China will finally get the iconic Ford Mustang. Official sales will start on January 20. The Ford Mustang is mighty popular in China but so far only available via the gray dealer-to-dealer market. Ford will offer the 2.3 liter turbo four and the 5.0 V8 GT. The 3.7 liter V6 won’t be available in China.

Price for the 2.3T Ecoboost will start around 420.000 yuan ($67.500), and price for the 5.0 V8 around 800.000 yuan ($128.600). Prices (MSRP) in the United States are $25.300 and  $32.300 respectively. The giant difference is caused partly by China’s ridiculous import tariffs and road taxes, and partly by Ford being very greedy.

Ford might make a few extra bucks but it isn’t a very smart move. With these kind of prices they gray market will continue to supply an alternative, and indeed the gray boys are already doing just that. A dealer in Tianjin offers a whole bunch of brand new 2.3T Mustangs for 358.000 yuan ($57.570), and that is 62.000 yuan cheaper than the official car. Not sure where the Tianjin dealer gets his Mustangs from, but most gray muscle cars are bought at dealers on the U.S. West Coast.

Ford is now the only one being messy with a popular muscle car. Main competitor of the Mustang is the Chevrolet Camaro, which is officially sold in China for some years. It is however only available with the 3.6 V6, priced from 455.000 yuan ($73.000), and the V8 models are still imported by the gray market only.