papinist
The Italian Pony
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2014
- Threads
- 47
- Messages
- 3,188
- Reaction score
- 781
- Location
- Tuscany, Italy
- First Name
- Stefano
- Vehicle(s)
- Mustang EcoBoost MT Race Red EURO - NO MORE
- Thread starter
- #1
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 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: …
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: …
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: …
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)
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 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: …
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: …
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: …
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)
Sponsored
Last edited: