From the French website "Sud Ouest" I just found out that auto transmission production for the 05 Mustang started in France on 5th July.
The article is here :
http://www.sudouest.com/080704/une.asp?Article=050704a101955.***#incl
however, if you can't read French, here's a (badly) translated version of the article done by Astalavista's online Babelfish translation web page!!
"FORD MUSTANG. it transmission of the new version of mythical sporting American is manufactured to leave d'aujourd'hui in Blanquefort
Forty years after l'apparition of first Mustang, Ford markets in September, in the United States, the fifth version of this rather cheap and yet mythical model. This Mustang nø 5 will be partially of Gironde: the production of its automatic transmissions was indeed entrusted to l'usine of Blanquefort, which launches aujourd'hui even the mass production of this electronic box to five reports/ratios. In l'histoire of l'automobile, few names resound as much as that of Mustang. This notoriety is due to l'immense success of the first version, left in 1964. Never the multinational, which celebrated l'an last its centenary, n'avait taken of runs by l'accueil of the public. At the first day of its marketing, the dealers of the mark did not n'enregistrèrent less than 22 000 orders d'achat, and Ford was in rupture of purchase orders. This unexpected triumph was due for much to the line of this half-compartment-convertible: with its collected trunk and its very long cap, this Mustang original released an impression of smoothness and power, in adequacy with l'image of the wild horse under the auspices of which the manufacturer had chosen to place it. As with the surpluses it was appreciably less expensive than the majority of sporting available on the American market, it quickly became l'un symbols d'une time, placed under triple signs release, pleasure and of l'utopie. The quinquagénaires do not re-examine without nostalgia this car, of which the first years coincided with l'apogée of the career of Beatles, l'apparition of the pill and the revolts coeds. It does not matter, under these conditions, that road qualities of this first Mustang, as successive d'ailleurs of its remplaçantes and of much d'américaines, n'aient be with the height of its power. If its handling were perfectible, its style was perfect. Qu'ils give in the sentimental race-continuations or stories, from the scenario writers could benefit from its photogenic qualities. It n'est undoubtedly not for nothing in film success as different as "Bullitt" and "a man and a woman". Version crossed. Three other versions of the model were born successively, without leaving in l'imaginaire traces as strong as that of year 64. No doubt, also, the sports cars make more dream as much less youthful America only that of the Sixties, more concerned of safety and comfort. Like its rivals, Ford s'est endeavoured to satisfy this request with its large 4 4 monospaces. But the second American manufacturer n'abandonne not therefore the market of the sporting vehicles on which it s'est makes cut serious cruppers by his Japanese competitors. It counts on its fifth Mustang to reconquer a little ground lost in these fields. Two prototypes of the last-born child made their appearance with Blanquefort a few months ago. The Mustang news, which n'est available to date qu'en version crossed and which will not be sold in Europe, has a squat pace, a dashboard to large round dials and a position of very low control. The range of its engines includes large V8, which develops more than 300 horses, and whose serious hummings are harmoniously reflected by an exhaust studied for the circumstance. Like its devancières, it will be relatively accessible, with tariffs varying between 18 000 and 30 000 dollars (approximately 15 000 to 25 000 euros) according to the motorizations and the levels of completion. L'usine of Gironde of Blanquefort took down there is more than eighteen months the market of the automatic transmission of this model which will be equipped d'une box comparable with that which l'usine of Gironde produced for the 4 4 Explorer. Alain Claus, chairman of Ford Aquitaine Industry, hopes for an annual production from 120 to 150 000 specimens. The remote heiress of the sporting-worship of the Sixties will contribute thus notably to l activity d'un site which always made a success of jusqu'ici to overcome the considerable handicap of its distance: the near total of the boxes of Gironde must cross l'océan before arriving at the assembly lines the d'outre-Atlantic which constitute their only outlet almost to date. Without the knowledge, d'Américains million owes to a few thousands of employees of Gironde a good share of their comfort of control"
The article is here :
http://www.sudouest.com/080704/une.asp?Article=050704a101955.***#incl
however, if you can't read French, here's a (badly) translated version of the article done by Astalavista's online Babelfish translation web page!!
"FORD MUSTANG. it transmission of the new version of mythical sporting American is manufactured to leave d'aujourd'hui in Blanquefort
Forty years after l'apparition of first Mustang, Ford markets in September, in the United States, the fifth version of this rather cheap and yet mythical model. This Mustang nø 5 will be partially of Gironde: the production of its automatic transmissions was indeed entrusted to l'usine of Blanquefort, which launches aujourd'hui even the mass production of this electronic box to five reports/ratios. In l'histoire of l'automobile, few names resound as much as that of Mustang. This notoriety is due to l'immense success of the first version, left in 1964. Never the multinational, which celebrated l'an last its centenary, n'avait taken of runs by l'accueil of the public. At the first day of its marketing, the dealers of the mark did not n'enregistrèrent less than 22 000 orders d'achat, and Ford was in rupture of purchase orders. This unexpected triumph was due for much to the line of this half-compartment-convertible: with its collected trunk and its very long cap, this Mustang original released an impression of smoothness and power, in adequacy with l'image of the wild horse under the auspices of which the manufacturer had chosen to place it. As with the surpluses it was appreciably less expensive than the majority of sporting available on the American market, it quickly became l'un symbols d'une time, placed under triple signs release, pleasure and of l'utopie. The quinquagénaires do not re-examine without nostalgia this car, of which the first years coincided with l'apogée of the career of Beatles, l'apparition of the pill and the revolts coeds. It does not matter, under these conditions, that road qualities of this first Mustang, as successive d'ailleurs of its remplaçantes and of much d'américaines, n'aient be with the height of its power. If its handling were perfectible, its style was perfect. Qu'ils give in the sentimental race-continuations or stories, from the scenario writers could benefit from its photogenic qualities. It n'est undoubtedly not for nothing in film success as different as "Bullitt" and "a man and a woman". Version crossed. Three other versions of the model were born successively, without leaving in l'imaginaire traces as strong as that of year 64. No doubt, also, the sports cars make more dream as much less youthful America only that of the Sixties, more concerned of safety and comfort. Like its rivals, Ford s'est endeavoured to satisfy this request with its large 4 4 monospaces. But the second American manufacturer n'abandonne not therefore the market of the sporting vehicles on which it s'est makes cut serious cruppers by his Japanese competitors. It counts on its fifth Mustang to reconquer a little ground lost in these fields. Two prototypes of the last-born child made their appearance with Blanquefort a few months ago. The Mustang news, which n'est available to date qu'en version crossed and which will not be sold in Europe, has a squat pace, a dashboard to large round dials and a position of very low control. The range of its engines includes large V8, which develops more than 300 horses, and whose serious hummings are harmoniously reflected by an exhaust studied for the circumstance. Like its devancières, it will be relatively accessible, with tariffs varying between 18 000 and 30 000 dollars (approximately 15 000 to 25 000 euros) according to the motorizations and the levels of completion. L'usine of Gironde of Blanquefort took down there is more than eighteen months the market of the automatic transmission of this model which will be equipped d'une box comparable with that which l'usine of Gironde produced for the 4 4 Explorer. Alain Claus, chairman of Ford Aquitaine Industry, hopes for an annual production from 120 to 150 000 specimens. The remote heiress of the sporting-worship of the Sixties will contribute thus notably to l activity d'un site which always made a success of jusqu'ici to overcome the considerable handicap of its distance: the near total of the boxes of Gironde must cross l'océan before arriving at the assembly lines the d'outre-Atlantic which constitute their only outlet almost to date. Without the knowledge, d'Américains million owes to a few thousands of employees of Gironde a good share of their comfort of control"