stanglex

Ford consider of selling Stangs in Europe next year to rise prestige of the mark in Europe.
I have just read in Polish "Autoworld" weekly magazine.

dke

It would have to be a different kind of car in Europe. (Here it is a budget sport -- there it would just be an American icon). It also matters which markets it would be going for. Also some of Europe is pretty anti-U.S., and that is the pinnacle of U.S. icons. I wonder how well it will do. (I could see it doing fine in UK + Poland -- less in some other countries).

stanglex

I don't think that political casest will influance on selling Stang in Europe. I don't like US foregin diplomacy either, but I realy love US cars. There are two diffrent cases. MC Donalds' and Coke is also US and everyone in Europe buy their products.

mach1fever

I think it has to do with fuel economy which for european standards isn't that great. So not to mention import taxes and fuel concerns... Only the elite will by them if they can tear themselves away from their benz's and bmw's

stanglex

Cars in Europe are more expensive than in USA even BMW and Mercedes. For example Maybach is 100k $ more expensiwe in Germany than in US. So after all taxes Stang will be a good deal for europeans wanted to have 300 ps car for about 45k $ Now dollar is very weak. To buy any car with 300 ps in Poland I must spend about 70k $. So I think that Mustang will be a good alternative.

Eric B

The market in Europe for US cars is very small, always has been always will be. So even if Ford were to decide to bring it over here it would be a niche model, fighting 10 other niche model coupes in it's class. Check these figures: In 1995 Ford officially brought 150 SN95's (coupes and verts) to the Netherlands. We are not the biggest country but we have a 500.000 new car volume every year. Guess what, it took them 2 years to sell all 150 of them, the latter ones with huge discounts because they had been collecting dust for a year and a half.

It's not the car, the car is great but the lack of quality image and mainly fuel consumption are the reasons Europeans are not into US cars. We pay almost 5 dollar a gallon over here, so you see what I'm talking about.

Don't misunderstand me, I would LOVE to have the car officially available here, but economically it would make no sense. Ford is still in deep financial doo doo and it wouldn't make a dime on selling all but a few Mustangs over here, especially with you guys so cleverly re-electing that dorky president of yours making the US dollar already an extra 5% weaker against the euro with a lot more to come. Btw thanks for that,, the price of my new grey import 05 Mustang GT convertible is still dropping every day!

lodom

Eric, I agree with most of your comments, except that I just read today the U.S. supports a strong dollar, so there may be economic plans in the works that will halt the decline of the greenback. BTW, you're entitled to your opinion but, George Bush isn't a "dork", even if most of Europe thinks he is.

Radman

First, get a clue.
Second, you're welcome!

Radman

Just imagine how we feel about those blockheads Chirac and Shroeder(sp?)

clintoris

I'm with you on that one Jason.... Chirac is Schroeder's matress pony

Eric B

To be honest I doubt the effectiveness of those, since the real problem is that the US economy is being hit from the inside by the never before seen government spending of money they don't have. But let's not start a political debate here, this forum is not meant for that. I just wanted to see if I could yank someone's chain on the other side of the pond in a few minutes and it worked No flaming intended, to each his own. You guys elected him, so he's your president and that's that. Even if polls showed that 90% of all europeans would have voted for the other guy (really!) we still don't elect the US president over here do we? B)

Fact remains that the dollar is getting cheaper for us and that makes Stangs cheaper and me and my fellow Stang enthousiasts over here very happy.

Galaxie

again guys, lets please keep the politics off the board, things often will turn very ugly.

Keep the tread on topic please

clintoris

Sorry Steve.... I couldn't resist. I had to say it. Anyways.... what do I know about sellin' Mustangs in Europe?

BTW, can they call them Mustangs over there yet, or do they still have to call it a T5?

Galaxie

The T5 name was used in west germany until the late 70's/early 80's.

I think they could be called Mustangs anywhere else.

clintoris

yeah.... that's what it was. My buddy's pop was career Army. He was stationed in Germany long enough to mary a german woman and have 3 kids before they moved back to the states. I get to hear all kinds of good stories about his Torinos and a T5 that he had and lots of other good stuff.

Eric B

As far as I know the T5 name was only used on that 60's model that was produced in Europe for a short while. All other cars before and after that were brought in from the US and they are all called Mustang. And allmost all of them are either grey or private imports.

I bought my Cobra from a British guy that imported it new from Canada into Austria when he lived there in '98, brought it with him to the Netherlands when he moved over here in '01 and sold it when he moved back to the UK in '02. And pretty soon I am going to mount my new 18" Saleen replica wheels that were produced in China and I recently brought here as luggage on my last trip from Miami Fla after buying them there on eBay from a shop in Texas

clintoris

you'd better hope they don't have an S load of luggage..... if that were my wife, there'd be more weight in luggage than the car itself!

Eric B

LOL, you are so right,, no I left the wife at home and brought my clothes in a sportsbag. Travelling with wife and rims at the same time doesn't work

Btw for my daily driver I have a 2 piece luggage set consisting of a big and a smaller one. Whenever we travel together I always give her the bigger one and tell her if it doesn't fit in that it's not coming. There's nothing she can say to beat my ultimate argument that she already has the big case. Best product I ever bought

JustAnotherDude

These rumors started right after Tang's statement at SEMA. It's far from a decision but it shouldn't be too hard seeing as there already is a complete retailer and service chain already, so no need for infrastructure investments.

And for you who doubt it's "European" enough. Don't worry, it is. And for Ford it'd be a move towards chipping in on (Daimler)Chrysler, who are on a marketing offensive over here now. As it stands, the only "retail" alternative we have is the 300C Hemi, and c'mon - Mustangs would easily appeal to buyers considering those behemoths.

If they launch it here, we're probably looking at a >$45,000 price tag. But it's still cheaper than a performance BMW and on par with the 350Z, so...

Hehe, and NO they can not call it T5, since that is a Volvo brand.

Wolfie351

I don't know how much time any of you spent in Europe, but Ford cars are everywhere. When I spent a summer in Germany, I saw more Fords than Mercedes and BMW combined. Lots and lots of Mondeos.