http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2004/01/05Mustang/index.shtml
I don't know if anyone has seen this article. Lot's of good technical information.
I especially like this:
"By the time testing is completed, prototypes of the new Mustang will have logged nearly 1 million miles on streets, highways and tracks throughout the United States, Canada and even Sweden in all types of weather."
It seems to me that Ford is taking a awfully long tome to introduce this car. I am a firm believer in the notion of never buying a car in the first year of production, because, there are always quality issues and recalls to deal with. My theory is that this is a natural side effect of automotive development cycles getting shorter and shorter (36 months from concept to showroom was the target at one time I believe). Computer simulations are a great starting point, but, real world durability miles generally take real world time.
This effect, IMHO, does not discriminate based on country of origin or the name of the car manufacturer. I cannot think of a single car manufacturer that hasn't had some recall-able issue with some new car over the last 10 years.
Ford has gone so far a to have moved production to an updated, joint mazda plant in flat rock and, instead of rushing to get it out this spring, they are taking the next 6-8 months or so to intoduce in september/october. Mazda, by the way, is reputed to have the tightest panel fits in the industry.
Could it be that they are taking their time to get it right? That Ford top brass have dictated that this thing *has* to hit the ground running? (no pun intended.)
I don't know if anyone has seen this article. Lot's of good technical information.
I especially like this:
"By the time testing is completed, prototypes of the new Mustang will have logged nearly 1 million miles on streets, highways and tracks throughout the United States, Canada and even Sweden in all types of weather."
It seems to me that Ford is taking a awfully long tome to introduce this car. I am a firm believer in the notion of never buying a car in the first year of production, because, there are always quality issues and recalls to deal with. My theory is that this is a natural side effect of automotive development cycles getting shorter and shorter (36 months from concept to showroom was the target at one time I believe). Computer simulations are a great starting point, but, real world durability miles generally take real world time.
This effect, IMHO, does not discriminate based on country of origin or the name of the car manufacturer. I cannot think of a single car manufacturer that hasn't had some recall-able issue with some new car over the last 10 years.
Ford has gone so far a to have moved production to an updated, joint mazda plant in flat rock and, instead of rushing to get it out this spring, they are taking the next 6-8 months or so to intoduce in september/october. Mazda, by the way, is reputed to have the tightest panel fits in the industry.
Could it be that they are taking their time to get it right? That Ford top brass have dictated that this thing *has* to hit the ground running? (no pun intended.)