Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Ford
Ford brings 2010 Mustang out to play at Road America
Click the photo for a high-res gallery
UPDATE: We've added a video - check it out after the jump
Just as photos of the production version of the Camaro popped up on the web last week ahead of tomorrow's unveiling, Ford decided to trot out the 2010 Mustang this weekend. Unlike the fully-revealed Camaro, the '10 Mustang remained heavily camouflaged as it acted as the pace car for the Kohler International Challenge vintage race at Road America. The prototype 'Stang lead a plethora of ponies from throughout the nameplate's lineage around the natural terrain course at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Saturday Mustang Corral also was treated as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Mustang GTP that won in its debut race at Road America. We won't be seeing the updated Mustang in its birthday suit until Ford drives it onstage at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. In the meantime, you can check out the photos that Ford took of this event in the gallery below.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
NEW 2010 FORD MUSTANG HITS TRACK DURING HISTORIC RACING WEEKEND AT ROAD AMERICA
- The new 2010 Ford Mustang, in camouflage, will pace the Wis. Ford is the sponsor of the Kohler International Challenge vintage race.
- Saturday is "Ford Mustang Day," meaning Mustang drivers and passengers can enjoy the festivities for free. This includes a dedicated "Mustang Corral" inside the front straightaway.
DEARBORN, Mich., July 17, 2008 – A sneak peek at the future Ford Mustang will help kick off the celebration of a historic Mustang racing win this weekend at Road America, the largest vintage car event in North America.
Enthusiasts will be part of a special public "debut" of the highly anticipated 2010 Ford Mustang, which will serve as the pace car for the vintage racing field throughout the weekend. The next-generation Mustang will be outfitted in a special "camo" package, keeping some key design cues secret until its reveal later this year.
The camouflaged future version of America's favorite muscle car will look right at home in Elkhart Lake, Wis., along with a 2009 Ford Mustang Bullitt and a 2009 Ford Fusion with a limited-edition "Blue Suede Package."
Saturday marks Ford Mustang Day at Road America featuring a "Mustang Corral" along the straightaway. Every Ford Mustang and its occupants will be admitted free on Saturday to the Kohler International Challenge presented by Ford.
"One of the key components of our program is to meet our customers face-to-face, and the Kohler International Challenge provides an excellent opportunity for Ford to interact with a group of dedicated, knowledgeable enthusiasts," said Robert Parker, Car Marketing manager, Ford Division. "Road America and the vintage weekend provides an opportunity for customers to get behind the wheel and for Ford to show off our new product line, while still highlighting the fact Ford has been involved in racing since the inception of our company more than a century ago."
While historic race cars will be gracing the famous race track, enthusiasts on hand also will be able to get behind the wheel of some of Ford's latest products at the Briggs & Stratton track located inside the Road America circuit. Ford will have the 2009 Flex, Escape, Edge, Fusion, Focus coupe and other vehicles available for consumers to test drive all weekend.
The 25th anniversary of the then-highly anticipated 1983 Mustang GTP debut and its rain-soaked maiden victory is the foundation forthe on-and off-track events.
The Mustang GTP car that won that day will be on display for the thousands of fans attending the event. The legendary car, an innovative racer that was the creation of Ford's then newly-formed Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), will be just a part of a significant Ford presence at the annual vintage event.
Also on hand during the weekend will be several Ford GTs, which will give hot laps on the legendary 4.048-mile Road America course. Fans can enter to win a Ford GT hot lap, which will be given away every hour, or laps can be purchased by making a $50 charitable donation to the Wisconsin Multiple Sclerosis Society or to the Vince Lombardi Titletown Champions foundation, which is raising money for youth sports programs.
The final component to the Ford Mustang celebration is on-track. Four Shelby Cobras will enter the Historic Grand Prix, and the Shelby drivers will wear vintage late 1960's racing attire. These Shelby entries mark the first time Shelby Automobiles has joined forces with Ford to race since 1968.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kumail 8:37PM (7/20/2008)
whew! i thought autoblog was going to go a day with only 3 posts. it's still that much but you just can't make news happen. oh well, it nice to see a mustang refresh to compete with the new camaro and challenger.
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K.C. 8:54PM (7/20/2008)
Now that is just silly.
From the looks of spectator areas around the track this was a non-event so clearly some yahoo from Ford just wanted to do a lap.
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TriShield 8:57PM (7/20/2008)
Ford is trying to put a damper on this weekend's Camarogasm, but not even the faceifted Mustang in leather and fishnets will work!
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Brent 9:03PM (7/20/2008)
All that camo for what? To cover up the new headlights? Boring.
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Torrent 10:47PM (7/20/2008)
Not exactly. There's new white signal taillights, also.
rofl.
Dude 9:20AM (7/21/2008)
Agreed. If you look closely at the first photo, you can see that the windshield and roof are the exact same between the '05 and '10 model.
This refresh is starting to look more like a body kit you could buy out of a catalog and add to an '05.
MajorGeek 9:07PM (7/20/2008)
Agreed with everyone here, you can't rain on the Challenger\Camaro parade right now unless you give us ready to go shots and a release date. Ive gotten a kick about comments on various sites about how this looks so far. It looks like a big black blanket with 2 headlights.
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Matt 9:07PM (7/20/2008)
Why would Ford go to the trouble of bringing the car there, making a "pat-myself-on-the-back" press release...and show nothing? These are extremely hard core fans of the Mustang and all they do is show what we have been seeing for weeks in spy photos.
It would have been MUCH better PR of they revealed the car at this Mustang gathering. Give something back to their most loyal fans, and reveal the car at the same time.
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BOB 11:12PM (7/20/2008)
NO-- with the Camaro and Challenger in production, Ford would be nuts to show the folks its 'Stang facelift now.
Also, killing the sales of the 2009 model, by encourageing folks to wait, would seem not too intelligent, lol.
John 8:25AM (7/21/2008)
Mustang events like this draw large crowds of Mustang enthusiasts, and news from the events is also spread through magazines such as that of Mustang Club of America. If Ford wanted to tell the enthusiasts not to abandon Mustang for the new Camaro and Challenger, then this would be one way of doing so. Not every car enthusiast follows all of the blogs like this one, so Ford should do events like this to keep the flock informed and faithful.
The 2010 Mustang is not going to come out any sooner and it is going to be a refresh. Fact. It will have a hard time competing with it's brand new competitors. Fact. If I was the Decider at Ford, I would keep the camo on as long as possible to allow for more anticipation and the opportunity to make additional changes.
Generalmotorsman4life 9:40PM (7/20/2008)
Whatever Ford! Eventhough I feel GM took too long to present us with the Camaro, GM is at least bringing to market the Camaro that is brand new from the ground up, not a warmed over Lincoln LS/Thunderbird chassis with a different body on it. GM is doing this even being strapped for cash! Good luck Ford!
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Tagg 10:51PM (7/20/2008)
The only thing same about the DEW98 platform of the LS and the D2C platform of the Mustang are the floorboards. They share nothing in width, length, or in the suspension setups. They were going to use heavily modified version of the DEW98 for the Mustang but it was cheaper to build a new one.
So the Mustang does NOT share a platform with the LS/Thunderbird. In fact it has more in common with a C1 Euro platform than an LS.
The Camaro is built off the current Zeta platform which was desgined by Holden in 2006 for the Commodore and Ute. Its also the same platform as the Pontiac G8 which has been out for months, its just shorter.
StickShift 10:06PM (7/20/2008)
This strikes me as a similar stunt to Nissan bringing out the GTR at Goodwood last year and GM their ZR1 at some racing event (can't remember which off hand). It was an excuse for the manufacturer to take their new toy out in front of the media and the buying public. They don't need to reveal the car completely, all their need is a little buzz and guys like us to comment on it. Seems to me that they just won the game.
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black 2:51AM (7/21/2008)
The GTR had a facemask at most, and the ZR1 had only a camouflaged hood and roof. Both had production interiors clearly visible, and were highly anticipated cars.
The Mustang, not so much.
Seminole 10:06PM (7/20/2008)
I'd say the same thing to the Mustang in that picture as I say to my GF:
"Take off that bra and show me your boobies!"
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Zane 10:36PM (7/20/2008)
Hope you don't say that to her in public! :)
Mike!!ekiM 10:06PM (7/20/2008)
Still as aerodynamic as a brick I see. Guess they're not going to brag about top speed.
Or is poor aerodynamics the goal, better to suck more gas.
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John P. 10:09PM (7/20/2008)
Hey, I love mustangs, but what I really want is a chance to flog ANY car around Road America. That course is Killer!
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why not the LS2LS7? 10:39PM (7/20/2008)
This is asinine. You put camouflage on something so it doesn't stick out, and then you put it in a press event.
That's lateral thinking. It's also really dumb.
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Paul P. 10:43PM (7/20/2008)
Nice to see the new stang is at least getting painted side mirrors again. The completely unpainted mirrors they use now look kind of silly.
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