New 2005 Ford Mustang Getting Ready for a Dealer Near You

Ford is taking the opportunity, and in it every precaution throughout the Mustang's building process, to integrate new

Ford spent nearly $700 million USD upgrading its Flat Rock production plant. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

systems that will make certain each car will be built a new level of quality and precision. Part of that process is an investment of close to $700 million USD to bring the Flat Rock plant up to modern engineering and advanced manufacturing tolerances.

This will include a new level of flexibility, meaning the Mustang facility will also be able to produce up to six models from two vehicle platforms when it is running at full capacity. While the automaker won't need to be producing anything else than the Mustang for the time being, as the plant may need to work multiple shifts to meet demand, AutoAlliance will have the capability to diversify when the initial sales boom settles down to a dull roar.

What does the $700 million investment include? The short of it is a new body shot with no less than 380 robots and flexible (there's that word again) tooling. Ford included a revised stamping process with 38 new die sets that will be able to stamp out 52 major structural components. The final assembly gets upgraded with programmable platforms, another term for skillets,

"With quality a top priority, the 2005 Mustang is built with extreme precision and attention to detail on an all-new platform," said Phil Spender, AAI president. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

which incorporate an adjustable scissor lift to grip the body in order to position it optimally for improved operator ergonomics.

"The new technology in our plant means we can make a great car even greater," commented Phil Spender, AAI president. "With quality a top priority, the 2005 Mustang is built with extreme precision and attention to detail on an all-new platform."

Part of any high quality production process is the inclusion of optimal checks and balances, and to this end Ford has left no "stone" (so to speak) unturned. The automaker collects regular data on critical dimensional points of body components, for instance, such as engines, instrument panels, doors and suspension systems, which are then analyzed by engineers. Ford uses robot-mounted lasers for accurate measurements.