All-New Mustang Boss 302 Takes Center Stage at Annual Woodward Dream Cruise

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

• New 2012 Mustang Boss 302 will make its Motor City debut as part of Ford display at the Woodward Dream Cruise. Mustang Alley also will honor the pony car's heritage with more than 500 Mustangs lining the street at the event, to be held Aug. 19-21

• On Saturday, Mustang Garage will give visitors the opportunity to add something special to their own cars. Owners of late-model Mustangs can personalize their cars by purchasing specially priced Ford Racing Performance Parts on-site then having them installed right before their eyes

• Current Ford products, like the F-150 SVT Raptor, Shelby GT500, all-new Super Duty and Fiesta will also show their style at the Ford display in Ferndale, Mich.

The Boss 302 is back, and the Ford display at the Woodward Dream Cruise is the perfect place to check out Ford's latest pony car, the recently unveiled 2012 Mustang Boss 302. The Boss 302, along with the track-ready Boss 302 Laguna Seca, will greet visitors to the Ford display in Ferndale, Mich.

Ford employees are also getting in on the fun, bringing an anticipated 10 original Boss Mustangs for display.

But that's not the only Mustang eye-candy. Mustang Alley will showcase more than 500 Mustangs – one of the largest gatherings of Mustangs in the country. The Ford display, which extends more than a mile along 9 Mile Road, also includes the 2011 Mustang GT with the all-new 412-horsepower 5.0-liter engine.

"We're celebrating our entire Mustang lineup with this display," said Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager. "We are letting enthusiasts get up close to learn about and experience our newest Mustangs and see the heritage of Mustangs at the same time."  

For visitors looking to take a piece of Mustang home, Mustang Boss 302 T-shirts will be given to fans. Ford also is selling Mustang Bears for $10, with all proceeds to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Additional Mustang and Ford merchandise also will be available for sale.

On-the-spot upgrades

Ford Racing is bringing the garage to the Woodward Dream Cruise with Mustang Garage, which allows customers to customize their own cars on-site to sound louder and go faster – with show-special Ford Racing Performance Parts installed by trained Ford dealer technicians. Show-goers can make a Mustang Garage appointment in advance by calling Ed Schmid Ford (248-544-1091), or they can walk up to the Ford Racing booth and purchase the parts they want installed, then watch the process happen right before their eyes.

Located at the Ford display on 9 Mile Road, Mustang Garage will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. With any Ford Racing Performance Parts installation, the customer will receive a free Ford Racing T-shirt.

The Ford Racing display also includes Ford Racing specialty cars, a 160-foot-wide display of NASCAR, drag racing and road racing cars, and the Ford Racing Performance Parts display trailer.

What's hot now

Current and future products will line the streets, including a display by Ford's Special Vehicle Team (SVT), which will showcase the F-150 SVT Raptor and Shelby GT500. Current products will include the all-new Fiesta and Super Duty, as well as the Taurus and Fusion.

Other companies joining in the Ford display include Roush Performance and Shelby Automobiles, all taking to the streets of Ferndale to join in the celebration.

Visitors can check out Ford's monster truck, Blue Thunder, with an appearance by driver Linsey Weenk. The Ford area has two stages with live classic rock 'n' roll entertainment, food courts and a play zone for kids.

It's all about the history

The Woodward Dream Cruise is the world's largest one-day celebration of classic car culture. The event attracts more than 1.5 million visitors and more than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom collector and special-interest vehicles.

The annual cruise started as a small event to raise money for a soccer field in Ferndale in 1995. Nelson House and a group of volunteers hoped to create the days of the 1950s and '60s, when cars, music and teenagers took over Woodward Avenue, America's first highway. That year, 250,000 people participated – nearly 10 times the number expected. Today, nearly 100 area charities benefit from the sale of official Dream Cruise merchandise and refreshments each year.

For more information

For Mustang owners registration for Mustang Alley, visit www.motorcityterminators.com. For Dream Cruise events, visit www.ferndaledreamcruise.com.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 159,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company