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Hagens Berman: Class Certification Granted in Lawsuit Against Ford for Shelby GT350 Mustang Limp Mode Defect

Today, a federal judge certified a class of Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang owners in a class-action lawsuit accusing the automaker of knowingly selling models that while marketed as “track-ready” cannot actually be operated safely on a racetrack due to a defective powertrain, according to Hagens Berman and Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, co-counsel law firms representing the plaintiffs.

“Through product placement in James Bond movies and racing partnerships with figures like Carroll Shelby, Ford has spent half a century cultivating an aura of performance and adventure. But these Plaintiffs allege, to Lee Iacocca’s chagrin, that their cars are more like Pintos than Mustangs,” said Judge Federico A. Moreno in his July 1, 2021 order.

The order goes on to state, “In reality, Plaintiffs say, the Base and Technology package versions of the cars were intentionally designed without coolers in order to inflate Ford’s profits margins. As a result, the Base and Tech cars could not complete a full ‘Track Day’ without going into ‘Limp Mode.’”

Judge Moreno certified statutory and common law fraud classes in California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Washington; statutory fraud classes in Missouri and Texas; common law fraud classes in Oregon and Tennessee; and implied warranty and Magnuson-Moss classes in California and Texas. The order also appoints the firms as class counsel.

“We are pleased the court has allowed our claims to continue and look forward to leading this case forward with something these affected Mustangs surely lack – speed and endurance,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman. “The class of individuals who purchased these pricey pieces of history deserve to have more than a flashy trophy in their garage. They deserve to have a car that is capable of the track performance they were baited with.”

“Mr. Shelby, the founder of this line, would be shocked to see Ford refusing to fix the problem as other manufacturers have who were in a similar situation,” he added.

If you own or lease a 2016 Shelby GT350 Mustang Base model or Technology Package model, you may be entitled to compensation for this defect that inhibits your car’s performance. Contact Hagens Berman to find out more about this issue and your consumer rights against Ford.

According to the lawsuit originally filed Mar. 22, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, after spending a big premium to own a piece of racing history, drivers soon learned that once on the track, their track-ready vehicles can lose speed and power mid-drive, without warning and in as little as 15 minutes. In other words they behave like Pintos, not Mustangs, on the track, in Judge Moreno’s phrasing.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for a class of consumers who purchased or leased the affected vehicles, as well as injunctive relief for Ford’s misconduct related to the design, manufacture, marketing, sale and lease of affected vehicles.

Learn more about the lawsuit against Ford.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm operating in 10 cities worldwide. The firm’s tenacious drive for plaintiffs’ rights has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

About Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen

Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen is a team of award-winning trial attorneys devoted to helping individuals and businesses damaged by other’s negligence or misconduct seek the justice to which they are entitled. From its four offices throughout Florida, the firm is focused on the catastrophically injured and high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts in Florida and around the nation covering multiple areas of trial law, including medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death and complex litigation cases. Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen is extremely selective about who it chooses to represent because the firm is dedicated to ensuring clients receive the personal attention they deserve during their representation. For nearly 30 years, Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen has achieved a record of jury verdicts and settlements for its clients totaling more than one billion dollars and has been recognized with multiple national and regional awards, such as the LawDragon 500 Leading Attorneys in America, the Perry Nichols Award, Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and Top Attorneys in Florida. To learn more about Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, visit www.grossmanroth.com or call 888-296-1681.

Contacts:

Ashley Klann
pr@hbsslaw.com
206-268-9363

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