2010 Shelby Mustang Muscle Car: Ford's Attempt To Save Itself

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. is looking to appeal to muscle car enthusiasts with its 2010 Ford Shelby GT500.

The latest model of the Shelby pays closer attention to quality and interior detail, Ford said during a preview of the car set to debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which runs Jan. 11-25.

The Shelby Mustang is in its fourth model since being reintroduced in 2007. The car was first produced by Ford in collaboration with former race-car driver turned designer, Carroll Shelby, who first refashioned the Mustang in the 1960s.

Although the Shelby is a high-end specialty car, Ford hopes that the pumped up design _ racing stripes that adorn the seats _ and performance help show off the company's commitment to high performance and quality.

Ford spokesman Alan Hall said the Shelby "polishes the Ford oval" because the car gives off good vibes about Ford, particularly as the company's image may have been tarnished in recent months as its U.S. counterparts prepare to receive billions of dollars in loans from the government. Ford has said it doesn't plan to dip into loan monies that may be available from the Treasury Department.

"Products like the Shelby speak to the die-hard enthusiast and help fire up their passion about the brand and be our product advocates to friends and neighbors," Hall said. "It really shows that Ford still loves making cars, making hot cars. We're not just producing appliances."

Consumers unable to buy a Shelby may go to Ford showrooms and end up purchasing a new Mustang with a V6 or V8 engine, Hall said. The 2010 Mustang was introduced in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Ford sold 3,667 Mustangs in November, down 50.1 percent from November 2007.

New features on the Shelby include rear cameras to help assist in parking, a feature generally reserved for luxury cars, SUVs or minivans. The 2010 model also improves its highway mileage performance by two miles per gallon with an estimated 22 mpg on highways and 14 mpg in the city. The car is expected to hit showrooms next spring.

Comments

[Foxbodiedfury]

OK I'm going to explain this for all you TREE HUGGERS out there. The Shelby is designed for a nitch market, you talk about the carbon footprint... this car does not have one... why because it is designed for the collectors market. Since 2005 the highest mileage Ive seen a Shelby for sale with is under 5,000 miles. It originally sold for over $20,000 the MSRP that is a grand total of $70,000. Why wouldnt ford re invest in a product like that.... THE DEMAND IS THERE!!!
The regular mustang has the largest following, over any other pony car since its inception in 1964. It has survived 45 years. So what ford is suppose to dump its most popular car ever? Give it an Eco tech motor? The answer is no that would prove to be a fatal mistake, the same they almost made in the 70's. LEAVE THE MUSTANG ALONE. ford has plenty of hybrids and functional hydrogen test cars, so stop trying to kill the performance market. This car has led to various multi million dollar aftermarket companies that wouldn't exist with out the mustang. Ford is satisfying a demand for a product, that's it and if you don't like it don't buy it. Because there are plenty of people like myself that are lining up to get one.
Fords attempt to save itself ....that's the biggest %$#@ I have ever seen on paper

[ferrarimanf355]

Thanks, but I really doubt that the Greenpeace alarmists will care about what you think.

And why is this up on the front page again? HuffPo should be ashamed of themselves for the troll-bait headline and the wall-banging comments.

[Foxbodiedfury]

Your right the facts make too much sense,
and
I couldn't agree more

[karen1p]

Where is the innovation? It sounds like Ford thinks "innovation" is regurgitation with new "muscle stripes" ?!?

Let's see Ford, GM and Chrysler really turn to real innovation which would not only turn heads but also impact the earth in a more carbon-neutral way. What are we doing? Can we employ some Japanese to head these three companies? Or would that not be the "American way" ?!?

[ferrarimanf355]

Since when does Toyota have anything that's actually fun-to-drive?

[Twinkie]

Ford spokesman Alan Hall said the Shelby "polishes the Ford oval" HAHAHAHA I thought it was all about polishing something else...

[Viper]

Just some reality:

"Mustang Sales up 64% Over Last Year
Despite Ford Motor Company’s announcment of poor sales in August, the Mustang is selling as strong as it ever has. Up a whopping 64% over last years numbers, Ford’s top selling ponycar is helping to stabilize the American car manufacturer’s slumping truck and SUV sales."

Sales of about 20K units per month in just U.S.... compared to about 9.5K of Prius sales world wide.

You can make muscle car very efficient or at least reasonable.. The Corvette gets 26 MPG Highway. The New Camero has cylinders that shut down as the car gets to cruising speed.

Regards

[therealredstateblues]

Indeed

The performance car has always been the showcase for a and front runner for new technology that finds its way into other products

unfortunately alot of the toyota kool aiders won't be able to handle the facts viper

[RuthlessDictator]

Link please.

[RuthlessDictator]

Not to change the subject (Shelby Mustang) but if Chrysler would have produced perhaps a 13/16th or 7/8th scale version of the Dodge Challenger with a performance but fuel-efficient V6 from the Dodge Avenger or something like that they just might have a winner like the Mustang.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Um, does anyone at the executive level of the Ford Motor Company know the working definition of *insanity?*

Doing the same thing over and over and over again expecting a different result each time.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[NilsPeterson]

Open letter to Obama. Time to stop this nonsense. Exactly why did we bail out Ford to make a muscle car when Toyota did not get a bailout and is using its own funds to innovate and create a solar powered car? See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/01/ap-toyota-secretly-develo_n_154654.html

[therealredstateblues]

Actually ford is not being "bailed out" Ford went to washington in support of GM and Chrysler

Ford is in the best finacial shape of all the US makers and better thn some foreign brands who too are struggling and have asked their own govts for assistance

[Viper]

Maybe in better shape than Tpoyota has it urns out. Pls note that if Toyota paid for its employees healthcare in the rest opf the world... its balance sheet would be as bad as GMs... So it has gotten a bailout every year with government paid for healthcare.

Regards

[ferrarimanf355]

The solar-powered car was proven to be a bunch of baloney. Where's the apology?

Eco-fascists are sad. If it doesn't get eleventy-billion miles per gallon, it's a gas guzzler. GTFO.

[local21]

Over the years all the cutting edge technology in the auto industry has direct ties to racing.

[michmudder]

The headline "2010 Shelby Mustang Muscle Car: Ford's Attempt To Save Itself" is false and blatant editorializing.

[mlaiuppa]

A dinosaur for the elite? What is Ford thinking?

[drymartini1]

What is F thinking?

I ask what are GM and F shareholders (ummmm bagholders ) thinking ? LOL

although you could buy a GM stock along with a side of F for almost the price of a mcdonalds meal. but cheap doesnt equal value.

sell those suckers down !!

[ashabot]

These guys really are idiots! Holy shlt! Muscle car? Muscle heads!

[littlepuffycloud]

Another vehicle for the Teeny Weeny crowd...

[lmvd3]

And the Teeny Weenys that defend them.

[RuthlessDictator]

GM, Ford and Chrysler should just exist as a smaller entity and, with the exception of specialty vehicles such as the Mustang, Corvette, and Viper, just get out of the passenger car market altogether and sell what they know best - trucks.

Most passenger car buyers have simply moved on - Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Hyundai, etc.

[therealredstateblues]

GM still sells more cars than Toytoa

Fird more than Honda

Chrysler more than Hyundai and Nissan put together

Toytoa's product mix relies heavily on trucks SUVs and larger cars as does Nissan's

Mazda is partially owned by Ford - Most mazdas share chassis and components and roll down the same assembly lines as Ford do

Hyundai just announced they too were struglling and seeking assistance from the Korean govt

Toytoa had its worst sales year in 70 years, have ideld facilities, scrapped plans to build the prius in the US

Honda has announced major layoffs, plant idlings, and delays of production at new facilites

[SinisterK9]

Actually they didn't scrap the plan to build the Prius in the U.S. The factory is being built as we speak very close to where I live. They are merely postponing the opening and operation of the factory. As of now, they still expect to open and still plan on a full capacity plant with all the jobs previously hired and promised.

[elimenez]

What do they all share in common? The majority of their vehicles run on large gasoline engines.

[Viper]

Mazada and Nissan both bailed out. Nissan's president is a frenchman trained at GM.


All of the rest of the car MFGs dont pay employees healthcare outside US.. if Toyota did instead of the government, their balance sheet would be as bad as GM.

Toyota has gotten interest free loans, paid for research and gets tax rebates for evey car it exports... Get its VAT back which importers dont so it operates from a protected market as in China and Korea...


Regards

[Foxbodiedfury]

Yeah that makes sense.... there wont be thousands of jobs lost if they follow your advice,
Give up.... what a great philosophy The Taurus was the best selling car for almost a decade I owned a 1995 couger with 300,000 miles on the original motor and a 1994 t-bird with 210,000 on the original motor. they seemed like good passenger cars to me

[RuthlessDictator]

Screw Ford. I'll never buy an American branded car ever again. Can you say "clueless"?

Even though my 14yr old Aerostar van has been the most trouble-free vehicle I've ever owned so far ( bought it used three years ago) I'm just sick of their attitude and general idiocy!

[SinisterK9]

They are producing what people buy. People buy Mustangs, and have every since 1964/65. When people stop buying them, I'm sure they will scrap them.

[therealredstateblues]

Indeed - thats pretty much how it works

[ineuw]

When you say "People buy" it doesn't indicate how many people do the buying. The truth is that the number of people who buy these cars are just not enough to keep the US auto companies afloat.

Why people haven't been buying these and other US made cars? Because they are poorly designed, over sized, and unimaginative gas guzzlers.

[Foxbodiedfury]

SCREW FORD???!! for what making the most trouble free vehicle you have ever owned? Hmmm that makes sense You seem like the ideal consumer...I got a bridge for sale if your interested?

[RuthlessDictator]

Why is is these days, even in podunk Ohio, I can't even throw a stick without hitting a Toyota Prius?

[therealredstateblues]

You mean hitting the dozens sitting on the lots that arent selling?

[BinIndy]

Uh....you're waaay wrong on your comment.