A New Star is Born: 2015 Mustang Revealed
By By Sherrice Gilsbach
VIDEO:
All-New Ford Mustang Revealed in Dearborn
DEARBORN – Pangs of anticipation were finally quenched Thursday as the all-new Mustang made its global debut launching in six locations around the world simultaneously: New York; Los Angeles; Dearborn, Barcelona, Spain; Sydney and Shanghai.
In Dearborn, Mich., employees, retirees, dealers, suppliers and media gathered at the Ford Conference and Event Center for the big reveal. It included opening statements from Chief Operating Officer Mark Fields, an introduction to the very first retail Mustang owner from 1965, Gail Wise, and design and engineering overviews provided by global design chief J Mays and Frank Davis, executive director, North America Engineering.
Before the reveal, @Ford spoke with several employees, including Cindy Parkhurst, a Material Planning and Logisitics employee at Flat Rock Assembly Plant where the Mustang is built.
“I am actually very proud to be chosen to be a part of this, we’re very proud of our plants and this is really exciting,” Parkhurst said.
Jacer Aguilar, another FRAP employee who works in Human Resources had this to share, “I think the thing I am most proud of is that by working at Flat Rock I have actually seen the people that work with the product (current Mustang and future models), and have learned how much of an impact the car has had on their lives. This car has helped a lot of families and has put a lot of children through college. We all rely on Ford products and they touch the lives of so many people.”
Currently, FRAP employs more than 3,000 hourly workers who will have a hand in building this next generation pony car.
“It is a very exciting day for everyone at Ford but also for anybody who has ever owned a Mustang or admired a Mustang, it is a special day and we hope all of you will remember this day as you move forward,” said Fields.
“As you know, when you get in a Mustang it ignites that sense of optimism and freedom and it just puts a smile on your face when you slide into that seat and wrap your hands around the steering wheel.” said Fields.
No doubt a large contributor to the Mustang-generated grin is the unbridled power that lurks beneath the hood – a feature that only gets enhanced in the new model with three of the most fuel-efficient Mustang engine options ever:
Any of the above will be married to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters being added to the automatic option.
“Mustang is not only one of the most successful cars in the lineup, it’s also become a cultural icon,” said Fields. “On Facebook Mustang has more than 5.5 million fans, more than any other car and interestingly more than half of those fans are from outside of the U.S., so it has universal appeal.”
According to the Mustang design team, this appeal will only grow as the new generation gallops onto the market.
“You look at this silhouette and what you see here is a bloodline and it runs back and courses through the veins of every Mustang since 1964,” said Mays before pointing out specific design features unique to the new model. From the shark-nose paired with a gaping grill to the muscular body side panels and the rear haunches that are 40 mm wider than the outgoing model, this Mustang is ready to capture everyone’s attention.
Next Davis took to the stage with his introduction to the many engineering advancements the 2015 model will include.
“There were really three key elements that went into building this car,” said Davis. “One was putting the zoom in the new Mustang, second was raising the bar from a ride and handling perspective and establishing this Mustang as a world class ride and handling vehicle, and third, we focused on making this Mustang the most technologically advanced Mustang ever.”
He pointed again to the engine options to explain the power and fuel efficiency of the new model and listed features such as the independent rear-suspension intended to meet high performance and ride requirements of the new car.
Launch control, now available on all trims, selectable steering and four selectable drive modes (normal, wet/snow, sport and track) are all technologies that have been incorporated into the new Mustang to give drivers even more control of their driving experience.
According to reaction following the reveal, all of the above will result in success for the new addition to the Ford lineup.
“Awesome, it’s an awesome vehicle, very aesthetic and beautiful, it follows a lot of the tradition of Mustang and it takes time for your eyes to take it all in,” said Evangelos Skoures, an 8-year Ford veteran who works on emission sensors in Research and Advanced Engineering.
Skoures also is the lucky owner of one of only 52 Woodward Dream Cruise Edition Mustang’s that were built in 1997. “I was driving down Woodward Ave. and I saw a white Mustang with Blue stripes in the window of Ed Schmid Ford and was told the one in the showroom was the last Woodward Dream Cruise Edition remaining in southeast Michigan. So I just had to buy it.” Just another example of the magnetism of Mustang.
Those who were unable to attend the reveal event, but want to join in the excitement of the Mustang launch build-up, have only to reach for their smartphones. Global Marketing Director Chantel Lenard explained the new #MustangInspires social media initiative that allows everyone do get involved in the Mustang buzz.
Using Instagram, anyone with a Mustang story to share can do so by posting their Mustang photo and including #MustangInspires in the description. There are more than a million Mustang pictures on Instagram already.
Exact on-sale dates for the new Mustang were not released, but it was suggested the vehicle will be hitting showrooms sometime next fall.
DEARBORN – Pangs of anticipation were finally quenched Thursday as the all-new Mustang made its global debut launching in six locations around the world simultaneously: New York; Los Angeles; Dearborn, Barcelona, Spain; Sydney and Shanghai.
In Dearborn, Mich., employees, retirees, dealers, suppliers and media gathered at the Ford Conference and Event Center for the big reveal. It included opening statements from Chief Operating Officer Mark Fields, an introduction to the very first retail Mustang owner from 1965, Gail Wise, and design and engineering overviews provided by global design chief J Mays and Frank Davis, executive director, North America Engineering.
Before the reveal, @Ford spoke with several employees, including Cindy Parkhurst, a Material Planning and Logisitics employee at Flat Rock Assembly Plant where the Mustang is built.
“I am actually very proud to be chosen to be a part of this, we’re very proud of our plants and this is really exciting,” Parkhurst said.
Jacer Aguilar, another FRAP employee who works in Human Resources had this to share, “I think the thing I am most proud of is that by working at Flat Rock I have actually seen the people that work with the product (current Mustang and future models), and have learned how much of an impact the car has had on their lives. This car has helped a lot of families and has put a lot of children through college. We all rely on Ford products and they touch the lives of so many people.”
Currently, FRAP employs more than 3,000 hourly workers who will have a hand in building this next generation pony car.
“It is a very exciting day for everyone at Ford but also for anybody who has ever owned a Mustang or admired a Mustang, it is a special day and we hope all of you will remember this day as you move forward,” said Fields.
“As you know, when you get in a Mustang it ignites that sense of optimism and freedom and it just puts a smile on your face when you slide into that seat and wrap your hands around the steering wheel.” said Fields.
No doubt a large contributor to the Mustang-generated grin is the unbridled power that lurks beneath the hood – a feature that only gets enhanced in the new model with three of the most fuel-efficient Mustang engine options ever:
- 5.0-liter V8 boasting 420 horsepower and at least 390 lb.-ft. of torque
- 2.3-liter EcoBoost that achieves 305 horsepower and at least 300 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.7-liter V6 that gets 300 horsepower and at least 270 lb.-ft. of torque.
Any of the above will be married to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters being added to the automatic option.
“Mustang is not only one of the most successful cars in the lineup, it’s also become a cultural icon,” said Fields. “On Facebook Mustang has more than 5.5 million fans, more than any other car and interestingly more than half of those fans are from outside of the U.S., so it has universal appeal.”
According to the Mustang design team, this appeal will only grow as the new generation gallops onto the market.
“You look at this silhouette and what you see here is a bloodline and it runs back and courses through the veins of every Mustang since 1964,” said Mays before pointing out specific design features unique to the new model. From the shark-nose paired with a gaping grill to the muscular body side panels and the rear haunches that are 40 mm wider than the outgoing model, this Mustang is ready to capture everyone’s attention.
Next Davis took to the stage with his introduction to the many engineering advancements the 2015 model will include.
“There were really three key elements that went into building this car,” said Davis. “One was putting the zoom in the new Mustang, second was raising the bar from a ride and handling perspective and establishing this Mustang as a world class ride and handling vehicle, and third, we focused on making this Mustang the most technologically advanced Mustang ever.”
He pointed again to the engine options to explain the power and fuel efficiency of the new model and listed features such as the independent rear-suspension intended to meet high performance and ride requirements of the new car.
Launch control, now available on all trims, selectable steering and four selectable drive modes (normal, wet/snow, sport and track) are all technologies that have been incorporated into the new Mustang to give drivers even more control of their driving experience.
According to reaction following the reveal, all of the above will result in success for the new addition to the Ford lineup.
“Awesome, it’s an awesome vehicle, very aesthetic and beautiful, it follows a lot of the tradition of Mustang and it takes time for your eyes to take it all in,” said Evangelos Skoures, an 8-year Ford veteran who works on emission sensors in Research and Advanced Engineering.
Skoures also is the lucky owner of one of only 52 Woodward Dream Cruise Edition Mustang’s that were built in 1997. “I was driving down Woodward Ave. and I saw a white Mustang with Blue stripes in the window of Ed Schmid Ford and was told the one in the showroom was the last Woodward Dream Cruise Edition remaining in southeast Michigan. So I just had to buy it.” Just another example of the magnetism of Mustang.
Those who were unable to attend the reveal event, but want to join in the excitement of the Mustang launch build-up, have only to reach for their smartphones. Global Marketing Director Chantel Lenard explained the new #MustangInspires social media initiative that allows everyone do get involved in the Mustang buzz.
Using Instagram, anyone with a Mustang story to share can do so by posting their Mustang photo and including #MustangInspires in the description. There are more than a million Mustang pictures on Instagram already.
Exact on-sale dates for the new Mustang were not released, but it was suggested the vehicle will be hitting showrooms sometime next fall.