2014 Shelby GT500 Production

[jnf]

When you're SO dependent upon SO many trucks for margin, every tenth of a tenth matters - especially since your competitors may not be so-encumbered.

 

So you make fewer - and drive up your product-specific costs and make the business case less worthwhile - especially with warrantees you'll be owning as a liability for up to another 8 years. But then you need to drive up prices - which makes them a harder sell given the likely future competition.

 

There's no quick or easy solution unless you're willing to overlook other, possibly-bigger, opportunity costs. That's why Ford is making the right decision of working from a position of adding performance to the most efficient practical baseline which is FAR more scalable - and not continuing to try to wring economy from its biggest, most inherently powerful mills.

 

Even if it could make the latter work, it'd need to bet the come to do so with FAR more valuable assets than just Mustang - which would be one of the worst business decisions it could make.

 

Then again, it's not really Ford who decided. It's the high-minded few who know what's best and decide for all of us, those who just-as-knowingly elected them - and those who couldn't be bothered to object as compellingly as possible.

 

And so, we have what we've got - which includes everybody who simply can't afford the extra $3-4,000 that would've made the difference between owning their once-in-a-lifetime dream car while others are being GIVEN $7,500 or more to own a Volt, Fusion Energi or some different car OTHERS would prefer they drive instead.

 

At least nobody can say we aren't getting EXACTLY what we've insisted upon.

Well stated Madlock.

 

I don't want $7500 from anyone to drive a Volt or any other electric car. Well maybe a Tesla S or a Fiskar !!

I want to see where the high HP wars are heading and see a 700+ HP mustang out of the box.

With the current technologies and the lack of CAFE mandates, who knows where the HP war would have lead to.

[Madlock]

Well stated Madlock.

 

I don't want $7500 from anyone to drive a Volt or any other electric car. Well maybe a Tesla S or a Fiskar !!

I want to see where the high HP wars are heading and see a 700+ HP mustang out of the box.

With the current technologies and the lack of CAFE mandates, who knows where the HP war would have lead to.

Sadly, it WOULD'VE ended precisely where and how it otherwise should have - with makers creating and selling products customers want and value most - which ironically presumes that highly-efficient or vehicles powered by new an different vehicles will be inherently less desirable, something even the high-minded idealists don't know to be true.

 

Instead we have made manifest virtually all this nation was founded to ensure against. And sadly, the gnat-like attention span of most people who also believe the process of obtaining and presenting official forms of identification is too big

a burden to bear for the sake of helping to ensure electoral integrity.

 

Yet spending 3 hours filling out manual paperwork because the Beltway boobs can't develop a friggin' function in web site is a perfectly reasonable expectation - if it will help to preserve ANY semblance of this particular President's credibility - and those he's told are enlightened enough to be among the select few who know what's best for everybody else.

 

Mostly, I want 662hp and as much torque as possible so I'm as prepared as possible to leave if ever the need should arise.

[jnf]

You will appreciate this. Heard it the other day.

 

" 25 years ago we had Ronald Reagan, Johnny Cash and Bob Hope. Today we have Barrack Obama, no Cash and no Hope ! "

 

But I guess we are now heading down another road that would fall into a new topic thread in a different area.

[Madlock]

Yep. You'll see them titled under, "We're REALLY f&cked now...", "Look what we finally did to ourselves" or "We've only ourselves to blame..."

[blk12svt]

Remember a couple years ago there was a shot of Obama sitting in a 13 GT500 somewhere. He was probably thinking I've got to put an end to this kind of thing... I won't be surprised if before he leaves office he puts an end to high HP, mandating it's not to exceed 200 or something like that on all new cars going forward.

 

I can still remember one of Jimmy Carters fire side chats where he proclaims.... "America is simply going to have to end it's love afair with the automobile"

[Don Johnston]

Maybe politicians should ride public transit and we can get rid of all the limos. The less time that they spend at "work", the less time for them to legislate away our lives!

[Madlock]

Ah yes. I remember that one well. That was the night I ended any love affair I MIGHT HAVE had with Jimmy Carter - incredibly intelligent and fine and decent well-intentioned human being I'm sure he is. I fully expect Jimmy Carter will be waved into the "20 Transgressions or Less Lane" while I, on the other hand, will be waiting until St. Peter has a big enough time slot to read me the riot act I have coming

 

And that's precisely why he and his ilk are so dangerous - including the cynics who embrace a liberal bent ONLY to imbue themselves with a warm, fuzzy patina of enlightened compassion. The overwhelming majority are very well-intentioned, though also hugely ignorant - but most of all arrogant enough to presume that ANY one person is smart or wise enough or brash enough even to think for a moment he or she knows best how any other person should live... let alone all persons. That's why the United States' founders were so insistent upon making the Bill of Rights their new nation's unequivocal epicenter.

 

The generations of Faustian bargains made which have traded ever-larger portions of its future for the sake of exploiting whatever was the opportunity du jour are finally coming home to roost as we reach both an economic and philosophic tipping point from which we may never recover.

[ViperNC]

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/2015-porsche-918-spyder-1-million-green-monster-164745629.html

 

The future of sports cars is here.... Like it or not, technology moves forward. The day will come when the power-plant of all cars is no longer the combustion engine. Our cars will be priceless collector's items.

[ShelbyKR664]

Viper, that Porsche is incredible. No question that will be the direction for super cars . I read where Saleen is also going to produce a hybrid super car.

[ViperNC]

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/2014-mclaren-p1-driven-limit-beyond-motoramic-drives-191332780.html

 

Here is McLaren's answer.

[jnf]

There is no doubt that the electric vehicles are a viable option.

And they are coming out in full force and in expensive, but great form.

 

But,,,,there is nothing like the roar of a V-8 and the whine of a supercharger.

Never going to get with even the most expensive electric model.

[Will's Shelby]

Got my build sheet from Elena Ford yesterday.

 

Thing I don't understand is why it's not more precise in the numbers. Says for production figures:

 

5675 2014 GT500s

4777 GT500 Coupes Produced

220 Shelby GT500 Coupes in Exterior: Ingot Silver Metallic

 

 

 

Ok, so I'm one of 220. But it says nothing about how many have red stripes. At the very least Id think it would include that. I have a feeling mine is a one of one based on the fact that it's not only silver with red stripes, but I have PP, red striped Recaros but nothing else. Everyone else I know got the Nav and Track Pack. I didn't want either of those. There is a huge difference between 1 of 220, and 1 of possibly...1.

 

How will I ever find out for sure?

 

Will

[freakshow12]

There were 34 red stripe coupes

[freakshow12]

Mine is ingot blk. My only options anr svtpp glass roof and cover. Very odd combo.

[Will's Shelby]

There were 34 red stripe coupes

How many of those 34 had red stripe Recaro's and PP?

[Madlock]

Should be asking even MORE questions, since the current roster includes 5,685 vehicles. of which 4,771 were Coupes and 914 Convertibles, and only 213 of said Coupes were invoiced as Ingot Silver. Indeed 34 included Red Stripes.

 

That's the challenge upon relying upon summary information from various data stores which may or may not have adopted totals from internal projections at a given moment in time versus what actually rolled-off the line - which may include supply-driven changes that resulted in differences between various periodic estimations and what came off the line.

 

Off-hand, I make 3 such cars with SVTPP & Recaros:

 

1ZVBP8JZ6E5248132
1ZVBP8JZ4E5256536
1ZVBP8JZ4E5249599

[Will's Shelby]

 

My build sheet from Ford states different numbers than what you show. Mine is dated 9 Dec.

 

As far as more questions, like I said, the only options I checked were SVT Performance Package, Recaros, and that's it. No NAV, no glass roof, no Track Pack, etc. But my guess is that most people got the NAV, and/or the Track Pack.

 

And yep, one of those VINs is mine.

 

I appreciate your info. Is there a way of telling of those 3, if they had the same options as mine? I mean, i'd take a 1 of 3, but not sure if you are saying those are the ONLY 3 that have svtpp and recaros, or just on a brisk scan...

[Madlock]

Well, my info is dated December 14.

 

Yes, I understand the totals reflected on your build sheet differ. And not only do they not reflect ten fewer cars than exist, overall, it over-represents Coupes by 6, the number of Ingot Silver Coupes by 7 while also presumably under-representing Convertibles by 16.

 

Your letter may be dated December, 9, but Lord knows when or where the information provided therein originated, which I suspect was from a point far earlier than ultimate manufacture.

 

Only the three aforementioned cars are Ingot Silver 2014 Coupes with Red Stripes and equipped ONLY with SVTPP and Recaro Seats.

[Will's Shelby]

Ah interesting.

 

I'm not sure who you are or how you get your information, but I certainly appreciate you replying with this. It's not the full 100% yet, but that's a drastic jump to 1 of 3. Thank you so much. I will have to continue my efforts to maybe track down those other 2 VINs to see just what they have? Actually, I can just feed those vins into the webpage that shows the window stickers and it should show all of their options no?

 

i guess that is true though as far as when the info was actually pulled...kinda stinks. Would rather they not print those then until the actual ending numbers are done. But, I kinda understand why they do it anyways based on present numbers...I guess.

[Will's Shelby]

I misunderstood after re-reading your post. That's it...only those 3 are identical to my car. The "ONLY" in your post should have given it away. lol.

 

Thank you again.

 

Will

[VNMSNK]

Madlock,

 

Do you have complete numbers now? I will order the build sheet from Ford Gear and the Certificate from Ford Show Parts, but just curious if you already know how many like mine. Grabber Blue/White Stripe vert, Nav and 821A are the only options.

 

Interestingly, when I received all the info on the 2012 I had, the Elena Ford letter differed slightly from the Ford Show Parts Certificate. I can see how the data can be off slightly when pulled from different sources.

 

Thank you for the info!!

[Will's Shelby]

DGGT500,

 

Looking at the Ford Show Parts site, they only give the option up to 2013 strangely...I'm guessing they will do a '14 but just haven't updated their site. Just a guess though? I like how theirs looks I must say.

[Madlock]

I misunderstood after re-reading your post. That's it...only those 3 are identical to my car. The "ONLY" in your post should have given it away. lol.

 

Thank you again.

 

Will

 

We all have our respective burdens in life. Mine apparently is omniscience. What can I say?

 

 

Do you have complete numbers now? I will order the build sheet from Ford Gear and the Certificate from Ford Show Parts, but just curious if you already know how many like mine. Grabber Blue/White Stripe vert, Nav and 821A are the only options.

 

Yes, I do. There were three. Two went to FL and one to NE:

 

1ZVBP8KZ5E5243583

1ZVBP8KZXE5253624

1ZVBP8KZ2E5257165

 

Two further cars were made if you're willing to ingore the Car Cover - a second for NE and one in NJ

 

1ZVBP8KZ8E5226633

1ZVBP8KZ2E5223582

 

Considering only 17 White on Grabber Blue Convertibles were made, yours turned-out to be a pretty common configuration.

 

 

Interestingly, when I received all the info on the 2012 I had, the Elena Ford letter differed slightly from the Ford Show Parts Certificate. I can see how the data can be off slightly when pulled from different sources.

 

Thank you for the info!!

 

That's something I find HUGELY frustrating as both customer and shareholder. Neither Elena Ford nor SVT are even peripherally involved in production. One is a namesake marketer and the other Ford's vehicle performance division. Both sell what are intended to be different presentations of the same data despite neither spending their days within a country mile of being aware of what's actually being ordered, built or sold.

 

They're outlets because their respective titles give these sheets an imprimatur of authenticity - when both simply query data others have provided them whose authenticity or accuracy they have absolutely NO way of vetting. Is it as egregious as selling a used pacemaker as new? Not nearly. But people pay ridiculous sums for such shoddily-prepared documents for one reason and one reason only - the presumption of their accuracy.

 

And marketer or not, once someone's signature is affixed and money changes hands, one hell of an ethical obligation exists that any information presented as authentic after the model year campaign has ended ought not be conflicted by any different information that purports itself to be the same thing. I stopped lending credence to the SVT summary beyond mere ballpark numbers years ago when the rosters I maintained would consistently include vehicles other reports' data sources didn't - not to mention that neither summary presents any particularly useful information in terms of uniqueness.

 

When I ultimately choose a sample group that included more vehicles than the summary implied were possible and backtracked to a dealer that received and either sold it, still had it, or traded stock, I ignored them completely. Do I think there's any great fraud being perpetrated? No. I'm sure at a given point in the process, the various systems used each reflected the totals as presented.

 

Do they necessarily represent the totality of each vehicle actually produced? Not necessarily - at least in my experience, unless I just happened to make three lucky guesses about the VINs of Ingot Silver Coupes with Red Stripes and ONLY the Performance Package and Recaro Seats.

 

DGGT500,

 

Looking at the Ford Show Parts site, they only give the option up to 2013 strangely...I'm guessing they will do a '14 but just haven't updated their site. Just a guess though? I like how theirs looks I must say.

 

I'm sure there'll be a '14 sheet - just like each prior year. It's a very easy, cheap and highly profitable product for FSP to sell.

 

[VNMSNK]

Thank you for the info! My car is 5243583 built in June. It is always interesting to know how many like mine I may see near me.

 

I actually wrote and questioned the differences in the numbers for the 2012 and never received a response. One entertaining error made in the first letter I received and kept because I found it funny...The 2012 stats were listed as a black car in the letter and it was a white car. I received a new letter a few weeks later after my inquiry, just no response to my question on the difference in numbers.

[Madlock]

Thank you for the info! My car is 5243583 built in June. It is always interesting to know how many like mine I may see near me.

 

I actually wrote and questioned the differences in the numbers for the 2012 and never received a response. One entertaining error made in the first letter I received and kept because I found it funny...The 2012 stats were listed as a black car in the letter and it was a white car. I received a new letter a few weeks later after my inquiry, just no response to my question on the difference in numbers.

 

Spooky, ain't it?

 

I'm not surprised you didn't receive a response - because responding likely would've opened up a can of worms that would've been far more convenient to leave right on the shelf.

 

As far as receiving a corrected letter, I suppose they deserve a half-point for effort - after all, you actually paid to receive something specific. On the other hand, by not addressing anything beyond merely handing you a corrected reprint, they've taken a chapter straight from the Alan Mulally handbook of answering a different question if you don't want to respond to the one that's been asked.

 

Don't get me wrong. Few people admire Alan Mulally more than I do - not just for what he's led Ford to accomplish under his leadership, but for having done pretty-much the same thing for Boeing Commercial Aircraft before joining Ford. He's no one hit wonder. And if a Presidential Medal of Freedom isn't awaiting his eventual retirement, the honor will have been made all but meaningless.

 

Yet, at the same time, when directly asked legitimate questions about subject like Microsoft's recent pursuit of Mulally to succeed Ballmer and Mulally refusing to either reiterate or refute previous comments to the effect that he planned to stay at Ford's helm at least through calendar 2014, repeatedly answering to the effect of , "I'm honored to serve at the board's pleasure" serves nobody's interest but his own desire to yank media's chain (which has more than deservedly a good yanking), but at the expense of more discussion centering on whether or not he's going to leave six months sooner than previously expected than new product developments or the massive Asian growth Ford has been winning. It helps nobody - and the shareholders to whom he's most responsible least of all.

 

It's not like were discussing life-and-death issues like a massive consular f&ck up and cover up or whether people re-elected a president and supported a piece of legislation based on the unequivocal promise that they could keep their insurance plans and doctors if they wanted. But it's because something so relatively inconsequential can call into question credibility about far more important matters that this kind of thing really irks me.

 

I just don't particularly care for half-assedness - especially when it's been paid for.

[Madlock]

I misunderstood after re-reading your post. That's it...only those 3 are identical to my car. The "ONLY" in your post should have given it away. lol.

 

Thank you again.

 

Will

 

By the way, your car was at least originally intended for export.

[1 Alibi 2]

When did Ford end production on the 2014 MY, I haven't seen it posted anywhere ?

In past years, final production #'s weren't available till around April of the following year.

[Madlock]

When did Ford end production on the 2014 MY, I haven't seen it posted anywhere ?

In past years, final production #'s weren't available till around April of the following year.

 

 

The final GT500 builds began just prior to Thanksgiving and were completed shortly after. It's not the kind of date that generally gets officially "posted" - as in the reporting of a press release, especially for the 2014s since commodity version builds will continue well into calendar 2014.

 

Like Grabber Blue ending, a point occurred when there just weren't any more GT500s to be made.

 

"Final production numbers" always existed from the moment the last unit exited the pipe. FSP just typically hasn't previously made available for sale the piece of paper it purports to represent "totals" until about the time when the next model year's production began.

[Helix]

Guess that is the end of an era. By no means do I think badly of the 2015 Mustang, or doubt that engineering will find a compilation of efficiency and power that will make a great car out of the Mustang; I do just wish I could have had the chance to buy the 2014. I personally don't mean to, but inevitably will end up getting my hopes up for the Mach 1 to return with an awesome come back. Can't wait to see that.

 

Congrats on yours and hope to see pictures of it when its completed.

[Will's Shelby]

 

By the way, your car was at least originally intended for export.

I purchased it while in Afghanistan through the Military Exchange Program (I'm not military, but work with them). Probably why it listed it as that. I just told them where to deliver it when it was completed (California).