time to start the hate letters to ford

[bigred90gt]

Company denies reports it is considering making Mustang variants.
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
POSTED: 5:35 p.m. EST, December 15, 2006



NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Ford Motor Company released a statement today calling reports that the company would make four-door variants of its Mustang sports car "not true."

"The Mustang is an icon and will continue in its current form: a unique two-door, rear-wheel drive, 2+2 performance car," the statement says.

The term "2+2" refers to a car, like the Mustang, with small back seats.

The current issue of the auto enthusiast magazine AutoWeek includes a report that Ford was considering making four-door variants of the next-generation Mustang, possibly including a wagon.

"We are standing by our sources for that story," said Bob Gritzinger of Autoweek, acknowledging that the company might have changed its mind.

Ford's statement does not mean that the company would never manufacture a vehicle using the fundamental engineering or even some design cues from a future Mustang, Ford Brand Communications Manager Alan Hall said.

But the Mustang name will only be attached to the classic Mustang-style car, Hall said.

"You have to appreciate that we treat the Mustang as one of our crown jewels," said Ford marketing spokesman Jim Cain, "and you don't wear them to every party."

Ford will unveil a concept car called "The Interceptor" at the Detroit Auto Show in January. That car will be based on the Mustang's rear-wheel-drive architecture but it will not be a Mustang, the company emphasized in its announcement.

There are currently no production plans for that vehicle, the company said.

Dont worry, it aint happening.