewhere, expect a significant jump in mpg.

by Dennis324 Sun Aug 26, 2012 2:40 pm

Miles1 wrote:
Dennis324 wrote:The Abarth is what they are pushing right now with the Charlie Sheen commercials.

Charlie Sheen commercials? What, is he snorting coke off the hood and trying to bang a porn star in the back seat (impractical but fun to try maybe)?

"The Fiat 500 - Winning!"

Lol! You havent seen the commercials yet?

Here's just one of them:

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