by Robert Musial
2009 Mustang with glass roof.
Click here for more on Mustang.
DEARBORN, Dec. 12, 2007 - The 2009 Ford Mustang gallops into showrooms next summer with a unique option for its 45th anniversary -- a glass roof.
The special feature, a factory-installed first in its segment, will join the hardtop and the convertible models in the Mustang stable, beginning next summer.
The striking new model, set to debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, continues Ford's commitment to deliver "a steed for every need," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president for Global Product Development.
"As the automotive landscape becomes increasingly competitive, features such as a panoramic glass roof will help differentiate our products from the competition. And this glass roof will allow owners to enjoy the outdoors year-round from the comfort of their Mustang," said Kuzak.
To ensure a comfortable driving experience, the panoramic roof is made of tinted privacy glass which reduces both vehicle cool-down time and infrared energy by 50 percent.
While allowing occupants an unrestricted view of the world above and around them, the special reflective glass reduces energy used by the vehicle's air conditioner system by 20 percent while protecting the interior fabric from fading and deteriorating. A manually-operated roller blind allows owners to block the light on bright days.
A layer of sound absorbent vinyl sandwiched within the special glass will also keep the cabin quieter by reducing noise, vibration and harshness.
The glass roof Mustang will be as safe and as high quality as traditional models, said Paul Randle, chief nameplate engineer for Mustang. "We want to offer this feature to customers while maintaining the quality and safety of the vehicle that we've been recognized externally for," said Randle.
Nearly one out of two sports cars sold in America is a Mustang and it remains the best-selling convertible.
Earlier this year, the 2008 Mustang convertible became the first sports car and the first convertible to earn the highest possible safety ratings in new car tests performed by the U.S. government.
The Mustang coupe also earned five stars in frontal crash tests for both driver and passenger, in side impact for driver and in rollover tests. It earned four stars for rear-seat passengers.
The glass roof Mustang is built like the coupe and has been developed to maintain the structural integrity of the car. In development, it was put through rigorous water and air leakage tests plus durability and squeak and rattle tests to make sure it would meet the quality levels that earned Mustang first place ratings in the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates' studies on Initial Quality, Vehicle Dependability and Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL).
"Our owners have high expectations and we always want to meet them -- with strong features like this glass roof option, plus quality and performance," said Randle.
He said the Mustang team was inspired by aftermarket glass roof applications for Mustangs and by the Italdesign Giugiaro Mustang concept car shown at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The idea of offering a glass roof was researched with Mustang customers beginning in 2005 to determine interest and pricing. Of those polled, 51 percent said the styling appealed to them and 42 percent said it would help make their car more unique.
Ford dealer and marketing research indicate that about 20 percent of Mustang shoppers are likely to order the glass roof version, said Allison Revier, product marketing manager for Mustang.
The glass roof will be available as an option on both the V-6 model and the Mustang GT and will be priced at $1,995 -- less than half the cost of the convertible option.
The 2009 glass roof model will be built at Automotive Alliance International (AAI) in Flat Rock, Mich., and finished at the plant's adjacent Modification Center. Strong teamwork between AAI, Vehicle Personalization, Vehicle Operations, Product Development, Marketing and the supplier Webasto was instrumental in creating this car.
