Mustang turns 45
The Ford Mustang will be 45 years old in 2009. So, to mark this milestone, the 2009 Mustang will get a cool new badge/logo, which includes a galloping pony set in a horseshoe with a 45th anniversary logo, Auto Week reports. The new badge will adorn most Mustangs with V-6 engines and the V-8 GT model. The Mustang was introduced in 1964 at the World's Fair in New York and passed the 9 million sales mark in May of this year.
European sales jump
High fuel costs may be slowing car sales in North America, but not so in Europe, where fuel has been pricey for years, Auto Week reports. New-car sales in Europe jumped almost 10 percent in April compared with 2007 numbers, mostly the result of a recovering German market, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Sales in Germany, Europe's largest market, jumped 20 percent compared with April 2007. The magazine also reports that North America's brands did far better in Europe, too. Ford improved 7.8 percent and General Motors improved 6.3 percent.
Kia's got Soul
Look out, Scion, some competition is on the way. Toyota's youth-oriented Scion brand will get some competition from Kia when the Korean automaker brings its Soul small car to the United States next spring, Auto Week reports. Billed as "rebellious," the Soul will make its world production debut at the Paris motor show in October.
Visit MotorMouth blog
Are you a fan of collectible or classic cars? If you are, then check out the MotorMouth blog at Startribune.com/cars. MotorMouth Kris Palmer, freelance auto writer and editor, who also puts together this section's Weekend Garage column every Saturday, blogs about vintage cars, the collectible auto scene and just about everything else that goes vroom. And, as with any good blog, you can participate. You can post comments and converse with others about a wide variety of vintage car topics.
