|
2005 Ford Mustang Convertible
Ford Mustang - The 2005 Ford Mustang Convertible has begun production at Ford's Auto Alliance International (AAI) plant. At the Job One Celebration, Car and Driver editor-in-chief Csaba Csere presented the 10Best award to AAI President, Phil Spender. The new Ford Mustang convertible received the Best Muscle Car accolade.
"To succeed today you need a car that's hitting on all cylinders. It has to deliver style, quality, utility -- even if only a little bit -- as well as performance and value," said Csaba Csere, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver magazine. "The Ford Mustang does all of that, and that's why we selected it to our 10Best list as Best Muscle Car for 2005."
Csere made this statement before Ford employees at the Auto Alliance International (AAI) in Flat Rock, Michigan, the car's new home. Csere also praised the new Ford Mustang's quality and reviewed its history dating back to April 17, 1964, when the first model went on sale. "Back in the '60s that car cut across demographic bounds," said Csere. "It was an affordable car, and everyone could buy a Ford Mustang. But you saw a lot of Mustangs in the driveways of very rich people because the car was cool. The new Ford Mustang has the potential for doing that as well. But it has to have a certain level of quality and refinement, and the 2005 Ford Mustang has achieved that. After touring the plant this morning I can see how that happened. This is a thoroughly modern facility that totally keeps track of the quality of the car."
Matt DeMars, vice president of Vehicle Operations, in accepting the award said that, "We've known for a long time we had a hit with this car, and while customer excitement, and recognition like making Car and Driver's '10Best' confirms what we always knew, it is still very gratifying," Compared to other coupe-derived vehicles, the 2005 Ford Mustang Convertible has a more rigid body structure and is more solid. This was achieved by engineering it in tandem with the coupe. The result is the most quiet and solid drop top Mustang has ever produced, according to DeMars. AAI President Phil Spender said the 2005 Ford Mustang would begin shipping to dealers immediately.
In addition to the new Ford Convertible, AAI builds the Coupe and three body styles of Mazda 6. Ford Motor Company invested $700 million in the plant last fall. It is now a flexible facility capable of building half-dozen vehicles on two platforms. AAI houses a new body shop with 380 robots and flexible tooling, as well as an upgraded stamping operation. Major upgrades to the final assembly area include programmable platforms that hold the body on a scissor lift that can be adjusted to the operator's height making it more ergonomic. The new Ford Mustang Convertible is but another testament to Ford's continuing legacy of excellence and innovation in the auto industry. As in all Ford models, a Mustang will allow the driver to experience automotive technology at its best.
|
