(March 15, 2015) COLOGNE, Germany — It was a web stampede a half century in the making. Potential customers flooded Ford websites to design, specify and price nearly 500,000 new Ford Mustang models in the first month Mustang was available to order across Europe.

During the first week, more Mustang models were specified online than any other Ford vehicle. Ford Mustang websites, enabling customers to build and price a Mustang to a chosen specification attracted more than 1.1 million visits from mid-January to mid-February.

Data for that period indicated that the new Mustang equipped with the 310-horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine accounted for half of all configurations. The other half were specified with the 5.0-liter V8 engine.

“The rush to configure Mustang online represents 50 years of pent up demand across Europe,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “For some people, the new Mustang is the car they have waited for their whole lives.”

Confirming European tastes for sports cars with accessible performance, the most popular specification overall was the EcoBoost-equipped model with six-speed manual transmission, chosen for 37 per cent of models configured. Manual transmissions overall accounted for two-thirds of models specified.

Of the five largest European sales markets — UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain — the powerful 5.0-liter V8 engine was most popular in the UK (54 per cent) and Germany (60 per cent). The EcoBoost engine was most popular in Italy (61 per cent), Spain (59 per cent) and France (55 per cent). 

The top colors were Race Red and black, each accounting for 20 per cent. In the biggest five sales markets, the most popular colors were:

    U.K.–  Race Red (22 per cent) and Deep Impact Blue (17 per cent)
    France– Race Red (24 per cent) and black (19 per cent)
    Germany– black (21 per cent) and Race Red (18 per cent)
    Italy– black (27 per cent) and Race Red/Deep Impact Blue (13 per cent)
    Spain– black (27 per cent) and Race Red (19 per cent)

In China, where more than five million consumers have visited the Ford site to learn more about Mustang, Race Red is the leader, accounting for more than a third of Mustang orders. In the U.S., black is the number one color.

The Ebony leather interior finish was chosen by 61 per cent across Europe, and 28 per cent of those who configured models online also chose to specify the Custom Pack, which includes:

    “Shaker Pro” premium audio system with navigation
    Climate controlled seats, reverse parking sensors
    Lustre Nickel multi-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels
    Side window chrome surrounds on the fastback model

Engineered to deliver world-class performance, driving dynamics and usability, the new Ford Mustang is available in 10 exterior colors, equipped with standard with 19in wheels, a performance brake package, automatic Xenon headlamps, LED tail lamps, and a rear diffuser. Further standard equipment includes dual-zone climate control, nine-speaker sound system, and SYNC 2 voice control connectivity with eight-inch color touch screen.

Never before has Mustang gone on sale worldwide and the new Mustang will be available to customers in more than 100 markets. First shipments are headed for Asia, with vehicles arriving in continental Europe mid-year and in the U.K. with right-hand drive in the second half of the year.