Ford sells 27,000 RHD Mustangs in first 12 months.

[jpd80]

I saw this on an autonews.com report (requires subscription)


Mustang conquers the world
A globetrotting hit, from Europe to Mideast to Australia
September 5, 2016 @ 12:01 am
Nick Bunkley Link to report.....

Customers in England and Australia face backlogs of at least six months for a new Ford Mustang. In Germany, the Mustang has attracted more retail buyers this year than the home-country favorites Audi TT and Porsche 911.

And in the U.S., the Mustang is not just beating, but downright pummeling, the redesigned Chevrolet Camaro en route to a second consecutive title as the nation's top-selling sports car.

Ford Motor Co.'s 2014 overhaul of the Mustang, which included opening sales in 81 more countries to turn it into a global halo for the automaker, is paying off. Demand has been especially heavy for the first-ever right-hand-drive Mustang, which went on sale late last year in 25 markets where the car had been virtually off-limits previously.

Ford said it has sold about 27,000 right-hand- drive Mustangs since production started a year ago.

"We are always trying to eke out one more right-hand-drive unit if we can."
Carl Widmann
Ford Mustang chief engineer

"Mustang has been a huge success for us," Colin Massey, general sales manager at Jennings Ford Middlesbrough in northeastern England, said in an email. "We are still seeing a steady demand for the Mustang and are currently averaging between three and four orders per week."

Ford has a backlog of seven months for the Mustang with a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine and nine months for the V-8 version, Massey said. The wait has been up to 10 months in Australia, where the Mustang is now Ford's second-biggest seller, behind the Ranger pickup.

"We are always trying to eke out one more right-hand-drive unit if we can," said Carl Widmann, the Mustang's chief engineer. "We've exceeded expectations overall. We're getting happy customers across a lot of different regions."

Ford has sold more than 20,000 Mustangs in Europe, including about 4,400 in the United Kingdom and nearly 6,000 in Germany, since shipments there began nearly a year ago. Ford said it's the most popular car in the U.K. that's rated at more than 250 hp. The Mustang is the top-selling sports car this year in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa as well, Ford said.

[HSE2]

This is a brilliant result, one that should hopefully put other Ford product on the RHD agenda.

[jpd80]

This is a brilliant result, one that should hopefully put other Ford product on the RHD agenda.

Absolutely.
I hope it gives Ford real reasons to think more confidently about special projects
for what appears to be valuable niche markets - I'm preaching to the choir here.

There are 25 RHD markets out there and of that 27K Mustang sales, only 4,400 are UK
and 3,300 are Australia, nearly 20,000 sales came from the other 23 RHD markets.
So there's definitely justification for more effort on the Mustang's side to explore the depth
of those markets....

Is there any way possible that Ford could catch fire in a bottle with a mid sized RWD sedan......

[dash gt]

With things like EPS etc it should be much easier to make vehicles global spec.

Ford needs to look into bringing another heavy truck into our market... F150 or F250 or both! I would buy one tomorrow!

[Elks]

F150/250 is not a heavy truck. They are a pick-up truck.

A heavy truck is a T359 and bigger

[Franco Cozzo]

With things like EPS etc it should be much easier to make vehicles global spec.

Ford needs to look into bringing another heavy truck into our market... F150 or F250 or both! I would buy one tomorrow!

I'd be keen on a 2.7L Ecoboost F150

[jpd80]

Have heard from my contact who was working at Flat Rock that Ford has the plant on two shifts
but doesn't want to go to three now that sales are softening in the US. Apparently they are running
a fine line to fill exports and keep US inventory at acceptable limits while building Continental.

Which is a bit disappointing to all those waiting months and months, I wonder what would happen
to sales strength if Ford could eventually shorten delivery time to three months or less and get a few
examples at the dealers......perhaps that is the plan a little ways down the track.......

[phillyc]

Have heard from my contact who was working at Flat Rock that Ford has the plant on two shifts
but doesn't want to go to three now that sales are softening in the US. Apparently they are running
a fine line to fill exports and keep US inventory at acceptable limits while building Continental.

Coupe sales typically have half lifes with sales tapering off from launch to refresh.
I completely understand why Ford will keep to two shifts.

Which is a bit disappointing to all those waiting months and months, I wonder what would happen
to sales strength if Ford could eventually shorten delivery time to three months or less and get a few
examples at the dealers......perhaps that is the plan a little ways down the track.......

I think that plan would help maintain sales.

Certainly I'm seeing plenty around, but they do stick out in traffic!

[FTe217]

They sure do stand out in the traffic !

[13726548]

I see plenty... Red / yellow and Black


They do nothing for me at least ?