Ford Motor (F, Financial), the second largest American automaker, officially made its Mustang a global car by exporting it around the globe from the Flat Rock plant. In its life of 50 years, the Mustang was sold in no other market but North America. The 2015 Mustang has been designed such that it can be marketed globally. The convertible and hardtop has been developed keeping in mind the European and Asian markets with the key selling point being the American styling. Ford’s move of selling the 2015 Mustang globally is a positive signal regarding the company’s rising popularity in the global market.
In the past few years, Ford has topped both General Motors (GM, Financial) and Fiat Chrysler in terms of number of vehicles exported. The Blue Oval shipped more than 380,000 vehicles from the home market in 2013, which was higher than the previous year. And as far as 2014 is concerned, analysts forecast it to touch 400,000 units.
Picture taken from Ford
The Muscle car goes global
The car has been designed to expand its international reach to more than 100 markets. The initial shipment has been made to Asia, while European customers can pre-order the car. Deliveries would start in the middle of this year.
The company has employed close to 3,000 employees at the Flat Rock facility where Ford manufactures the Mustang and Fusion to sell them in various markets. These employees are working in double shifts. Apart from this, Ford has added 100 dedicated employees to help with the global distribution channel.
Since the car is going global, Ford has to ensure that it meets the typical requirements of various markets. The car has to meet the vehicle standards of various countries and markets. Taking care of the nitty-gritty before the final shipment is crucial to appeal to the customers while complying with the regulatory rules of different markets. This will help build the Ford brand. For instance, it should be able to weather the intense heat of the deserts in the Middle East, cruise along smooth on the roads of China, and match the blanket speed limit in Europe.
A design for all
Although the Mustang has been a car for the North Americans, buyers across the globe can now get their hands on this traditional American marvel. The muscle car has a lot in it that attracts global buyers.
One of the key variations is right-side driving for around 25 markets. Some of them include Australia, Britain, and South Africa. A part of the finishing work is carried out at Ford centers at the ports. This includes ensuring that the manuals in the car are in the correct language, putting the stickers, or giving an underbody coating.
For the Middle East market, the air conditioning needs to be really strong so that it can endure the blazing heat and guard the blowing sand. For the European market, the car would need to comply with the pedestrian safety regulation of keeping the front fender low and gradually pulling it up to the hood. The entry level V6 comes with a choice of either going with and EcoBoost engine or the performance V8.
Considering that Ford has done its homework of assessing demand in various regions, export in more than 100 countries is a good indicator of the craze and demand for the car. The Commerce Department study shows that the export of American cars are going up, signaling the rising appeal of these vehicles. Ford already has a strong international presence. If the company is able to market the Mustang well, it would mean big business to the automaker that could boost its top and bottom lines in the future.
