Dear Ford:

Well, there you have it. The people have spoken. Seems reality is rearing its ugly head in this thread, wouldn't you say?

Most enthusiasts - and I count most of the people in this thread among them - are having a reality check right now. They're looking at the content vs. cost equation and finally grasping that it isn't even a zero sum game. The consumer is losing out. Why? Because...


- The Shelby MSRP is moving out of the reach of many people...

- The ADM will put it out of reach for all but a small handful of the rest...

- The Shelby is technologically unremarkable (no IRS, iron block, portly weight, lack of amenities, lack of stability control, lack of HIDs, etc, etc, etc, etc)...

- It appears the car is being de-contented all the time relative to what you showed us in NY...

- The cost to fuel this sucker (premium only, folks!) will be astronomical...

- The insurance on the Shelby will be prohibitive for many...

- The odds of it being a collectible anytime soon (if ever) are virtually nil...

...and last but not least, we're freakin' over those those horrendous things you call "hood scoops." God, what's the deal with those things anyway?


What does all of this mean? It means that in order to be willing to drop $55K plus for this car, a buyer has to, 1) have a ton of disposable income he/she is willing to **** away and no common sense, and 2) be a rabid Mustang fanatic.

Think there's 7500 - 10000 of them out there each year?

Think again.

 

I like your letter.

Regardless, Ford is going to price it for what people will pay. I will reserve judgement for when the final car is released with the final cost (whatever my judgement is worth).

And no one should ever buy a car as an investment (besides economical transportation) unless it is featured as a low volume car, and you plan on sitting on it for about 50 years.

That's my 23cents (or whatever inflation/price gouging/etc we are at this point in the thread).

 

WOW--------I couldn't have responded any better than this..........you're right on the money! It's too bad, because the closer we get to the introduction of the "real" car, the less enthusiastic I feel because of all the reasons you listed (but especially because the lack of amenities/technology).

 

Excellent summary!! I would also say that in terms of "what it means", if they charge $55K plus for the GT500, your first point is the most relevant. "A fool and their money are soon parted" rings true in this instance.

The only thing I would add is the following:

"Ford seems to be willing to alienate their core group of enthusiasts who have loved and supported (with their enthusiasm and their wallets) the Mustang through its 41 year history in return for a very short term profit. As an organization your sole focus seems to be capturing as many short term dollars as possible by riding the wave of interest swirling around the S197 Mustang, without regard for the future consequences. This is very short sighted tactic and will ultimately lead to negative consequences for Ford and the Mustang.

Here's the bottom line Ford, stop tearing apart a great car that is already a phenomenal hit among your most loyal customer base, and produce the GT500 concept as presented originally while pricing it at $40K."

 

For 45K, Ford should be able to produce the Shelby with an IRS, HIDs, and Stability control. The Vette has all of the above and on a LOW VOLUME platform. Ford is blowing smoke up all our butts. Unless the Shelby badges are diamond encrusted platinum, the car is way overpriced.

 

Brad, we should add a gamble. Those who think it will be $45K or higher for a coupe(not including ADM), should vote. Those who think it will still be $40K should vote. Whoever is wrong, gets booted off your site forever. I wouldn't mind getting rid of some of these Whiners!!!!

 

Nobody is whining, just throwing out ideas and concerns. Most of us are Mustang owners are would love to step up to a GT500. I am paying for my 05 Mustang GT, which was sort of a graduation present to me. In 3-4 years, I will be able to afford a GT500 and be in the market for a new car. Guess where I'll be heading; to my local Chevy dealer. The GT500 is encroaching C6 price territory and it's not a performance battle that the 500 can honestly face. Granted, the GT500 will probably be marginally faster in a straight line. The C6 will blow doors off the GT500 on a road course(which I prefer). You also get a lot of standard features and options not available on the GT500.

For 45: HIDs, Stability Control, and IRS should be standard. I am willing to be that the "Shelby" name is really driving up cost.

 

Yep, me too! When this car first rolled out, I was on the ceiling. With each passing month, I find this car harder & harder to justify. If things continue, I'll be out the door. So sad, too bad for Ford.
I myself have owned 10 Mustangs (2 Shelbys), and 12 other Fords and ONE PLYMOUTH. I turned my whole family and lots of friends onto Fords (check your records, Ford). If this turns out the way it looks, I will leave and most likely not come back- if this is what Ford ends up doing to it's faithful repeat customers, then I will not want to give them my business.
There is plenty of competition in the market right now, and there is alot more coming.

 

Since when is dissent and dialogue whining...

The portion of this website you are on is called a Forum for a reason, it's a forum for discussion, a venue for the open exhchange of ideas...

You are free to disagree with my, or anyone else's opinions for that matter, but the fact that my opinion is not the same as yours no more makes my opinion whining than it makes your opinion unintelligible gibberish...

I am continuosly astounded at the extent to which people apparently blindly subscribe to the "if you're not with us you're against us" mentality...

Discussion, disagreement and this free exchange of information and ideas (along with what appear to be some really cool people) is what attracted me to actually spend time reading and posting on this site, and I would appreciate your cooperation in not diminishing this environment by disparaging those who are willing to share what may be unpopular or different ideas in such a public forum...

 

How about giving me that kick **** hood on the concept for a car worth 45k versus hood vents

 

Oh, and are we sure that he's not talking about the fully loaded convertible GT500, not the base price of the coupe

 

To somewhat reiterate some earlier whines of mine regarding the GT500's overall value (Earlier GT500 value thread.)

Year -- GT -- SVT -- $ Premium -- % Premium
‘98 -- $20.2 -- $25.7 -- $5.5 -- 27%
‘01 -- $23.9 -- $28.6 -- $4.7 -- 20%
‘03 -- $24.9 -- $33.4 -- $8.5 -- 34%
’07 -- $27 -- $45 -- $18 -- 60%

Basically, at the putative $45 price, the '07 would be a staggering 60% price premium over a deluxe GT, or 26% more than the significantly better contented '03 Cobra. Aside from using a bigger pig-iron 5.4, and perhaps slightly bigger brakes, the GT500 generally has much less stuff than a late SN95 Cobra, IRS being a huge debit here (apologies to the narrow-focus 1/4 milers here).

So for that extra $9+ grand above the price differential of an '03 Cobra, just what, really, are you getting beyond a few fractions of an inch of block deck height? If the pricing of the S197 GT, comparable with a SN95 GT, shows that the basic platform costs about the same to produce, the yawning price premium of the significantly less-contented GT500 seems to represent little more than greed/hubris/incompetence (choose one or more).

 

Very noble and logical thoughts but you are wasting your time. It sounds as if you are pleading to Ford. If anything, it should be the other way around. Rather than being arrogant and cocky, Ford spoke persons should be cultivating, accomodating, and expanding their customer base.

Ford usually doesn't price itself out of the market. When they have commited to that mistake it has been corrected by invoice prices plus rebates, then the buyer wins and Ford pays the price. It's the greedy dealers (but who can blame them for trying) but mostly it is the idiots who give in and pay the ridiculous prices to get their exclusive three months of fame. It's back to the basic supply and demand, which if conflicts with one's plans it can be offset with time and patience. The best and latest examples are the early '03 Mach 1 and Cobra buyers who instantly became Preparation H subscribers while the '04 buyers not only bought a better product but paid a lot less.

 

And this will happen again.

I would like to see Ford communicate better with us rather than make it a secret. I think they could save their customers a lot of anguish and possibly save some sales by releasing little tidbits of info more frequently. IT wouldn't take much for them to contact Brad and dispell this price myth. He could post it, this thread and its Ford bashing dies.

 

I don't see it as Ford bashing. We are the fans and the customers who support their production endeavors, the life of the aftermarket. We are just responding. Had we not stuck with Ford through thick and thin they would be selling the Probe and Focus, and we would all be a bunch of ricers. Why? Because they are better. The anticipation and enthusiasm were fine until that POS HTT used his trap to personally demean the most hard core and loyal Mustang fans apparently miscalculating and opening a can of worms. It's their deal.

For the time being they are on top of the hill. They best enjoy it while it last. We'll see how cocky they are in a couple of years.

 

:shock: Yowsers! The vitriol is dripping from the walls.

I think we can all agree that in this highly competitive world of high performance automobiles that it is WE THE CUSTOMERS who determine Ford's fate with our wallets.

Do like the foreigners do so well and give us what we want, not what you think we OUGHT to be satisfied with.

It's called listening to your customers, Ford. Look into it.

 

 

maybe you'd think after 20+ years the American auto industry would wise up. (Ford, you listening?) name recognition and heritage are good, but unless you are Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc. that's not enough to go on. Besides, do any of the above de-content their cars while announcing price increases? no. then again, with cars like the 911 GT3 (?) and Ferrari Challenge Stradale - it is for increased performance. they also deliver the performance goods. is the GT500 going to end up like a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS? at least the RS is actually the least expensive Evolution but with a penalty in comfort (too hardcore for me, IMO). i guess what i'm trying to say is the GT 500 had the promise of delivering well-balanced, butt-kicking performance and a measure of exclusivity for not a whole lot of $$$. i think this was the main draw of this vehicle (and SVT's past offerings). unless it can thoroughly compete with a C6 vette - not a ZO6, mind you - it is overpriced and banking on past glories and name association alone. heck, i'm still fuming over the '05/'06 Mustang GT prices here - i'm debating on whether to buy "one of them furrin' cars" because the price with their ADM is about the same. i'm hoping the situation changes with regards to GT's and GT 500's because i'd rather drive a Mustang. loyalty can only go so far, though. just my thoughts...

 

If HTT was talking about the convertible then you may want to compare GT coupes to GT500 convertibles.
Year GT Coupe SVT Convertible
03 $24K $38.4K +14K 62.5%
07 $27K $45K +15K 60%

If you compare GT convertible to GT500 convertible you get
Yr GT Vert, SVT Vert
03 $28.5K 38.4K $9.5K 74%
07 ~$31K $45K $14K 68%

Not too much of a difference from 03 to 07. Ford will have no problem selling every single one of them at $40K for the coupe and 45K for a vert. I initially was excited about the possibility of getting a GT500. Then reality set in. Life goes on.

 

Well, for the price of what I've done to my car (especially adding my latest m0ds...heheh...) my car is almost worth what a Shelby would be worth when it goes on sale. And I'm glad to say that I'd MUCH rather have my GT than a stock Shelby for that money.

Honestly, I had plans to go ahead and trade-in my car in two years and get the Shelby. The way its going, It sounds much wiser to save up a little more and get my M3.