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My long-awaited EURO Mustang EcoBoost: please welcome The Italian Pony!

papinist

The Italian Pony
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Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
Hi guys! I’ve been living in the “Europe” section for the past months, but now that my car has arrived I think it’s time to go “General” and show you the differences with the US version and how a car like this is seen around here.. and yes, to show you my beauty (not me.. my car!).

PROLOGUE
First of all, why The Italian Pony? Well, I’m Italian and I live in Italy (too easy). Originally it should be The Italian Stallion :cool: but our government considers the Mustang a “Luxury car” and they charge huge taxation even on the EcoBoost (about 1,800 eur yearly) so the GT could not be even considered here (> 2,500 eur yearly). Plus, also gas here has huge taxation… so the EcoBoost is the only choice.

THE ODYSSEY part 1: ORDERING
Story is long, but I’ll try to shorten it: in summer 2014 I went to US with some friends, and even if I already know pony cars, I fell in love with the Mustang. It was the previous model, but I considered the idea of buying one when in Italy. Obviously Mustangs are not sold outside US, and even there are some imported, I’ve never seen one around here (central Italy). Once at home, checking the internet I found that a new generation is ready and starting to sell in US.. moreover, it would go global!!

So I went to a Ford dealer in december, but they barely know what I’m talking about. Next, on January 20, 2015 Ford said that you can go to your dealer (in Europe) and finally order your car. Next day I go back to the dealer 15km away (in a 100,000 inhabitants city) and had a great conversation with the employees:
First salesman (a woman about 60): Hi, how can I help you?
Me: Hi, I need info on how to order a Mustang.
Woman (screaming): Holy s**t! What word is that?? I never heard that!! :eyebulge:
Me: … :confused:
Woman (calling another salesman): Hey can you listen this guy, I don’t know what he wants!!
Second salesman (a man about 40, signing a contract with some customers): Hi, what’s the problem?
Me: Hi, I want to order a Mustang, orders opened yesterd…
Man (blocking me): Mmm no, we only sell Fords. (I swear, you won’t believe me but it’s sadly true)
Me: … :confused:
Meanwhile the salesman I speak with in December approaching: Hi, I remember you, what do you need?
Me: I’m searching for the Mustang but…
Salesman: Oh yes, but we’re not selling it, only bigger dealer (called Ford Store) can have it. Bye!
Me: … :confused:
Long story short, I went to a dealer 60 km away and he know (barely) more than those guys, and made me place an order: it was January, 27th.

THE ODYSSEY part 2: WAITING
After that day I almost NEVER heard him.. I wrote tons of email, and he replied about 3-4 times. He gave me the wrong VIN, knows anything about the status of the order, or the features of the car.
He finally sent me an email the first days of September, after more than SEVEN months since I placed my order: “Guess who’s here?” and the day after I was in Perugia to finally see my car!

Mustangs heading to Europe are travelling a long way: at Flat Rock they are loaded on a convoy, heading to Baltimore. From here they cross the ocean with a cargo to Zeebrugge (Belgium) to have an undercoating treatment that seems mandatory in Europe. Then, depending on final destination, they continue with trucks to northern Europe, or loaded again on other cargos heading to Spain, Italy, Greece… my car was loaded again with another 47 Mustangs heading to Livorno, Italy. From here, a truck did the last 200 km to Perugia, where my dealer is (Bacci Group)

FIRST ENCOUNTER
On Friday 4th I drove the 60 km to Perugia. In my tons of emails, I asked to not touch the car, not mount the front license plate holder (a big and ugly piece of plastic), not place dealer’s promotional adhesive everywhere (“you put it, I remove it.. it’s a double useless work so don’t do it”), and I have to admit that they listened to me: my Mustang still had the white cover used for its long journey. He said “I only let the guy to unload from the truck.. no one has touched anything! You can now unwrap her like a Christmas gift.”
Actually, this car is the gift I made myself for my 40th birthday, so yes, I unwrap my gift :love:







it's not me.. it's my dealer!



At this time it’s about a whole year of searching the net, reading forum, watching videos of this car.. and I finally can touch it! The exterior is beautiful with its brilliant Race Red, but the big surprise is when I sat in the driver’s seat: the car embraces you, its long hood is huge and smells power from every inch!



In details, it’s a Mustang EcoBoost Race red with Mustang Pack (same as Custom Pack in other Euro countries: navigation, cooled\heated seats, front* and rear parking sensors, premium leather seats, chrome windows trim and ally nickel wheels). Compared to US version, you can think of an EcoBoost Premium with Performance Pack, but without central dash gauges. We also can’t have BLIS, cross traffic detection, pre-collision assistant, active cruise control, memory seats, sunvisor with remote garage opener, led tribar drl, sequential turning lights and hood scoops on the GT.

* (yeah, front parking sensors. Don’t you know that the Mustang can have it? No? You’re right, because they don’t exist on Mustangs in any part of the world! Only on Italian Ford website they reported “front and rear parking sensors”, so the first thing I did was uncover the front part, and… surprise! No sensors!!! But… I’ll be back on that later)





However, panel alignment seems good so we made some photo for their website and went to the office for the payment. I gave them a 4,675 eur deposit in January and have to complete the payment with 35,000 eur for a grand total of 39,675 eur. It’s a very good price here for an exotic & powerful car like the Mustang!

IT’S WITH ME!!!
Registration needs a week so I had to wait until the next Saturday to finally drive this beauty. After seven and half months, finally I HAVE A MUSTANG at home!!







"Now stop talking and show us some pics!" - Ok Ok, here they are!!

(pics follow)
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papinist

The Italian Pony
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Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
EXTERIORS







I've driven some days without front license plate.. sooo mcuh better!!









Dealer says that Ford asked him to not remove this sticker :ford:



Taillights are not so good with lights on during the day





Fake tribar led drl (so we have drl in fog lights! :crazy:)



Chrome trim (not as bad as I thought) and dumbo jumbo mirrors





Slight differences from left and right side of the rear window



Faux gas cap on the decklid



Ugly amber side reflector (not lighted like in US)



Exhaust and parking sensors



Reverse light with integrated fog light







Parking and turning lights, with different setup from US version (EU 10% parking light inner side, 90% turning light outer side - US 50% turning light inner side, 50% parking light outer side)





Fog lights (no led - halogen) with integrated drl :(





Wing mirror led turning light



Yes... it's big





Headlights without led tribar drl :rant:





Pony projection light! Hopefully this don't break some stupid EU regulations...



Finally with front license plate on



Luckily italian front plates are smaller than the rest of the Europe :)

(interior pics coming..)
 
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papinist

papinist

The Italian Pony
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Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
INTERIORS

















Shaker audio for us! Also the smokers kit is standard in Europe :tsk:





White real stitching



Premium leather seats

















Tire repair kit (spare tire not available at all)



Stupid "security kit" they blame to sell for 180 eur :confused: (three bulbs, three fuses and the security triangle???)



Security handle to open trunk from interior (missing from base Eu version)



The "skin" protecting the car during its journey across the ocean.. Fun fact, I found that it's made by Confezioni Andrea, an italian firm specialized in car covers! They are in Varese, in Northern Italy. Cool that Ford buys these covers from Italy, carry them in US and use it to cover a car that will then be sold to Italy :clap2:



Backup camera



Ugly airbag stickers..





..but only on passenger side





Radio\GPS antenna and rain sensor





Ashtray (already removed..)







lights switch with headlights height adjustment, front and rear fog lights switch





Keyfob (we don't have panic button)



Wing mirrors adjustment buttons and electric-fold button




Among this, there are some flaws that I haven't noticed at first.

A small dent on the driver door (well actually not THAT small)



some misalignment









Barely noticed, but the trunk lid hit the taillight plastic and start to scratch the paint






DRIVING
I had an Alfa Romeo GT (you US guys probably don't know it - it's a coupe with a 150 hp 1.9L diesel engine) and I was very pleased driving it.
Driving the Mustang at first is overwhelming, with all that power, the long hood, the size (it's a big car here), the short shift rod (one of the best part so far) but after a day or two it's like I've been driving it forever! Really fun drive!

REACTIONS
As you can imagine, here a Mustang it's like a vision! Most people doesn't even know that.. I got asked a few times "Is this a Ferrari?" and be sure that people breaking his neck when I drive by :D


After all I am very happy with this car, it's my small american dream.. in Italy!
 
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ConspicuousConsumption

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You have a nice collection of brooms, sir.

CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to the Mustang family. I'm super pumped that a little slice of Americana is in the heart of Italy, the home of prancing ponies.
 
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papinist

The Italian Pony
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Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
You have a nice collection of brooms, sir.

CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to the Mustang family. I'm super pumped that a little slice of Americana is in the heart of Italy, the home of prancing ponies.
Sureprisingly, you are not the first to notice the brooms wall!! My dad is a fanatic: each broom is for a specific purpose :D

Thanks for the welcome! :cheers:
 

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Hack

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Congrats on the purchase! I hope you love the car.
 

Surtur

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welcome to the forums

you have a beautiful car and beautiful place to drive it around :thumbsup:
 

blitzburgh

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I hope they don't drive where you are like they do in Napoli. Your car will be smashed to pieces in 6 months. I spent 4 years in Naples. Worst drivers ever. Your area looks nice and the car is great! Congrats
 
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papinist

The Italian Pony
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Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
I hope they don't drive where you are like they do in Napoli. Your car will be smashed to pieces in 6 months. I spent 4 years in Naples. Worst drivers ever. Your area looks nice and the car is great! Congrats
I know what you mean... those are the worst place to drive in Italy (not only to drive..)! Luckily Tuscany is a whole different story :D

Thanks and thanks all for the warm welcome! I will try to do my part on contributing to this great forum :clap2:
 

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plc268

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Looks great. Great choice in color! I bet the color alone gets you mistaken for a ferrari a lot.

It's so weird seeing all the little things ford had to change for the EU market.
 

RMS550

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Congrats ! very nice pictures, but most of all, enjoy your car and have fun.
 

JoshMac

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What an awesome review. It's quite interesting to see how much Ford had to do to market this car Globally, and yours is only one of many markets that require certain provisions. I'm sure it turns heads everywhere you go, Congrats on finally getting your car.
 

Trackaholic

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Great photos.

I like how the instrument panel is still in English, but the software portions were updated to Italian. The products I work on are sold all over the world, and setting up the design to allow the user interface portions to work across multiple languages is always a challenge. Much easier when all it takes is a software change and a bad translation.

-T
 

Avdb

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Great pics. You must have been keen to get a Mustang despite the high annual taxes.
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