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Now Carroll Shelby, who just turned 87, is modifying the latest high-powered 2011 Ford Mustang GT, due on sale this spring, to create a new version of the GT350, which was formally unveiled Monday night at the opening gala for the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The new car is being released on the 45th anniversary of the original GT350, and only about 2,200 of them will be produced over the next two years.
The new GT350 plays heavily on nostalgia and is aimed straight at "old Baby Boomers" who remember the original, Shelby says. "They love the performance and they will stick with it."
Even better, there is a higher likelihood than with younger Shelby fans that Boomers can afford it. To get one, buyers first have to purchase a new, stock 2011 Mustang GT from Ford, which is expected to be priced at $30,000. Then they will need to write a check to Shelby American for an additional $33,995 to pay for morphing the car into a GT350.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles continue their impressive quality gains, collectively improving for the fourth straight year and moving into a virtual tie with Honda-Acura and Toyota-Lexus-Scion for the 2008 model year, according to the latest U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study.
Ford,
From 2004 to 2008, Ford,
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The 2008-launched Ford F-Series Super Duty and the Lincoln Mark LT ranked first in their respective segments in both TGW and customer satisfaction. Ford Mustang GT500 topped the sports car category in TGW.
Overall, 18 of 24 Ford,
"We are consistently delivering improved quality by following standardized, disciplined processes throughout Ford," said Fowler. "This is particularly impressive considering the difficult challenges we've had to overcome."
Ford also ranked best in class for TGW performance in the functional areas of
Vehicle Engineering and Electrical among major manufacturers. Ford,
The 2008 model-year GQRS survey, conducted for Ford by RDA Group of
Neal Boudette reports:
Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Alan Mulally is apparently willing to go to great lengths to win back customers for the auto maker.
Speaking at the WSJ ECO:nomics conference in Santa Barbara, Calif., Mr. Mulally said Ford has made great improvements in quality, and acknowledged the company hadn't always produced the best cars in the past.
When a member of the audience said he hadn't owned a Ford since the Pinto was in fashion, and wondered what the company was doing to win back this "lost generation," Mr. Mulally made an immediate offer: "I'll meet you in your room later."
As laughter rippled through the audience, Mr. Mulally himself smiled and chuckled at the double meaning of the remark.
"We really have lost a generation," he said, turning back to the issue at hand. In the past, Ford "did not have a consistency of purpose," he said, but is now committed to producing vehicles that are "best in class."
He reiterated that Ford's mix of vehicles will do a 180 in coming years, with light cars-rather than trucks and SUVs-representing two-thirds of the automaker's lineup, as rising energy prices make fuel-efficient cars a priority for consumers.
Having made his point, the CEO modified his offer to the recalcitrant customer: "I'll meet you in the hall," he said, smiling. "I'll give you some brochures."