Jan. 20--For the first time in six generations of Mustangs, Ford is putting the pony car on a trip abroad -- to overseas markets.
The automaker is loading the first of the recently redesigned Mustangs onto a ship in Portland that's headed for China. The first exports are headed to Asia with cars for Europe -- including right-hand drive Mustangs, scheduled for later this year.
Ford Motor Co. exports about 400,000 cars from the United States annually.
"Henry Ford exported the sixth Model A assembled in 1903, and we continue this legacy today," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas. "Exporting Ford and Lincoln vehicles to Asia Pacific and beyond is an important part of Ford's global growth story."
Prepping the cars for export requires extra effort to make sure they survive the sea journey and meet the local regulations of their destination. For example, Ford applies a special underbody coat to the Mustang to protect against corrosion that may occur during ocean transit. Ford also applies additional wrapping to the vehicles.
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