Message from the RMR President
Let me start by wishing you the best this holiday season. This is the time of year where everyone, hopefully, is a little bit nicer to each other in spirit of the season.
I am writing this letter to address an issue that has developed in the Mustang community over the past couple of weeks. The “issue” is the announcement of the Mustang Mach E and its impact on the car enthusiast scene.
To explain the impact, I need to explain some fundamental theories and distinctions between Ford Motor Company versus the Red Mustang Registry.
In the eyes of Ford, the Mustang is a model of a car that has been quintessential in the success for the company and the shareholders of Ford for many years. The combination of changes in emissions regulations, technological advances, declining sales in coupes, and the market shift towards crossover vehicles, have pushed Ford in a direction that will inevitably cause the traditional Pony vehicle to come to an end. It may not be this year or in the next couple – but most likely within the next decade. Ford has decided to leverage the best Model and name brand it has to other vehicles and transition Mustang from a model to a brand.
In my eyes, the Mustang is more than a model of a car. Mustang is an “experience”. It is the thrill of a specific pony car that has a distinct shape, sound, style and feel. There are other vehicles that offer similar pony experiences, but the thing we all have in common is the exuberance we feel when we drive our red Mustang. 1964 – present, we all get that smile on our face, the racing of our heartbeat when we put our hands on the steering wheel. It does not matter if it is a 120 HP 1967 or a 460 HP 2020, the “experience” is the same (You just get to experience the thrill faster in the 2020). The purpose of the Red Mustang Registry is to bring together Red Mustang owners to celebrate, commemorate and commiserate about our Mustangs and the shared experiences we have.
The Ford Mustang Mach E is a Mustang according to the company that designed, produced and will sell it. However, it is not a Mustang that can provide the same experience as the Pony cars we all love. Is it fast? Yes. Does the Horsepower and torque matching a “traditional” Mustang? Sure. It also has four doors and is closer in design to a SUV than a car. Will it be an exciting ride? Maybe…. But can you see that car going around Daytona Speedway or Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Can you see the smiles it would bring people if 25 of them came down the road together? Can you hear the throaty roar as it passes by? No… No, and definitely No. The Mach E is a Mustang in name only but it is NOT a Mustang that will give the experience and feel that we all expect and celebrate.
It boils down to one simple statement – “Mustang equals passion to the hobby/enthusiast and Mustang equals profit to Ford Motor Company”. I do not have to answer to shareholders. I do not have to be profitable to have continuity. My passion is measured in heartbeats, not dollars.
As the founder and president of the Red Mustang Registry, and the owner of www.allredmustangs.com I WANT to consider the feelings and opinions of the membership, but the general direction of the company (yes the registry is legally a company) is up to me. My gut reaction to NOT ALLOW the Mach E in the registry is based not only on my opinion (although it was the predominate factor) but also based on the years of experience I have in the Mustang Enthusiast Hobby. I have participated in hundreds of car shows, hosted a dozen shows, judged shows and interacted with THOUSANDS of current Mustang enthusiasts. I strongly felt, and still do, that my initial reaction was echoed by the masses. Not everyone feels this way – but the majority of enthusiasts feel that this decision by Ford was a bad one.
So here is the official position of the Red Mustang Registry - we will NOT allow the Mach E to register in our organization. To this effect I have changed the name of the group to the Red Pony Mustang Registry. Our logo, letters and image will not change. We will continue to celebrate the PONY experience together in the years to come. If you wish to leave RMR due to this decision, I wish you the best. If you plan on owning both, we always will welcome you in the group – but we will not allow solo pictures of a 4 door SUV on any RMR pages.
If you have any questions, please email me at steve@allredmustangs.com.
I wish you all health and happiness as we celebrate the holiday season and a new year.
Sincerely,
Steve Schatten
Founder & President, Red Pony Mustang Registry