FORD MUSTANG

FORD MUSTANG

Powerful, safe and efficient – Ford Mustang is an American classic. Since it’s introduction in 1964, the iconic Ford Mustang has been America’s favorite muscle car. Delivering best-in-class fuel efficiency, high performance, safety and value, Ford Mustang has been a best seller for the last 22 years. With over 9 million Mustangs sold, the Mustang is part of America’s heritage.

Media Kit

Ford Mustang Racing Summary

Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series

Three Ford Mustang FR500Cs grabbed top-five finishes in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge race in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.
The top Ford drivers in the race were James Gue and Bret Seafuse, who finished second in their No. 37 Mustang FR500C. Gue and Seafuse have now finished on the podium three times this season.
Billy Johnson and Ray Mason, drivers of the No. 52 Mustang FR500C, finished in third place.
Jack Roush Jr. and Dean Martin landed their third straight top-10 finish with a fifth-place performance.
Joe Foster and Scott Maxwell were 10th in the No. 55 Mustang FR500C.

NHRA

Mike Neff, driver of the Old Spice Mustang, made it all the way to the semifinal of the NHRA race in Reading, Pa. before losing to Frank Hawley.
Ashley Force and John Force both made it into the second round of the race.
Neff and his teammates are currently in the top 10 and have all clinched a spot in the Countdown, including Robert Hight in third, Ashley Force in fifth and John Force in sixth.
The NHRAs Countdown to 1 playoff will begin on September 14th, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

Next Week

There are no Mustang races scheduled for next weekend.

Released 2008-08-18

Ford Mustang Racing Summary

Grand-Am KONI Series

Five Ford Mustang FR500Cs grabbed top-10 finishes in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
The top Ford drivers in the race were James Gue and Bret Seafuse, who finished fourth in their No. 37 Mustang FR500C for the second year in a row at Iowa. Gue and Seafuse have now compiled five top-ten finishes through six races this season.
Jack Roush Jr. and Dean Martin landed their second straight top-10 finish with a sixth-place performance.
Coming off of their victory in at Barber Motorsports Park, Joe Foster and Scott Maxwell were able to grab a seventh-place finish.
Mike Canney and Hugh Plumb crossed the line ninth, while Ray Mason and Billy Johnson rounded out the top 10.

NHRA

John Force, driver of the Castrol GTX Mustang, made it all the way to the semifinals of the NHRA in Brainerd, Minn., defeating Gary Scelzi in the first round, Cruz Pedregon in the second round before losing to Tony Pedregon in the third round.
All of Force’s teammates are currently in the top 10. Robert Hight is third, Ashley Force is fifth and Mike Neff is in 10th.
Bob Tasca III advanced out of the first round by defeating Del Worsham. Tim Wilkerson defeated Tasca in the second round. Tasca, is just one spot out of the Countdown in 11th place, 79 points behind Neff for the final spot.
In two races, the NHRA will narrow its championship field to the top 10 drivers in the standings.

Next Week

Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series race at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Ford Racing Mustang Challenge race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn.
NHRA race in Reading, Pa.

Released 2008-08-12

SHELBY GT500KR ACHIEVES 1.0G

Suspension and aerodynamic changes bring King of the Road to 1.0G

The changes, on paper, may not seem significant. Try telling that to the engineers at Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT), and they’ll be quick to say otherwise. Handling tests conducted by SVT prior to the launch of the Shelby GT500KR proved that small, calculated changes to aerodynamics and suspension tuning can make big improvements. In fact, the Shelby GT500KR is capable of sustaining 1.0g of grip around the skidpad, a number considered to be the upper stratosphere of road-legal sports cars.

Kerry Baldori, Chief Vehicle Engineer for SVT, talks about aerodynamics saying, “Our goal with the Shelby GT500KR was to increase downforce on the front wheels versus the GT500, while at the same time giving it a more balanced aerodynamic package.” SVT achieved just this by adding a larger carbon fiber front splitter, lowering the ride height, and installing a low-drag rear spoiler. These changes not only increased front end downforce by 31%, but they also managed to reduce drag by three percent.

Changes to the suspension tuning compliment the new aerodynamics to bring the Shelby GT500KR to its incredibly high grip levels. Revised struts that are 17% stiffer front and 7% stiffer rear reduce pitch and roll, and increased negative camber in front gives the car more grip in turns. The Shelby GT500KR is also lowered 20mm in front and 15mm in back to lower the center of gravity. Finally, exclusive to the GT500KR are new Goodyear F1 performance tires with a brand new rubber compound for North America. These tires are not available on any other car in the U.S., and are made of a special rubber that is as close to an R (race) compound as you will find on the street.

All of these changes, while seemingly small, propel the Shelby GT500KR into the top level of the sports car handling echelon. The Shelby GT500 is a capable car in its own right, but leave it to SVT to find even more performance out of an already high performing sports car.

Released 2008-08-07

Suggested Tags: GT500KR, Mustang

Mustang Ranked as Most Popular Sports Car on MSN

Mustang’s dynamic combination of value and performance has propelled it to the top of MSN’s list of Most Popular Sports Cars. With over 9 million Mustangs sold since its inception in 1964, consumers have shown their confidence in the epitome of American muscle cars. The 2008 Mustang capitalizes on more than 40 years of Mustang heritage with its signature long hood and short rear deck, along with classic design cues that have defined Mustangs since the 1960s.

“When the latest Mustang debuted in 2005, its flashback styling tapped into a deep well of American automotive lust. Its retro design – plainly displayed via round headlights, triangular windows, three-element taillights, and galloping pony grille - only added appeal to one of the last affordable American sports cars,” said Perry Stern of MSN autos.

Based on site visits to vehicle research pages on MSN during April through June of 2008, Mustang has held the top spot on the list for several years.

Released 2008-08-07

Suggested Tags: MSN, Mustang

Mustang History 07-31-64

Although all first-year Mustangs are titled as 1965s, the early cars assembled before July 31, 1964, are known as 1964½ models — as they were built before many of Mustang’s standard features were brought into production. Want some good ways to tell a so-called 64½ from the regular ‘65? Look for a generator charging system (and generator charge light) instead of an alternator; big frame-mounted horns behind the radiator; a brake-light switch installed on the master cylinder; plus a heater fan switch with a center “off” position – just to list a few.

Released 2008-07-30

Suggested Tags: 1964 Mustang, 1965 Mustang, Ford Mustang, Mustang History