http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/w...n.html/?ref=YF

 

Kids still go nuts for this car.
Adults still go nuts for this car.

A mustang will always be a mustang.
It will never sell in the numbers it used to, but it will always be saught after.

 

Part of what made the original car such a success was the myriad of options allowing each buyer to have the car they want. How can we return to that? Seems impossible from Ford's perspective but possible more than ever thanks to the Internet. Buyers want aftermarket options tried and tested by Ford and not the aftermarket. And we want to include these options when we finance the car.

 

This is harder to accomplish that you think. I think the money will be in the factory racing options like all the SVT stuff and special editions. The manufacturers responded with the BOSS and now the Z-28 because of the influx in private road courses and Auto Cross popularity. Why do you think a lot of the best drivers in F1 are from Europe? The answer is because they embrace racing and it's culture. They started racing to see who had bragging rights and not just because they were trying to smuggle White Lightning. I'm not downing NASCAR, just trying to prove a point.

 

"Demand for the Mustang has accelerated to what Ford has termed critical mass outside of the United States, particularly in Europe, and the company will begin selling Mustangs in Europe for the first time since the 1970s. But Nair insisted that opening up sales to such a large market will not prompt the company to make significant changes. It’s an American icon, but it’s not solely an American passion,” Nair told the publication. “There’s always regulatory requirements, but relative to the car, a Mustang is a Mustang.”

Back when Mustang sales were crazy big, the "donor" car was a Falcon. There isn't such a car today. (A FWD Focus fills the old Falcon's shoes these days). So the Mustang has got to be expensive to produce. Demand for coupes is low. There isn't even another 2 door car in Ford's current US lineup. It is now a niche vehicle. The only way to increase volume is to increase the sales area.

With a really sexy body and good MPGs it could be hit again. Add in Euro sales it could be significant numbers. Not 600K sales like in 1965, but maybe closer to 200K??? The only down side to adding a Euro Mustang is......if it sells too well! Then it could be diluted to satisfy European tastes, eventually ours too.


But I think they like it for what we do too.

 

Well, how was the 1999-2004 Mustang such a success? During that time Ford was selling 150,000-200,000 Mustangs easily - these days they're lucky if they sell 80,000.

 

Last year Ford sold ~83,000 Mustangs in the USA. Europe might add few thousands in the best case, but there is no way Ford will hit the 200,000 number. Maybe 100,000 tops.

 

I wonder if sports car/pony car sales in general are down? Honda used to have the S2000 and the (Acura) NSX, Toyota used to have the Supra and MR2, Mazda used to have the RX7. Whether it's due to the economy or other factors, people today seem to be more interested in practical cars than fun ones. Maybe when you can buy a new practical family car that out-accelerates and out-brakes the sporting machines of the 1980's, it bleeds off some of the demand for the more hard-core vehicles. Perhaps having a fast car is no longer the status symbol it used to be. In the past there were a lot of people buying hot cars who weren't necessarily into performance, they just wanted to look cool. The way to show off how cool you are today is by having the latest iPad or iPhone. Take your pick or throw in your own theory.

 

In this vein, Ford seems intent on broadening the Stag's appeal to a more world and worldly market. The trick will be not to dilute the Stang's unique character - a tricky design brief but one I am confidant they can pull off. The original Mustang had a bit of Euro thinking in its DNA and that worked out pretty well, as did the FoxStang later.

 

I blame a lot of it on the rise in gas costs. Gas was about $2.00 a gallon in 2004. If gas prices were that low now there would be more sales. Most people are going for the alternative fuel or fuel efficient cars now....

 

This.
I think the majority of people have lost the iconic ol' American Dream.
Since I'm younger, correct me if I'm wrong but...

My dad always told me kids back in the day ALWAYS rode the buss and their bikes everywhere. So, not ALL of the family cars were actually family cars. Two seater Coupes, three seater reg cab trucks... and of course a station-wagon.

Now, we use our cars for everything and most definitely taking the kids to and from wherever. So, the dad, mom, brother, and sister all have to have four doors.

Being from DFW, TX everything is so spread out that my parents had to take me 30min to soccer practice, 1hr to actual games, 15min to school, 35min to church, and 10min to just a restaurant... We spend too much time in our cars that Pony Cars are either not safe enough for the little ones, or just don't fit them comfortably. And when they're in there multiple times a day... we settle.
I pray I can hold true to my dream of ALWAYS owning a toy car.
My mom toted me around in the back of her 300zx for ten years... I don't see why I can't do the same.

 

I think main problem is the price ... Yeah, Mustang is better now than ever before, but its also more expensive than ever before.
Back when I bought my 2000 Mustang brand new, I was able to pay it off by working weekends at McDonalds. I think I paid like $14,000 for it brand new.
I understand that was 13 years ago, but during those days Mustang was cheap enough for anyone to be able to afford it. Now its not ...
And yeah, gas prices also played a big role ... If I remember correctly, gas was like $1.40 back then and now its close to $4.00.

 

Kron's post is why a Mustang based more roomy and practical performance sedan would be great for those of us in a family way, a budget for one car but not ready to throw in the towel on performance and driving fun.

I thought the now defunct Pontiac G8 was great in this respect and amazing in GXP trim (with a stick shift!). The Chevy SS will essentially be an update of the G8, if perhaps minus the stick and a touch fussier detailing.

I suspect though that if Ford does spin off a four door from the Stang's platform, it will likely be a Lincoln and commensurately pricey, and likely minus a stick (Ford, much less Lincoln, wouldn't have the cajones, unlike, say, Cadillac).

 

Some truth here. My Dad's car was a Chevy Nova SS and my Mom's a Mercury Cougar. 2 door coupes that me and my friends piled into the backs off. If I'd grown up with a minivan would I have developed the same love of cars?

 

Sports cars and coupes in general are way down. Crash standards, multiple air bags, seat locks, shoulder strap seat belts, etc. have made it difficult to get in the back seat nowadays. Forget about a baby seat in a new one, NOBODY used them in 1965! In an old 65 Mustang the seat swung over at an angle, easy to operate.....just hop in.

Gas prices, as high as they are, adjusted for inflation are high.......but still with other peak prices.
"Amazingly the average inflation adjusted gasoline prices for the following peak years were; 1918 was $3.84, 1938 was $3.29, 2008 was $3.47, and the average for all of 2011 and again in 2012 was $3.59. All very close when adjusted for inflation."
http://inflationdata.com/inflation/i..._inflation.asp
More people today are socially conscience and are "good citizens"....MPGs, global footprints, etc.

As someone else pointed out even an economy car has good performance today. AND handles very well, Focus notably.


1965 Ford Mustang adj. for inflation $16,938
Original price $2,372 six cylinder model. That's not too far out of wack and is still a bargain ....look at the BOSS 302 prices! 22K/1969 43K today adjusted.
http://tomsautoblog.wordpress.com/20...too-expensive/

The Mustang is a bit of an anachronism. But should it be? Good gas mileage, good handling, reasonable price..even in an historical context. So many other fads have come and gone since then. But the old girl is hangin' on! God bless her ;-)

 

I paid around 13k for my '89 what were you buying in '00 brand new for 14k?

 

I feel Ford is pricing the mustang too high also... Look at a base mustang, its got less content than some hyundais, even with the 5.0 dohc and all the goodies, theres no way fords got ten grand extra in that drivetrain...

I still think Mustang should be available in basic V8/stick for under 25k... Much as i love ours, had they been 30 we wouldnt have even one sitting here, just some mental barrier that i cant see 30k for a basic v8 mustang...used to be pretty much anyone with a job could swing a mustang payment, not so much anymore...car prices are outpacing wages in their annual climb...not good


Something else, a couple posts up talking about adjusted for inflation, were you saying a 69 boss 302 was expensive? Thought in the day they went for about 4k?

 

Base V6.

I think MSRP was like $16,000 and there was $2,000 in rebates.

 

With x-plan, incentives, coupons, and such you can push a base 5.0 down close to 25-26k so not far off. I think we can all agree that through the years we've wanted the mustang to get better, naturally the price will go up with a better product. The years of a rattle bucket with a v8 for 20k is over. Personally I'd rather pay more for a much better product.

 

Yeah, I bought mine new for 24k but that was because it was weeks before the '13 came out. And mine is a fully base 5.0 with a stick. Oddly enough, I bought it new because used ones were MORE expensive!

At work nowadays, my coworkers compliment how roomy it is in the back seat. Maybe a pain to get back there... but doable!