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2015 Shelby GT bows in Scottsdale with 627 supercharged ponies

Between the base V6, the EcoBoost turbo four, the eight-cylinder GT, the monstrous GT350 and the new GT350R (to say nothing of transmission and convertible options), muscle-car enthusiasts have a staggering array of Mustangs to choose from. And now there's one more as Shelby American has introduced the new 2015 Shelby GT. Building off the success of the 2007 Shelby GT and the 2013 follow-up, the new 2015 model was just introduced at the Ford booth at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ. It's based on the latest Mustang GT (whether factory fresh or commissioned from an owner's existing pony car) but upgrades with an enviable list of enhancements from Ford Racing Performance Parts, Shelby's own upgrades and top-shelf third-party components. For starters, the engine is supercharged up to 627 horsepower (with over 700 available through further upgrades). It's got 3.73 gears, a Borla exhaust, WELD Racing wheels, Michelin tires and Wilwood six-piston front brakes. Visual enhancements include a carbon-fiber body-kit (including a two-piece rear diffuser) and billet aluminum front grilles. Designed from the get-go to be sold around the world, the 2015 Shelby GT is certified for use in all 50 states and comes with a Shelby American CSM number registered in the company's registry, but all those enhancements don't come cheap: Shelby's charging $39,995 for the new GT, and that's just for the modifications. Add that to the $32k sticker on a Mustang GT donor and you're looking at over $70k – which is not only more than Ford itself is expected to charge for its own GT350, but more than Dodge gets for a Challenger Hellcat. Related Video: SHELBY AMERICAN LAUNCHES 2015 SHELBY GT MUSCLE CAR FOR ENTHUSIASTS WORLDWIDE LAS VEGAS – Jan. 16, 2015 – Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK), launched the first global Shelby GT muscle car, which is based on the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang GT. One of the most popular cars in Shelby history the 627 HP 2015 Shelby GT was unveiled today at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in Ford Motor Company's booth. Shelby is now taking orders with delivery of cars planned for the beginning of the second quarter of 2015.

Ford says utility vehicles are key to global growth

While most of us believe that small, fuel efficient cars are the key to global expansion for US automakers, Jim Farley, Ford's vice president of Global Marketing, thinks otherwise. Last week, we attended an exclusive sneak preview of the Ford Edge Concept in advance of the Los Angeles Auto Show, and Farley told us that it's actually utility vehicles that will help the Blue Oval gain market share overseas. "There is no other segment in our industry that is growing like utilities," he said. "We expect over the next five years this full family of [utility] vehicles to really drive our growth as a company."
And Farley has the numbers to back it up, too. Ford projects overall automotive sales to grow 23 percent from 2012 to 2017, but the company's utility vehicles are expected to boom by an impressive 41 percent during that same period. Much of that growth will be in China, where Ford estimates its utility sales will explode. "The biggest opportunity for us globally for utilities is in China," Farley said. "China utility growth is expected to more than double from where it is today to 2017, which isn't that far away." Most astounding is that Ford projects its own utility sales in China will eventually increase by more than 2,000 percent when smaller crossovers, such as the EcoSport and Kuga (sold as the Escape in North America), and the Edge and Explorer, are factored in.
Ford's VP also expects utilities to lead the way in the struggling European market. "With all the difficulties of the European market, there is one segment that has actually expanded in volume over the last several years even though the market is way down, and that's utilities," Farley told us. Ford estimates that their utility sales will grow 65 percent in Europe from 2012-2017. "The utility segment is projected to grow we think about thirty percent between now and 2017 in Europe, and we think we are going to grow twice that rate as a brand," Farley continued.

Lincoln dealers to build standalone dealerships separate from Ford

Way back in 2011, Ford Motor Credit Co. established Lincoln Automotive Financial Services as part of what Automotive News called "a campaign to set the Lincoln brand apart." Lincoln's been on a wild, public ride in the seven years since, which included a near-death experience in 2013 under former Ford CEO Alan Mulally. But Ford's luxury brand has rebounded and is ready to take another shot at setting itself apart. Automaker execs have asked dealers with twinned Ford- Lincoln dealerships in 30 major U.S. markets to build standalone stores. According to company data, the move isn't a gamble — dealers with standalone showrooms sell more vehicles. Lincoln's standalone dealerships in the 30 major U.S. markets that account for 70 percent of luxury segment sales increased 48 percent from 2014 to 2017, compared to an overall Lincoln brand sales increase of 18 percent. After a former Ford-Lincoln dealer in Minneapolis opened a devoted Lincoln store this January, sales have climbed 60 percent so far this year. Dealers in Orange County, California, and Atlanta, Georgia have seen sales double since opening exclusive Lincoln storefronts. The sales manager at the Atlanta dealer said, "Customers have pulled up and said, 'This is how it should be.'" Robert Parker, Lincoln's head of marketing, said, "Customers expect the environment to be equal to the product. They want to buy a luxury product in a luxury environment." That issue repeatedly comes up when a mass-market brand launches a luxury product; observers have lately wondered how much the issue affects sales of Hyundai's Genesis brand. Out of 845 Lincoln showrooms nationwide, there are 150 Lincoln dealers in those 30 major U.S. markets. So far, 72 dealers have made or are working to make the standalone switch on their own. Lincoln is asking the remaining 78 shops to follow suit, to agree to a new facility by July 2019 and to have the store finished by July 2021. Only the showrooms would need to be exclusive, service and other back-end departments can remain in Ford-branded complexes. Wielding the carrot, Lincoln will help dealers with relocating, and pay more for every car sold. Wielding the stick, Lincoln said that come Q2 2019, it won't let twinned dealers sell Black Label trims if they don't already. Over the next couple of years, Lincoln will complete the revamp of its lineup. Said marketing honco Parker, "The next phase of the transformation is critical.