2005 Mustang GT Gallops on Pirellis

Fords V8-Powered Pony Car is Shod with Pirelli High-Performance Radials as Behooves a Car with 300 Horses Under the Hood Detroit, Michigan, Jan. 4, 2004 - Since its dramatic 1964 introduction, Ford Mustang has been the icon of American performance and style, capturing hearts worldwide. Now, here in Detroit, Ford has finally unlocked the stable doors and the world has had its first look at the all-new rip-snorting 2005 Mustang. Based on an all-new, fully modern body structure and chassis system featuring advanced MacPherson struts and a three-link live axle with Panhard rod, Mustang boasts ride, handling and steering sophistication unmatched by any of its ancestors. It produces all the tire-smoking power the rear wheels and most drivers can handle, with an available 24-valve, all-aluminum, modular, 4.6-liter V-8 making Mustang the most affordable 300-horsepower car made today. The 2005 Mustang GT is the first mainstream production Mustang to break into the 300-horsepower arena, a place formerly occupied only by legendary Cobra and Boss models. Right about now, drum roll please, is the time to announce that for the Mustang GT Ford has chosen to connect all this new and sophisticated chassis hardware to the pavement via standard 8-inch wide, 17-inch-diameter alloy wheels fitted with Pirelli P235/55ZR17 W-speed-rated all-season performance tires for year-round driving. Its easy for us to write eloquently about the capabilities of these Pirelli P Zero Neros. But better it should come directly from the horses (or Fords in this instance) mouth. In concert with the ABS and traction control systems, the new, all-season tires make Mustang more practical in rain, ice or snow. On dry pavement, they provide an exceptionally engaging driving experience with high overall grip and good steering response. Pirelli has a long association with some very famous marques noted for their performance automobiles: Ferrari, Maserati, BMW, Porsche, and Lamborghini, to name but a few. And we are extremely proud to be able to add the 2005 Mustang GT to Pirellis list of Original Equipment on the Worlds Finest. Ford Picks Pirelli P6 Four Seasons for All-New Five Hundred and Montego and the Crossover Freestyle The 2004 Five Hundred and Montego, all-new additions to the Ford and Mercury lineups, respectively, represent some significant new thinking about the family sedan. By incorporating some of the features people love about minivans and SUVspassenger roominess, a tall seating position and command of the roadinto these new 4-door sedans, Ford designers and engineers have created interior roominess equal to and even better than many larger cars, while retaining the exterior proportions, maneuverability and fuel-economy benefits of a mid-size car. Fitting in the lineup above the smaller Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable, Five Hundred and Montego will use a new version of Fords 3.0-liter Duratec V-6 and also feature a six-speed automatic or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The new sedans also will feature anti-lock brakes, traction control, side-curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac, an advanced interactive vehicle dynamic stability control system. Complementing Fords active safety features and providing enhanced levels of ride andhandling are Pirelli P6 Four Seasons radials, available in P225/55R18. Fords Freestyle, scheduled to make its debut in 2004, is a new kind of crossover. Purpose-built for consumers with active lifestyles, the Freestyle can convert from a 6-passenger sportwagon to either a 4-passenger sedan or a 4-passenger SportTrac-like vehicle with a cargo bed. Accommodating up to six passengers in three rows of seating, the Freestyle allows multiple seating combinations to fit any need. The vehicles second and third row seats can be folded into the floor for more cargo space, providing a fully flat load floor. The Freestyle features a 3.0-liter 24-valve Duratec V-6 engine and a new continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The front-wheel-drive Freestyle will have an optional all-wheel-drive system featuring an electronically controlled, electro-hydraulic Haldex limited-slip coupling to transfer virtually all available torque to the rear wheels whenever the front wheels slip. Traction control also is available, providing torque transfer from side-to-side. And Freestyle is packed with industry-leading safety technology pioneered by Ford and Volvo, including an exclusive three-row Safety Canopy side curtain air-bag system. Freestyle also features P225/60R18 Pirelli P6 Four Seasons radials as one of its tire fitments. All-season radials are the design of choice for most vehicles sold in North America. And the P6 Four Seasons is the first Pirelli OE tire in North Americas high-performance all-season market. With the P6 Four Seasons, high-performance meets superb all-weather handling. Thanks to a unique design and innovative construction, this tire offers Pirellis legendary performance along with a smooth comfortable ride in dry, wet and snowy conditions, summer, fall, winter and springa tire truly four (all) seasons! Due to its unparalleled performance, P6 Four Seasons is already original equipment (OE) on the Lincoln Town Car, Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis. A 205/50R16 P6 Four Seasons is a fitment on the current Focus ST. It will also be a fitment on the 2005 Focus ST model, which receives a major freshening for 2005 and is making its debut here in Detroit. In addition, Scorpion STR radials are an original equipment fitment on Ford Excursion 4x2 models and Fords Super Duty F-250 and F-350 full-size pickups, in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations.