Mustang waiting list growing

Ford dealers across Australia are reporting that the waiting list for the new Mustang has stretched out to next June.

Last month Ford reported that more than 2000 Australians so far have paid deposits for the car — including one customer who ordered six — but CarsGuide has been told some dealers are holding more than 50 orders.

"Order a car today and you're looking at June delivery next year," said one leading Ford dealer.

Several dealers in other states reported the same forecast for fresh orders.

The news comes as Ford has begun a Mustang roadshow across the country, ahead of its showroom arrival in December.

We think we will sell more four-cylinder Mustangs once people can take it for a test drive

In the coming weeks Ford is taking the Mustang to select dealers who are hosting customer preview nights; only those who ordered a car have been invited. Ford reports that almost half of the Mustangs sold so far are of the V8 coupe, and the most popular colour is red, ahead of black and grey.

Ford is yet to reveal how many customers have placed orders for the four-cylinder version but dealers are reporting a surprising uptake.

"At first the enthusiasts come out and most of them want the V8, but we are seeing people who want the look and are happy with the four-cylinder version," said another leading Ford dealer.

"We think we will sell more four-cylinder Mustangs once people can take it for a test drive."

One in four Mustang customers at some dealers have never owned a Ford before, and some are trading BMW and Mercedes-Benz coupes.

"That has really surprised us," one dealer said.

The buyer response for the 2015 Ford Mustang has been extraordinary

One customer ordered a new Mustang over the phone minutes after returning from testing one in the US.

Ford says a handful of Mustang enthusiasts have ordered more than one car, at least one private buyer has ordered six, and a sportscar rental company has ordered 20, the biggest single order so far.

"The buyer response for the 2015 Ford Mustang has been extraordinary," says David Blackwood, Dealer Principal of the Bayford Group in Victoria.

"As soon as Ford announced Mustang was coming to Australia (in December 2013) our phones started ringing. A few customers even made deposits before pricing and specifications were confirmed. I've never seen anything quite like it."

The Mustang ranges in price from $44,990 for a four-cylinder manual coupe, to $63,990 for a V8 automatic convertible.

While sports suspension is an option in the US, all Australian cars will come with the performance pack as standard. But the "burnout button" designed to warm the rear tyres in off-street drag racing has been deleted from Australian Mustangs amid Ford concerns of a backlash from safety groups.