2005 Mustang | 2010 Mustang
The New Glass Roof Mustang Makes Its Debut
By All Ford Mustangs News Desk
Feb 11, 2008, 11 Feb 2008 14:59:00

Production of cars with large sunroofs has more than doubled in North American in the last five years. The growth is attributed to the increase in commute times. The number of automotive customers with commutes of longer than an hour grew by almost 50 percent in the last decade.

The new glass roof is part of the new personalization options that the Ford Motor Company is offering on the Mustang flagship . Half of all sports cars sold in the United States are Ford Mustangs and it is the best selling convertible in the U.S. For hope the new glass roof will prove popular with the estimate 62% of customers that are interested in a sun roof on their next car.

The new glass roof of the Mustang is made of tinted privacy class. The privacy glass reduces infrared sun rays and vehicle cool down time by up to half. The glass roof also features a built in manual blind allowing Mustang owners to control the amount of light and infrared rays they let into the car on sunny days. The glass roof features a layer of vinyl to reduce vibration, noise and harshness. The new glass roof was extensively tested and prototypes were put through stresses that included tests for water and air leakage, durability, squeak and rattle and vehicle dynamics.

"Quality is a continuous process. The whole team is passionate about it, which results in our paying attention to the smallest details," says Paul Randle, chief nameplate engineer. "Our owners have high expectations, and we always want to meet them – with strong features like this new roof option, quality and performance."

The manual roller also offers an additional layer of protection for the interior of the car. The option will add an addition $2000 to the base price of both the 2009 V6 and the GT model of the Mustang. It is a less expensive option than the convertible for car owners that are looking for an open feel to their car. Ford hope the new option will increase sales of the Mustang, which have dropped 19 percent since last year. The 2009 model year is the last before a major update in styling is planned for 2010.

"Mustang is an icon in our product lineup, and we are committed to keeping Mustang news fresh every year," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president, 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."

The new Glass Roof Mustangs will be built n Flat Rock, Michigan at the Automotive Alliance International plant. The new unique glass roof will be installed at Ford's vehicle personalization facility next door to the plant.

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