Mustangs and 'Vettes are instantly recognizable classics. Here's how designers keep them that way.


CNN Autos 2005 Mustang


I liked these two tidbits: The visual implication of this is "We could have given you more luggage space but, frankly, we needed it for the engine."

In preparation for the new 2005 Mustang, Ford's designers went through what J Mays, Ford's vice president for design, calls "a visual audit of Mustangness."

 

Good find. Good article. Thanks.

 

With a new 2005 model coming out in the fall, supplies of the current design are running dry.

Ford running out of Mustangs

from the article: "The spokesman, Wes Sherwood, said the automaker expects supplies of the popular pony car to run out before it can launch the new, redesigned 2005 version. Mustang sales are up 16 percent so far this year, surpassing Ford's expectations."


the upcoming dry spell should really get buyers excited and into dealerships

 

a lot of views but no comments on the two articles above from CNN Money?

 

I like the article. I wonder a little bit about the implication that Ford needs to generate a new crop of Mustang buyers. A few months ago, there was an article in Auto Week about Mustangs and tuner cars. Basically, the columnist said that people were working on their Mustangs long before there were ever any "rice burners".

I guess I always thought of Mustangs having more general appeal than a Cadillac or a Lincoln...

-Brad

 

That is an old article, dated April 22.

As of today reality is quite different. Mustang sales slowed in May and completly tanked in June. Sales have dropped so fast that as of the end of June, YTD 2004 Stang sales have fallen below 2003.

Year to date Mustang Sales throug June 30:

2003: 78,169
2004: 73,333

Ford dealers still have plenty of '04 Stangs left. The worry now is getting rid of them by Sept 30.

 

It'll be interesting to see what discounts are available if they still have 04's on the lots when the '05 hits. I might have to get a flight over. I want a GT now!

Good article on the designing by the way

 

Drive by a Dealership and say that. Every Dealer I know of, in and around Tampa, are slam packed full of 04's. Dealers are trying to give them away, almost. It seeems EVERYONE is waiting to at least see the 05. Ford's gonna have plenty of 04's on the lots next year, and they'll be dirt cheap! They'll have to be, when they're sitting next to a lot full of 05's.

 

Drive by a Dealership and say that. Every Dealer I know of, in and around Tampa, are slam packed full of 04's. Dealers are trying to give them away, almost. It seeems EVERYONE is waiting to at least see the 05. Ford's gonna have plenty of 04's on the lots next year, and they'll be dirt cheap! They'll have to be, when they're sitting next to a lot full of 05's. [/b][/quote]
we are SATURATED. If I were a weak woman I could walk in there right now and get one for free nearly. Any color or model or type you want, every dealer I go by has like 5 of each. Thing is they keep getting lower priced by day. Makes it harder to resist.

 

Heck,they still have new 03's up in these parts...that's how I got mine so cheap!

 

brand new '03 Cobra sitting on the lot at a local dealer. I haven't checked the sticker, but I understand the savings are enormous off of original MSRP. Can't understand why noone's bought it yet.

 

Could be due to high insurance costs. I was looking at a new 03 Cobra just before I bought mine. I'm 36,perfect driving record,married,etc... and State Farm wanted 400.00 more a year for the Cobra as compared to my GT vert.

 

From the article too: Adding to the tough-guy image is the fact that the new edition will not wear a name-tag. The car is so clearly a Mustang that putting the word "Mustang" on the car was regarded as pointless, said Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake.

Good thinking.

And did anyone notice they left off the blue oval badge as well? It does say Ford, but only on the fake gas cap. This way the tail is completely symetrical, just they way I like it.