2012 Ford Focus Titanium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Global buyers prefer red, black Ford Mustangs

As sales of the new, 2015 Ford Mustang kick off across the globe, Ford is uncovering some interesting data about its long-lived muscle car, and some of the most interesting stats focus on the color palette. Not surprisingly, buyers have a thing for a red Mustang. Race Red, a bright, glossy color, is the number one shade among Mustang owners in both Europe and China with 20 percent of Europeans and 35 percent of Chinese owners opting for the shade. Ford's Ruby Red paint was the third most popular color among American consumers. That's because Mustang owners in the land of the free and home of the brave prefer a literal dark horse, opting for the glossy Black. Magnetic, a dark gray shade, was the second favorite among American Mustang owners. That's right, America's favorite color overall, white, didn't even crack the top three (although Oxford White hit number two in China). Black remained popular in other markets, as well. Absolute Black, a metallic shade, tied Race Red in Europe, appearing on 20 percent of vehicles. Just under 20 percent of Chinese buyers, meanwhile, opted for the same gloss black Americans preferred. Check out Ford's full press release for more detailed stats on how customers in three of the company's largest markets are designing their Mustangs. Related Video: MAR 12, 2015 | DEARBORN, MICH. EARLY DATA INDICATES UNIVERSAL PASSION FOR MUSTANG EXTENDS TO COLORS AS ICONIC PONY CAR GOES GLOBAL; RED, BLACK RULE As all-new Ford Mustang officially arrives in global markets for the first time, customers worldwide are opting for red and black as their top exterior color choices Approximately 1.1 million Mustangs configured online by pony car enthusiasts throughout Europe; more than 18,000 consumers in China signed up to take all-new Mustang for a test spin U.S. Mustang sales up 32 percent in February – making it the best-selling sports car in America DEARBORN, Mich., March 12, 2015 – Red and black clinch the top spots as the most popular exterior paint colors for the first global Mustang, according to initial consumer data. Mustang demand has been high, with the car reaching dealer lots in the United States late last year and China in early 2015. It's set to go on sale in Europe midyear, with nearly 1.1 million pony cars configured on Ford's European websites just a month after ordering banks opened.

Shelby GT350 Mustang limited to 137 units for 2015 model year

Interest in the 2015 Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs is already at a fever pitch, thanks performance goodies like a flat-plane-crank V8 and MagneRide dampers. Ford is ensuring demand stays stratospheric through at least the first half of the year, too, by keeping production of these muscular coupes very limited. In fact, just 137 of them in total are leaving the factory for the 2015 model year. As a way to commemorate the Shelby Mustang's 50th anniversary as a performance powerhouse, Ford is building just 37 examples of the 2015 GT350R. This is also a way to pay homage to Carroll Shelby. In 1965, the racing genius originally planned to build 35 GT350 production models, plus two prototypes. However, documents indicate only 34 of the ones meant for customers ever left the workshop. Now, he has gotten his wish. There are also 100 examples of the standard 2015 GT350 on the way. Of those, 50 get the Technology Package that includes things like MagneRide, a navigation system with Sync 3, and dual-zone climate control. The other 50 get the Track Package that has added cooling for the engine, transmission and differential, a strut tower brace, and the high-tech, magnetic dampers. Bear in mind, this limited output is only for the 2015 model year, not the calendar year. For the automotive world, 2016 should start in just a few months and allow for even more Shelby Mustangs to hit the streets. Related Video: FORD ANNOUNCES LIMITED RUN FOR 2015 SHELBY GT350; ONLY 37 GT350R MODELS TO BE BUILT Ford to produce limited run of 2015 Shelby® GT350 to commemorate the nameplate's 50th anniversary 2015 Shelby GT350 comes with a unique 2015 VIN – the envy of Shelby enthusiasts everywhere Limited run of 37 Shelby GT350R models to be built in homage to original GT350 competition model of 1965 In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Shelby GT350, Ford will build a limited run of Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs for 2015. The original Shelby GT350, introduced in 1965, established Mustang's performance credentials on racetracks around the world. The all-new Shelby GT350, featuring the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford production engine ever, re-establishes Mustang as a world-class sports car. Only 100 Shelby GT350 models will feature a 2015 model year designation before production switches over to 2016. Of these, 50 will be equipped with the Technology Package and 50 equipped with the Track Package.

Ford increasing Super Duty production by 15 percent

Ford has announced a hefty $80 million investment in its Kentucky Truck Plant, which is responsible for building the F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 versions of the Super Duty pickup. The influx of cash will add 350 jobs to the factory.
The investment is also good for a 15-percent increase in annual production thanks to retooling and other facility upgrades, which equates to an extra 55,000 units of production. Considering that Ford makes even more money off its Super Duty than it does on the hot-selling F-150, this could mean some serious coin to Ford's bottom line.
Hop below for the full press release from Ford on its latest investment.