JP- Did anyone decades ago think the Mustang would still be selling strong so many years later?
BR- I think that whenever a company sets out to create a vehicle, the intent is that the brand and product will remain relevant for many years. This is true of the Stang--which remained true for its style and performance, and never deviated from its formula.
It's a car anyone can enjoy--male or female. Everybody has a Mustang story too. If you haven't had one, you know someone who did. This isn't true of the competition, though. I can still remember sitting on the rear hump in my dad's '68 Mustang watching a John Wayne movie at a drive-in.
It's not too over-the-top either--because you can do groceries with it, take it to work, and so on. It's a performance car you can use every day.
JP- Undeniably, the Challenger and Camaro are going to pack a punch--not to mention fighting right in the Mustang's territory for consumer dollars. What will Mustang need to do in order to hold its ground?
BR- We'll keep doing what we've been doing since 1964: that's listening to customers, and their wants and needs of the car. This lets us continually reinforce the dream, and surprise and delight the enthusiast. The Mustang's formula works for us--and we're not messing with perfection.
JP- Does one of the upcoming competitors worry you more than the other?
BR- We watch every competitor closely. The products from Dodge and GM will have to stand on their own at the end of the day, and it's going to be the customer who decides who will be the winner in the marketplace.
JP- With the price of fuel being so high, are there any plans to make either of the Mustang's engines even more fuel efficient? How important is fuel efficiency in a car like this?
BR- Fuel economy and horsepower are tops. Our 4.0L V6 makes 210 horsepower, which is good for 7.8 L / 100km on the highway when equipped with a manual. That's very competitive.
BR- I think that whenever a company sets out to create a vehicle, the intent is that the brand and product will remain relevant for many years. This is true of the Stang--which remained true for its style and performance, and never deviated from its formula.
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It's a car anyone can enjoy--male or female. Everybody has a Mustang story too. If you haven't had one, you know someone who did. This isn't true of the competition, though. I can still remember sitting on the rear hump in my dad's '68 Mustang watching a John Wayne movie at a drive-in.
It's not too over-the-top either--because you can do groceries with it, take it to work, and so on. It's a performance car you can use every day.
JP- Undeniably, the Challenger and Camaro are going to pack a punch--not to mention fighting right in the Mustang's territory for consumer dollars. What will Mustang need to do in order to hold its ground?
BR- We'll keep doing what we've been doing since 1964: that's listening to customers, and their wants and needs of the car. This lets us continually reinforce the dream, and surprise and delight the enthusiast. The Mustang's formula works for us--and we're not messing with perfection.
JP- Does one of the upcoming competitors worry you more than the other?
BR- We watch every competitor closely. The products from Dodge and GM will have to stand on their own at the end of the day, and it's going to be the customer who decides who will be the winner in the marketplace.
JP- With the price of fuel being so high, are there any plans to make either of the Mustang's engines even more fuel efficient? How important is fuel efficiency in a car like this?
BR- Fuel economy and horsepower are tops. Our 4.0L V6 makes 210 horsepower, which is good for 7.8 L / 100km on the highway when equipped with a manual. That's very competitive.
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