We ought to be able to make this determination now that people have their cars...

...and yet, people report WILDLY different things.

So here's the question: I take it that the aluminum dash is REAL aluminum and not faux aluminum? It's heavily clear coated, so it makes it feel plasticky to some people?

Now what about these chrome bezels around the gauge pods and vents? Some have said on this site that it's REAL chrome and DEFINITELY not silver painted plastic, which "really, really impressed them." Yet others say it feels cheap and is obviously just plastic.

Well, which is it? Plastic and metal feel very different to the touch, particularly if you tap them. It can't be that difficult to get to the bottom of this, can it?

The truth is out there.

 

The dash is aluminum. One of the designers said he fought for it personally.

 

 

Do you have your car yet? People that have picked up their cars are saying it is real, not coated plastic.

 

The aluminum may be real, but its heavily clear coated. It feels really cheesy. The chrome rings are fake.

 

The car I sat in, it seemed aluminum... But the reports and posts here are clearly stating that it's real aluminum. Most reports I've read went out of their way stating that all the materials used are the "real deal." The only reason I had so much skepticsm when I first sat in one was how soft it was to the touch. Aluminum is a hard metal but it felt like the soft dash in my Civic *Still wish Ford went with a soft dash as opposed to the hard one*

It is definitely real... If you still don't believe get a metal detector

 

you need to pull the protective tape off The steering wheel is aluminum accented too. :worship: The chrome on the plastic IS real. No car has huge chunks of cast steel chrome plated in the interior, what would be the point?

 

I am confused by your post, you first state that the Mustang dash is soft to the touch, then you later say you wish that Ford went with the soft dash rather than hard.

 

Okay, so we've pretty much established that the dash panel is clear coated REAL aluminum.

But I still see contradictions about the gauge bezels - which is it: metal...chrome...plastic...?

"The chrome on the plastic IS real." How can you chrome-plate plastic?! So it's just plastic with silver paint on it, then? That makes more sense, as I can't imagine any manufacturer using real chrome plated metal gauges in this day and age.

I guess that explains why so many remark that the gauge bezels feel really cheap, then.

 

Yes, plastic can be chromed though a process called vacuum-metallization... do a google search on this process... it's pretty interesting.

 

The bezels are chromed plastic, I wouldn't be able to afford this car if it wasn't.

 

Okay, I guess that settles it:

Clearcoated real aluminum dash panels;

Chromed plastic gauge bezels and HVAC vents.

Now we know.

 

Yes, no problem chrome-plating plastic. We do it in the modeling hobby all the time.

~~ Paul