Ford has started exporting the 2015 Mustang to global markets, furthering the car manufacturer's status as a top exporter of vehicles from the United States ahead of Fiat Chrysler and General Motors.
After half a century of being a car only for North America, the 2015 Mustang has been designed and manufactured for customers in over 100 markets, with the vehicle's first shipments heading to Asia. Next week, customers in Europe will be getting the prices of the car and can begin placing orders, with the vehicles expected to arrive in the middle of 2015.
Customers can choose between three types of engines for the 2015 Mustang, namely the entry-level V6 engine, the 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine, and the V8 performance engine. The vehicle also comes with top-of-the-line technology, such as adaptive cruise control with rain-sensing wipers, voice-activated systems and a blind spot information system.
Ford will be exporting the hardtop and convertible versions of the 2015 Mustang, which the company had to develop in such a way that the vehicle can withstand immense heat, rough roads in China and the speed of the autobahn in Europe.
The global focus of the vehicle meant that Ford also had to make right-hand drive versions of the vehicle over 20 new markets, which include Australia, Britain and South Africa. However, despite the changes, the vehicle still retained the American styling that makes it very appealing to international customers.
The 2015 Ford Mustang goes through several steps to ensure the compliance of the vehicle with the required standards in other countries. Some finalizations such as the attachment of stickers and the inclusion of an owner's manual with the proper language occur at Ford centers in ports. Some of the cars also receive an extra coating in their underbodies for additional protection while being transported by sea.
The 2015 Ford Mustang shipments should also have proper documents for customs, along with tracking data to allow Ford to follow the progress of the vehicles.
"Preparing these vehicles for shipment to their final destination is critical to satisfying both customer and regulatory requirements for our markets around the world," Ford Trading Co. director Gerald Schoenle said. "We want our customers globally to know that their Ford vehicles will meet emissions, safety and road-worthiness requirements."
In 2013, Ford exported over 380,000 cars from the United States. For 2014, officials are predicting shipments of over 400,000 units, though, final figures will only be released in either March or April.
