To mark the beginning of their new partnership, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and Ford® Motor Company are “Playing Loud and Going Fast.” The two innovative U.S. companies have banded together to put the SPIRIT OF ROCK-N-ROLL® on wheels with a unique combo—a sleek black Shelby® GT coupe and matching Shelby® GT Stratocaster guitar. Two car/guitar pairs have been made; the first pair was auctioned off at the January 2007 Barrett-Jackson® Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Ariz., and brought $600,000, all of which will go to the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation™. The second pair will be given away in early 2008 to one lucky person who enters the sweepstakes at www.fender.com/ford. Both sets carry actual Ford VIN tags, with the first set showing No. 001 and the sweepstakes set showing No. 100.

The Stratocaster guitars, built in Fender’s Custom Shop in Corona, Calif., by noted Master Builder Christopher Fleming (who has built guitars for rock notables such as Pete Townshend, ZZ Top, John Mayer, Jeff Beck and the Rolling Stones), have a retail value of $20,000 each. Combined with the Shelby® GT Mustang®, the total sweepstakes value exceeds $50,000.

“As stunning examples of timeless American design, the Stratocaster and Mustang® both have been named American Icons by Rolling Stone magazine in their 35th Anniversary Icons issue,” said Ritchie Fliegler, Fender Senior Vice President of Market Development. “I own one of each! Play Loud-Go Fast? Those are words to live by in my world!”

The first set commanded a jaw-dropping $600,000 after an exciting round of bidding on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the 36th annual Barrett-Jackson® Collector Car Event. The sale took place before a packed house and thousands viewing the auction on the SPEED television network.

 

Pulses raced as bids on the 325-horsepower custom car headed for the stratosphere. When bidding stalled at $500,000, auction staff opened the trunk and took out the matching Stratocaster, wowing the crowd and jumpstarting the bidding. When it was all over minutes later, Chandler, Ariz., car collector Ron Pratte took the car and the guitar for a hefty $600,000. 

“Fender providing a one-of-kind custom guitar added to the drama and excitement on the auction block this year,” said Barrett-Jackson® President Steve Davis. “The Fender/Shelby® custom guitar was a work of art that represented a perfect complement to the first Shelby® GT. The guys at Fender did an incredible job in designing this very cool guitar and captured perfectly the spirit and heritage that both Fender and Shelby® represent, and to have this historical happening witnessed live before millions of people just enhanced this magical moment.”

“This amazing moment was further enhanced when you consider that Ron Pratte raised his own bid on the Shelby® GT to match his 2006 successful $600,000 winning bid, knowing that all proceeds were going to the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation™. The guys and girls at Fender, along with the Ford® and Shelby® teams, did an incredible thing, and Barrett-Jackson® was honored to share in it.”

Ford® Car Division Marketing Manager Robert Parker was equally enthusiastic, noting at the auction that “The Fender relationship is a natural fit—we find that our consumers are very much alike. They’re very passionate about playing their guitars, and they’re very passionate about their cars, especially Mustangs.”

“This has given us a perfect marriage; allowing the two brands to work together,” Parker added. “They’ve been around a long time—the Ford® Mustang® has been around since 1964, and Fender actually had a Mustang® before Ford® had a Mustang®. It’s a natural fit. And in looking at the demographics and the ‘passion points’ of both of our consumers, we find that there are a lot of similarities, and we make the two work very well together.”

The Fender Play Loud-Go Fast Sweepstakes runs through Dec. 31, 2007 and can be found online at www.fender.com/ford.