This Is Ford's Plan To Fix The Mustang's Biggest Problem

[Bikeman315]

Mustang is a rare brand which is defined by its engine the same way it is defined by anything else.

Funny my wife’s 64 1/2 had the inline 6. Pretty sure it had a Mustang badge it

Seriously though, in the United States, the Mustang has never been defined solely by its engine. The have had a variety of engines over its 57 year history. My 15’ EB was ever bit as much of a Mustang as my 19’ GT/CS.

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[Strokerswild]

Some things have changed in cars since my first car 50 years ago. First of all, they last significantly longer. You younger folks maybe do not realize that a 1970 Mustang was a rusted out bucket of junk by 70K miles and 5 years. Almost none left by then. A well optioned Mustang sold for $3,500 new when the minimum wage was $1.45. That's right, $1.45. If you worked all year at $58/week it was about $3,016. Zero benefits. Not much different than today. Except for quality, longevity, performance and resale.

And to compare, you would have had to buy a 428 CJ automatic with bias ply tires, point distributor (which you would have HAD to tune up every 2,000 miles) with a very short life expectancy to even try to compare performance. A 14 second gas guzzler. Drum brakes, terrible headlights, dangerous tires by todays standards, terrible handling, bad gas mileage and the list goes on and on. Talk about undependable! These cars were very undependable for any longer drives. Blowouts and flats were very common.

Though it may be hard to believe, but my first New Mustang was purchased almost exactly 40 years ago. It was cool and all, but not dependable and nothing like the stuff sold today. $9.250 with radio and A/C delete. Minimum wage: $3.35. $3.35x2,000 hours gives $ 6,700.

In most cases the economy and ability to get a job was MUCH WORSE. Very difficult to get a job . Today there are millions of $15/hr jobs out there with little to no experience.

So, I STRONGLY disagre that the pricing of the world class Mustang GT is over priced. Young people will spend $200 and up just for techie stuff with no issues.

Priorities are different. And, that is cultural, not the price of a car. Folks today are simply spoiled by what any car today can do. In fact compared to the 428 CJ that is lusted after, the ecoboost would run rings around it. Then, there is the gas mileage, dependablilty, longevity, resale, etc.

While I agree to some extent, I'd rather have that 428CJ '70 anyday versus my '15. In fact, I've recently decided that rather than invest in another newer Mustang, I plan to revisit my list of cars I never got to own for whatever reason during my college and early career phase and buy those instead. I find I prefer to wrench on the older stuff anyway. I think my '15 might very well be the last one I buy new, and I'm only 52.

I still believe that the current cars are overpriced, much like most everything else. Too heavy, too much unnecessary tech and frippery (hate the digital dash and touchscreen), blah, blah, blah.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

While I agree to some extent, I'd rather have that 428CJ '70 anyday versus my '15. In fact, I've recently decided that rather than invest in another newer Mustang, I plan to revisit my list of cars I never got to own for whatever reason during my college and early career phase and buy those instead. I find I prefer to wrench on the older stuff anyway. I think my '15 might very well be the last one I buy new, and I'm only 52.

I still believe that the current cars are overpriced, much like most everything else. Too heavy, too much unnecessary tech and frippery (hate the digital dash and touchscreen), blah, blah, blah.

other than my Mach 1 I have on order, every other vehicle I own, including my daily driver, will be '86 or older. and will stay that way.

 

[murick]

Seriously though, in the United States, the Mustang has never been defined solely by its engine. The have had a variety of engines over its 57 year history. My 15’ EB was ever bit as much of a Mustang as my 19’ GT/CS.

Good point, I believe 6cyl. was never sold in Europe, and Ecoboost was selling so well that Ford stopped selling them several years ago.

 

[13GetThere]

The last 2 pages have just about made all the points I wanted to make. Especially those from Greens550, CJJon, and Strokerswild.

In 1970 minimum wage $1.40 an hour; an incentive to get a better job. Back then power steering, power brakes, automatic transmission, air conditioning, AM/FM radio, and power windows were expensive options if you could even get them, and $4,000 got you a really nice car. Then again, they were usually wore out by 100,000 miles if you maintained it.

I don't like all the tech in cars now. Most of the time you have to take your eyes off the road to use it. A recipe for disaster if you ask me.

Not gonna repeat what they said. Just agree with a lot of it.

 

[PhotoSHO]

Here is one of his cars all riced out.

Let's take a moment to admire one of the most beautiful machines on earth. That version Spitfire is nearly perfect from any angle.
Back on topic, as one who plays with WWII planes and museums of such we are having the same problem. Young people just aren't interested in mechanical things like most of us were.

 

[#1ford]

$$$$$$$$$$ at 60 this is the time that I can truly afford buy my first new mustang

 

[DarthMalice]

Well, that’s essentially why they chose to market the Mach-E as a part of the “Mustang family“.

Wish they had just killed the nameplate instead. Let the Mustang go down on a high note instead of the shitshow it is becoming between electrification and this "family" crap.

 

[llinthicum1]

Wish they had just killed the nameplate instead. Let the Mustang go down on a high note instead of the shitshow it is becoming between electrification and this "family" crap.

Mustang is Ford's most important brand along with F150. It will not go away. Back in 2009, when GM and Chrysler were on verge of bankruptcy and were asking Government for taxpayer bailout, Ford alone did not ask for bailout. That was because several years prior to 2009 they had borrowed money using every asset they had including the iconic Mustang emblem as collateral. Of course, they were mortgaged up to the hilt, but they made it. Just shows how valuable Mustang is to Ford.

 

[DarthMalice]

Mustang is Ford's most important brand along with F150. It will not go away. Back in 2009, when GM and Chrysler were on verge of bankruptcy and were asking Government for taxpayer bailout, Ford alone did not ask for bailout. That was because several years prior to 2009 they had borrowed money using every asset they had including the iconic Mustang emblem as collateral. Of course, they were mortgaged up to the hilt, but they made it. Just shows how valuable Mustang is to Ford.

Not saying it isn't valuable. Just saying I would rather see them kill then monetize/bastardize the hell out of it and kill it in a sense of it not being what it once was which is exactly what they are set to do.

 

[Brian_S550]

Wish they had just killed the nameplate instead. Let the Mustang go down on a high note instead of the shitshow it is becoming between electrification and this "family" crap.

No, that’s just fucking stupid.

 

[coz0502]

Vlad hit the nail on the head. All manufacturers have put so many safety features and electronics into their cars that the young buyer who wants performance can not afford to purchase the sporty cars. Sometimes I think the auto companies don't want the performance cars affordable to young people because they are afraid the young people are not responsible enough.

There is a lot of truth to this statement, but I don't think car manufacture's care who they sell a performance car to. The US governments is the main driver of this. Most of the safety features are mandated, now some cars implement them sooner than required. But if memory serves me correctly backup cameras are already required on new cars and blind spot monitors are required in 2022 production models. It probably won't be long before a driver assist program like Telsa's is a federal mandate. Then one day, hopefully I'm dead by then, self driving cars will be mandated and we'll lose the last bit of fun left.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

I wouldn't say Gittin is a nobody - World Champ Drifter, and if that sport's not on the radar, many know who he is through RTR vehicles

Yeah, far from a nobody!

We need people like him with a big platform to engage people. The fact he has been ripping a Mustang throughout his career that’s always been dominated by 4 cyl imports is great press for Ford and the Mustang, even if drifting isn’t your thing.

 

[w3rkn]

Just going to throw this out there.... "kids" are the one's buying the used Mustangs...!


Cuz they know.

 

[Weyland-Yutani]

There is a lot of truth to this statement, but I don't think car manufacture's care who they sell a performance car to.

As a share-holder, I certainly hope they don't.

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