The Woodward Dream Cruise will be home to this mystery debut.
Ford will be the lead sponsor for this year's Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. That means there will be plenty of Mustang-centric activities in and around Detroit. Some of those activities include 20th-anniversary celebrations of Mustang Alley, a Bullitt parade, and the debut of an all-new Ford product. What that product is, though, remains a mystery.
Our best guess is a new Mustang trim. Even though Ford is touting its new Bullitt extensively, that car debuted in Detroit, and we drove it on the streets of San Francisco last week – so it's far from new. It could be a special California or Boss 302 if we're lucky. Last February, images hinted at a new Boss, but there haven't been any reports to back up those claims.
If we really wanted to speculate, it could be the new Shelby GT500. Ford has been testing its Shelby prototypes extensively over the past few months. The Woodward Dream Cruise would be an appropriate setting for the 700-horsepower super coupe to debut.
We took these pony cars for a spin:
Alongside the debut of a brand-new model, Ford will also introduce a one-off Bullitt Mustang finished in a Kona Blue paint job. That car will cross the auction block in November, with profits benefiting juvenile diabetes research.
It won't be the first muscle car to debut at Woodward – and it surely won't be the last. In 2014, Dodge showed its then-new Charger and Challenger Hellcat models at Woodward. Again in 2017, Dodge dropped its Charger Daytona and Challenger T/A.
The Ford debut will take place at the Ford Media Club House on August 16th, at 10 A.M. eastern time. Other activities will include the 20th anniversary of Mustang Alley, which will see more than 1,000 Mustangs lined up on Woodward, a Bullitt parade – with both modern and classic examples – and a Ford Driving Skills course.
Source: Ford
The new Shelby GT500 is coming...:
WHAT: Ford is pleased to serve as presenting sponsor of the 2018 Woodward Dream Cruise – America’s largest annual celebration of automotive history and culture
WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 16 through Saturday, Aug. 18
WHERE: Woodward Avenue, from Ferndale to Pontiac
Media-only parking at Our Lady of La Salette Church, 2600 Harvard Road, Berkley, Mich., with shuttle running between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. EDT Thursday and between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. EDT Friday and Saturday
Activity venues include:
- Ford Woodward Dream Cruise Media Club House: 28028 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, Mich. (Kruse and Muer Restaurant)
- Mustang Alley: 9 Mile and Woodward Avenue
- Consumer activities: Pleasant Ridge Park and Pioneer Park
- Ford Driving Skills for Life: 27659 Woodward Ave., Berkley, Mich. (Westborn Market)
Note: Media credentials/press passes are required for Ford Media Club House entry
Ford activities include:
Reveal of new vehicle: Production vehicle announcement (Ford Media Club House, Thursday, Aug. 16, 10 a.m. EDT)
Opening ribbon cutting: Ribbon cutting followed by police parade to open Woodward Dream Cruise (9 Mile and Woodward Avenue, Friday, Aug. 17, 5 p.m. EDT)
20th anniversary of Mustang Alley: Ford expects as many as 1,000 Mustangs lined up for nearly a mile (9 Mile and Woodward Avenue, Saturday, Aug. 18, all day)
Power lunch: Get to know Ford Performance and Mustang teams (Ford Media Club House, Friday, Aug. 17, noon to 1 p.m. EDT)
Debut of Mustang “JDRF” Bullitt: Raffle sales begin for one-off Kona Blue Mustang Bullitt. Raffle will be held in November to support juvenile diabetes research (Ford Media Club House, Friday, Aug. 17, 2 p.m. EDT)
Bullitt parade: New 2019 Mustang Bullitt and historic Mustang Bullitt models parade down Woodward Avenue (Starting at Our Lady of La Salette Church, Saturday, Aug. 18, 7:00 a.m. EDT)
Eagle Squadron Mustang GT presented to AirVenture auction winner: Vaughn Gittin Jr. delivers one-of-a-kind Eagle Squadron Mustang GT to AirVenture auction winner (Saturday, Aug. 18, 1 p.m. EDT)
Ford Driving Skills for Life: Demonstrations and rides on award-winning program’s vehicle handling course as well as virtual reality and 360-degree video of wheel swap as part of the Share the Road bicycle safety campaign (Westborn Market, Saturday, Aug. 18, all day)
Family fun zone SUV and CUV activation (Pioneer Park, Saturday, Aug. 18, all day)
Ford Owners Club, including Bronco Club and F-Series Club (Pleasant Ridge Park, Saturday, Aug. 18, all day)
Additional media opportunities include:
- First Mustang ever sold, a 1964.5 model, plus 10-millionth Mustang displayed at Ford Media Club House (Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, all day both days)
- Screening of the iconic movie “Bullitt” at unique drive-in theater at Ford Media Club House (Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, both days – show time TBA)
- Original Mustang Bullitt along with new 2019 Mustang Bullitt models available for media to drive at screening of “Detroit: Comeback City” at Ford Media Club House drive-in (Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. EDT both days)
- Right-hand-drive Mustang cruises Woodward with members of Ford Mustang team (Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, all day both days)
- DADA-sponsored scissor lift for media to grab bird’s-eye view for Woodward Dream Cruise (Saturday, Aug. 18, all day)
- Media-only cruise opportunities in Ford police vehicles (Thursday, Aug. 16 through Saturday, Aug. 18, all day all three days)
- Media-only cruise opportunities in vintage Mustang vehicles (Thursday, Aug. 16 through Saturday, Aug. 18, all day all three days)
- Media-only cruise opportunities in Mustang Bullitt and convertibles (Thursday, Aug. 16 through Saturday, Aug. 18, all day all three days)