The 2015 Ford Mustang officially begins production, with the first car rolling off the line at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan.
For the first time in the Mustang's 50-year history, the car will be available worldwide in over 120 countries. This is made possible by the inclusion of a right-hand-drive version of the Mustang, which will add 25 right-hand-drive markets globally, including Australia, United Kingdom and South Africa.
"Mustang is and will continue to be an automotive icon," said Ford president of The Americas Joe Hinrichs. "Expanding its availability globally affords our customers around the world the opportunity to have a true firsthand Mustang experience -- one unlike any other."
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of first-ever Mustang that was celebrated last April, all 2015 Ford Mustangs will have a badge located in the instrument panel that features the logo of a galloping pony and the text "Mustang -- Since 1964."
The Ford Mustang is the vehicle on Facebook with the most likes, reaching almost 8 million. The car is also a fixture in pop culture, appearing in countless movies, TV programs, video games, and many more.
The sixth-generation of the Mustang, if it sells well, will also be able to add a third shift to the Flat Rock Assembly Plant, which was on the brink of being closed down two years ago.
Hinrichs said that the company will wait until the second half of next year to gauge the sales success of the 2015 Mustang, which will line up with the planned negotiations for a new labor agreement between Ford and the United Automobile Workers labor union. The current contract between the two parties will expire on September next year.
Two years ago, there was only a single shift in Flat Rock, and was in danger of being shut down. However, Ford decided to add production of the Ford Fusion to the plant to augment the three-shift workload of a plant in Mexico.
Ford invested $555 million in Flat Rock to provide it with the flexibility to produce multiple vehicles. A second shift for Fusion production was added in August 2013.
The Flat Rock plant now employs 3,000 workers, and there are expectations that the plant will begin production on the Lincoln MKS and Ford Taurus vehicles in 2016.
So far in 2014, sales for the Mustang have reached 50,800 units, trailing the Chevrolet Camaro that has sold 56,600 units. Mustang led sales for years until the current decade, when the Camaro was able to overtake its sales figures.
Over 9.2 million Ford Mustangs have been sold in its history.
