Ford GT500 Limited Production

[Superchief]

QUOTE (ShelbyDude @ Aug 6 2008, 09:22 PM)

Chicago Auto Show. They repeated it over and over everytime the spokes person got up and told everyone about the GT500. They had a White Coupe with Blue Stripes on display.

 

The spokes person said the GT500 will be limited to 7,000 built per year, for only two years.

 

Then later right before they went into production Ford gave a live broadcast VIA satellite television to all the dealers where they talked about how the allocation was going to work, they asked dealers to not get carried away with ADM's and to try to keep good customer relations going, and they changed the 7,000 per year for two years only to "approx" 8K - 9K per year, for two years only, for a TOTAL production of "approx" 18K - 19K units made.

 

I know some people say they were told by certain Ford people that they will build as many as the public wants, but that was NEVER announced publically to the general public. I never heard that. I never read that anywhere. I only know what I heard first hand at the Chicago Auto Show and what FORD told us during that dealer broadcast.

 

Also, Ford archives their broadcasts. Only that particular broadcast is GONE! So is some other stuff they wrote that was posted on the dealer forum.

 

There were a couple of other dealers here that confirmed hearing Ford tell us that stating they watched that broadcast and clearly remember hearing the same exact thing!

 

Why do you think there were DEALERS offering to buy any allocation for $20K over MSRP right before this car came out??? It was because we were ALL told this was limited to 8K - 9K units per year for two years only. Dealers knew that that would not be enough to meet demand and that they could sell these cars for more than that because of the limited numbers that were "suppose" to have been built.

 

They didn't build the 8K - 9K the first year like they said they were limiting this to. They built over 10,800 units. Then they said they were cutting 08 back to 8K units and took the extra allocated units for prior SVT dealers away because of that. What do you want to bet the final numbers for 08 are higher than 8K units???

 

Then they announced another 3,000 units for 09.

 

Now there is rumors of the GT500 being continued for 2010.

 

My certificate says LIMITED EDITION. So what is Ford's new meaning of limited edition??? What does limited edition mean?

 

BTW...Hau Thai Tang was present during that dealer broadcast, along with Darryl Hazel, and two other guys that I don't recall their names off hand.

 

Now do you think I am just making all this up? I can only tell you what I heard first hand straight from the source.

 

 

Personally I think it's very misleading, regarding the GT500 limited production information that Ford advertised. (Verbal with me) I was at the St. Louis Auto Show and remember the GT500 spinning on a turntable and the zone manager talking about the limited production and talking about the special features of the car… the Ford GT engine components’ etc…

 

Yes it is a car, and for me one to drive on nice days and not to stare at in a garage …. But I wanted something unique and limited. If someone had some concrete evidence, then it should be put forward and thrown in Ford’s face. If Ford needs another winner then go for the Boss or some other model, but the GT500 cards have been played, and the problem is they didn’t like their hand, so they get to pick out new cards??? That’s cheating in a card room. But if everyone turns their head, and there is no concrete evidence then they win.

Just my 2 cents.

[mciarochi]

It IS a limited edition - there are fewer of these produced that any other model. The SGT sorta kinda doesn't count, because it starts life as a Mustang GT. The 5.4L powerplant is hand built.

 

Besides, I don't recall signing a contract with Ford regarding how many cars will be built. Plans change, I don't think they anticipated the demand this car would create in a society that's been starved for some kind of rock and roll wheels.

 

I glad I had the opportunity to buy my car, and I'm happy if everybody else who wants one can get theirs, too. It's pretty selfish to think, "I got mine, now quit building them!"

 

I guess we're down to the difference whether you bought your car as an investment, or whether you bought your car as a car.

 

If Ford can build these and make a profit, and the dealers can sell them and make a profit, and this helps Ford's bottom line, and helps my dealer and helps my mechanic, then I wholeheartedly support them if they decide to continue building the GT500 line of cars. I'd like Ford to be around for a while.

[6-Speed]

Even with the number of GT500s built to date, I see very few of them on the road.

[DDT]

15G-30G or whatever wont change the enjoyment and thrill of drivin mine.....................

[Mustang5]

My impression from the very start was that they were going to build 8000-10000 per year for 3 years. I read this in several magazines early on. These were direct quotes from Ford representatives.

 

For those who think these cars will be collectibles, they may be kidding themselves. Even if they only made 8000 for two years, your still talking about 16000 units. That's way more then the total run of Shelby's of all types from the 60's.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my car and feel like I have something special every time I drive it. I'm not counting on the value to go up, but if it does it will certainly be icing on the cake.

[ShelbyDude]

My impression from the very start was that they were going to build 8000-10000 per year for 3 years. I read this in several magazines early on. These were direct quotes from Ford representatives.

 

For those who think these cars will be collectibles, they may be kidding themselves. Even if they only made 8000 for two years, your still talking about 16000 units. That's way more then the total run of Shelby's of all types from the 60's.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my car and feel like I have something special every time I drive it. I'm not counting on the value to go up, but if it does it will certainly be icing on the cake.

 

 

I have never seen any such thing stated anywhere that they planned to build 8k - 10k year for 3 years.

 

I have heard people say they heard they will build as many as the public wants. But I have never heard it once.

 

I work at a Ford dealership and I was always told by Ford two years only and 8k - 9k each year.

 

I was always told by Ford there would NOT be a GT500 for 09 up until about two months before they announced they would build the 09.

 

I don't really care how many they build or how many years they build them. There is nothing we could do about that anyway. What I do care about is being told one thing that we are turning around and having to tell that to the consumers only to later be told something different. Ford told their dealers two years only. That is exactly what most dealers told the consumers. That is also why (in my opinion) that caused the $20K - $30K ADM's dealers were getting on this car.

 

Had Ford never told everyone two years only I don't think most of the people that paid those ADM's would have paid that. I think they would have waited if that was the case. Sure, there would have still been ADM's and there would be people that would still pay them, but I doubt they would have paid the $20K + they paid if they were never lead to believe this was a two year production limited to 8K - 9K per year.

 

If manufacturers don't plan to stick with what they say pertaining to limiting production to certain numbers and/or for a certain period of time then they shouldn't say anything. By doing so creates a false market causing higher demand resulting in people paying a lot more then they would have had to pay had they never said that. If they think they might change their mind later then say nothing.

 

And if Ford people were telling magazines 10K year for 3 years, then why did they tell the dealers two years only? Why did they tell the public at the auto show two years only? Why the need to tell two different stories?

 

Magazines have a problem will telling correct stories. Even today they are telling false information. Seems reporters tell what they think they heard or what they wanted to hear or are just taking things out of context and misreporting the facts.

 

Do have any of these magazines you read this in? I would love to see it. So far I've heard people say a lot of different things they read but I have yet to see anyone produce a copy of the article that says it.

 

I wish I had a recorder with me and recorded what they said at the auto show. Then I could play it for you. I wish I could go back and pull up the broadcast they gave to the dealers but Ford pulled it so we can't see it now. Wonder why??? They have broadcasts that are older than that one still archived that we can go back and watch. But this particular one has been removed. Had I known I would have recorded it when they broadcasted it. But I clearly remember what they told us as well as every other dealer that tuned in to watch it does.

[Grabber]

Now there is rumors of the GT500 being continued for 2010.

 

At least the 2010 will be the new body style, so it will be different.

[shaker281]

I ordered a 03 Mach 1 back before production even started. They had specifically said they were building 6500 and announced that about 6200 were already spoken for. Well, it turns out that those 6500 were only spoken for by dealers, not actual customers. And then they made 10,000 for 03 and another 10,000 for 04.

 

So, in effect I was "coaxed" into paying MSRP based on supplies running out. Thank goodness I refused to pay the $5000 ADM they were asking and they backed off of that.

 

So, fast forward to the introduction of the GT500 and 20K ADMs. Fool me once...

 

BTW, from the very beginning I had read that Ford stated they would make as many GT500s as customers demanded. The impression I got about the early production numbers was that they were guesses on demand and not limits. Hence, the reason I waited and paid MSRP. Still, the price could drop further with the implementation of "plan" pricing. I suppose that would really chap the folks who paid ADMs.

 

In the end all this over analyzing of "collector value", and "exclusivity" can serve to tarnish the fun and enjoyment of owning a very cool car. I prefer to just enjoy mine. But, if they cancel production of the 3000 2009 units that would be just fine too!

[frydguy79]

 

if the glass house decides to change its out put later on, at least they should fess up to the dealer body first, as the are charging the dealers a adm each year, and calling it a special tool or service fee and using the car as a bribe

[mciarochi]

I hadn't thought about it from the perspective of the dealer - that does suck when you are relaying information in good faith, and the supplier yanks the rug out from under you. I work in sales, and I understand that experience all too well.

 

I'm not sure about the ADM's (which, by my understanding are not charged by Ford, but by the dealer). As long as the manufacturing run is as lean as it is, with only a handful of cars available to the dealer, I think people would still have paid. People paid a $20k ADM on Miata's when they first came out, and that is NOT a limited production by any means.

 

As far as credibility with your customer, I think they hurt the dealers more than they hurt the owners.

[aonebadbone]

If I had thought that it was going to be this easy to get a GT500 I would have waited.

I thought it was going to be a limited run and if I hadn't jumped at the chance to get my car than I was going to be left out in the cold.

I have my car and I am more than happy that I have it but I am sure sorry that I didn't wait to get one.

ALL of us that got our car in the early months paid a hefty price to own the legendary GT500 now you can get them for sticker or under and how can that not make some folks mad.

It wasn't the investment for me I just wanted a bad ass car and that is what I got.

Ford didn't do us any good by changing there minds and I don't see how this has helped them as a company as I probably not buy from ford again.

It sounds like sour grapes but you should be able to trust a manufacturer to stick to there word.

I can't figure out what Ford was thinking do they not read what is being said about this and this is there reaction?

The dumbest part was the dealers took advantage of the situation and JACKED up the price of this car and Ford got nothing for it.

Tell me you all don't feel the same? Our hands are tied and there is nothing we can do to change it.

Art

[ff500]

I think there is a lawsuit with the Blackjack, there were only supposed to be 100 built in 07 and of course another 100 were built in 08. I don't know the status of the suit but its kind of the same thing, feeling he was misled.

[ColdwaterHotrod]

in July of 2005 they estimated production to be 7,000 units, that's one year prior to production & this # came from the SVT distribution plan letter that was sent out

[ati]

If I had thought that it was going to be this easy to get a GT500 I would have waited.

I thought it was going to be a limited run and if I hadn't jumped at the chance to get my car than I was going to be left out in the cold.

I have my car and I am more than happy that I have it but I am sure sorry that I didn't wait to get one.

ALL of us that got our car in the early months paid a hefty price to own the legendary GT500 now you can get them for sticker or under and how can that not make some folks mad.

It wasn't the investment for me I just wanted a bad ass car and that is what I got.

Ford didn't do us any good by changing there minds and I don't see how this has helped them as a company as I probably not buy from ford again.

It sounds like sour grapes but you should be able to trust a manufacturer to stick to there word.

I can't figure out what Ford was thinking do they not read what is being said about this and this is there reaction?

The dumbest part was the dealers took advantage of the situation and JACKED up the price of this car and Ford got nothing for it.

Tell me you all don't feel the same? Our hands are tied and there is nothing we can do to change it.

Art

 

+1

[NCStangFanatic]

[RStangsOC]

I ordered a 03 Mach 1 back before production even started. They had specifically said they were building 6500 and announced that about 6200 were already spoken for. Well, it turns out that those 6500 were only spoken for by dealers, not actual customers. And then they made 10,000 for 03 and another 10,000 for 04.

 

 

2003 Mach1 Production - 9,652 Units

2004 Mach1 Production - 7,182 Units

[RStangsOC]

:beatdeadhorse:

[Cobramach1]

Whether this car was going to be only a 2 year run or not should not have swayed anyone's mind on purchasing the car if they really wanted it. There were even ADM's for the '05 GT when it came out. Everyone knew that wasn't a limited run car but yet they still paid the price. I equate it to wanting to be the first on the block with the new car. Same with any of these specialty cars really. I know there were small ADM's on the '03/04 Cobra's when they came out too and some dealers were even asking ADM's on the '03/04 Mach 1's. It all depends on how bad people wanted the car. If you can afford the ADM then more power to you to purchase the car. I have no problem with that because someone needs to buy the car new so I can buy it used later on once it has depreciated. I waited 4 years to purchase my '04 Mach 1 when the prices finally came down. Sure I would have liked to have one from new, but I'm ok with a used one in mint condition too because I plan on driving it anyway. My wife want's a GT500 and we'll get her one, but it might be a few years down the road. I'm looking forward to the 2010 Mustangs to come out and all of the variants such as the GT500, potential Boss, potential Mach 1 and whatever SAI has up their sleeve for a new Shelby too. All those new cars will be the hot ticket driving the '07-09 GT500's prices down at which point it will be the right time for us to consider purchasing her GT500. Time will tell, but I've seen this pattern over and over again through the years. The only way I see these cars holding any value is if Ford decides to drop HP below 500 on any new specialty cars or the newer GT500 in upcoming years. That might cause the prices to stabilize at a higher residual in a few years. Time will tell and nobody knows what will happen especially considering the economy is at such a downturn that hasn't even hit bottom yet.

[DubbsFaris]

Ob- la- di

Ob- la- da

 

Yeah, it sucks....

 

I've lost more on real estate than my Shelby, and I just tell myself I would have paid another few thousand if the MSRP was a little higher...

 

Frankly, The GT500 is a bargain at MSRP for bang for the buck...

 

At a few thousand over, it is still a good deal. If you paid 20k over, I don't have any comforting words to tell you, except we all make a bad investment from time to time.

 

 

Did Ford screw us? No. They are entitled to change their minds....it's a great car! It doesn't help me out on my car, but I wanted it when I wanted it.

[old guy]

I remember discussions on this forum way back when about some area sales reps telling some dealers that the car would be limited to a certain number and others telling them that the reps were mistaken. God know what the salespeople were told or what they told their customers. I don't remember ever seeing anything official from Ford about this car being limited to a certain number of cars.

 

But I remember before these cars came out, about the time Ruf coined the phrase PSDS, there were several ongoing discussions about whether the GT500 would appreciate down the road, whether the price would go up or eventually drop, etc. There were pages upon pages written about the ADM's and many people felt that the prices would start out high and go higher forever, while others felt the price would eventually go down as soon as the initial demand dried up and dealers started sitting on their inventory for a while. There were folks here who absolutely refused to pay any ADM, others set a limit of 500 or 1000 or 5000 above MSRP. There were also those who would mortgage their house and their families to get this car because they either lusted after it so bad, or they were convinced the price of the car would go up faster than the space shuttle.

 

My point is you believed what you wanted to believe. There was never any guarantee about what the car would be worth or what new ones would sell for a year or 2 into the run. Who knows what would have happened had gas not jumped to 4 bucks a gallon. The future is a crap shoot.

 

Every car out there is a limited edition. Once the new model year comes out, production stops and the edition is limited to the final production number. But there is no guarantee that a low production run will turn out to be valuable or a high production run will not. Look at the 65-66 Mustangs. They made a boatload of them, and they are quite valuable today.

[mciarochi]

Look at the 65-66 Mustangs. They made a boatload of them, and they are quite valuable today.

I pointed that out ages ago. Not only did they make a boatload of them back then, there's still a boatload of them available. I swear, it's easier to get a part for a '67 Mustang than it is to get the same part for an '07 Mustang.

 

It's not just a matter of how many of the cars were built, it's the impact the car has on the collective conciousness (or some such thing).

 

People not only fell in love with their Mustangs, people fell in love with the Mustang. Same with the 'vette. 45 years later, people still love those cars.

 

If the '07 GT500 was a flop, and they could only sell 5,000, it's future value would be as a curiosity, like the Edsel is today. Worth a lot, but who cares?

 

Will it appreciate in value like the '67 Shelby? I don't know. I admit that I'd be a bit surprised if it was worth less than I paid for it, though, but I don't think that 40 years from now it will matter how many they built.

[Bob Knudsen]

I never really cared how many Ford built. As a practical matter, production was going to be limited. Because it is an expensive and completely useless car, iits target buyer was the buyer willing to part with a hefty sum of money to own a useless car simply for the fun of it. This, along with the economy, CAFE, production limitations, and a whole hose of other things means that the GT500 was going to be pretty rare, as they have always had a limited target audience. The third year of production simply made the car affordable to a relatively small group of people who had the car priced just out of their reach until the ADM's went away.

 

Whether there is 15k units or 30k units it is still a pretty rare car. The 2010 will be a different body style, so it will be different enough to keep our cars pretty rare. Manufacturing plans change.

 

I see very few of the cars on the road. I enjoy the hell out of mine every time I get behind the wheel. I have been enoying my 88lx for 21 years and still going. I expect to enjoy the Shelby until I am too old to drive it, and then I will make my kids drive me around in it.

 

I can see why the people who bought the car not because of the merits of the car itself but because of the exclusivity factor are angry, particularly if they paid an ADM.

 

By the way, I have a 1999 V8 Taurus SHO. Production numbers were about 20k over a four year period, and only about 2500 units in 1999. Because of a known camshaft issue, many have grenaded the engine. After 9 years of being out of production, what was a pretty rare car is even rarer. I would venture a guess that there is probably less than 10,000 survivors, and few are as clean as my 54k mile one owner car. And you know what? I don't care. It is a car I have been very happy with for years, and whether it is exclusive or not exclusive does not matter to me.

 

Of course, that's just my opinion.

[old guy]

...

 

Of course, that's just my opinion.

 

 

...and a good one at that! :beerchug:

[old guy]

...People not only fell in love with their Mustangs, people fell in love with the Mustang....

 

That is a great point! People buy the old stuff either because that had one when they were younger, or they didn't have one when they were younger.

[mobeydick]

In 30 years I will be 75yo and to Blind to drive or either Dead. Either way I will not care how much a 07/08/09 Shelby GT500 is worth.

[cluscher]

I pointed that out ages ago. Not only did they make a boatload of them back then, there's still a boatload of them available. I swear, it's easier to get a part for a '67 Mustang than it is to get the same part for an '07 Mustang.

 

It's not just a matter of how many of the cars were built, it's the impact the car has on the collective conciousness (or some such thing).

 

People not only fell in love with their Mustangs, people fell in love with the Mustang. Same with the 'vette. 45 years later, people still love those cars.

 

If the '07 GT500 was a flop, and they could only sell 5,000, it's future value would be as a curiosity, like the Edsel is today. Worth a lot, but who cares?

 

Will it appreciate in value like the '67 Shelby? I don't know. I admit that I'd be a bit surprised if it was worth less than I paid for it, though, but I don't think that 40 years from now it will matter how many they built.

well said!

[DDT]

I hadn't thought about it from the perspective of the dealer - that does suck when you are relaying information in good faith, and the supplier yanks the rug out from under you. I work in sales, and I understand that experience all too well.

 

I'm not sure about the ADM's (which, by my understanding are not charged by Ford, but by the dealer). As long as the manufacturing run is as lean as it is, with only a handful of cars available to the dealer, I think people would still have paid. People paid a $20k ADM on Miata's when they first came out, and that is NOT a limited production by any means.

 

As far as credibility with your customer, I think they hurt the dealers more than they hurt the owners.

 

The Dealer that I was a loyal customer to for years treated me like a Mushroom on this car and

only have themselves to blame that they "LOST ME AS A CUSTOMER".............................................

[diamondback]

it may become a collectable in 10 years but not for the Shelbly badge but rather because it is the last and greatest badged SVT ever made!

[mach 1 1970]

I waited 2 years to buy a GT500 without a ADM, but i did pay MSRP. In 35 years of buying new cars this is the 1st time i paid sticker. SVT prides itself in providing limited production performance cars to a small group of car nuts. In the past i have purchased all SVT products on the A-plan. I was really pissed off @ Ford for not offering the GT500 on any plan. The final decision to sell on the A plan should be in the hands of the dealers not Ford. I think Ford lost a lot of loyalty by this move and over producing to many Shelby's. Lets see we have the SGT,GT500,GTH,KR,SUPER SNAKE and now 09 models. 2010 should be interesting year for performance cars not to mention GM and Dodge offering. Don't get me wrong all 3 companies are producing dream cars and we should be thankfull they are. But keep this a true LTD production vehicle Ford. And yes SVT and Ford still can be held acountable for these 3 words, value,LTD production and Performance. Maybe you can't take them to court , but you don't have to buy future products.

[mach 1 1970]

I remember discussions on this forum way back when about some area sales reps telling some dealers that the car would be limited to a certain number and others telling them that the reps were mistaken. God know what the salespeople were told or what they told their customers. I don't remember ever seeing anything official from Ford about this car being limited to a certain number of cars.

 

But I remember before these cars came out, about the time Ruf coined the phrase PSDS, there were several ongoing discussions about whether the GT500 would appreciate down the road, whether the price would go up or eventually drop, etc. There were pages upon pages written about the ADM's and many people felt that the prices would start out high and go higher forever, while others felt the price would eventually go down as soon as the initial demand dried up and dealers started sitting on their inventory for a while. There were folks here who absolutely refused to pay any ADM, others set a limit of 500 or 1000 or 5000 above MSRP. There were also those who would mortgage their house and their families to get this car because they either lusted after it so bad, or they were convinced the price of the car would go up faster than the space shuttle.

 

My point is you believed what you wanted to believe. There was never any guarantee about what the car would be worth or what new ones would sell for a year or 2 into the run. Who knows what would have happened had gas not jumped to 4 bucks a gallon. The future is a crap shoot.

 

Every car out there is a limited edition. Once the new model year comes out, production stops and the edition is limited to the final production number. But there is no guarantee that a low production run will turn out to be valuable or a high production run will not. Look at the 65-66 Mustangs. They made a boatload of them, and they are quite valuable today.

Yeah but to get anywhere near the price of a Boss 302 it's got to be a 65-66 GT Hipo (271 hp )conv which puts it in the LTD class . The run of the mill 65-66 stangs don't bring all that much when compared to Shelby's and boss 9's those are true LTD production cars. The 65-66 Shelby is in a class all by itself price wise but performance wise it's not that much different than a GT Hipo .LTD is some where between 1500-8000 cars in my thinking. Others would disagree .