Custom 2011 Mustang GT To Grace New Nelly Album: 2010 Detroit Auto Show

DETROIT — The Mustang continues its long reach into the popular culture with word on Tuesday at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show that the 2011 Mustang GT will be part of the artwork on Grammy Award-winning artist Nelly's upcoming album.

The Nelly Mustang was customized by DUB magazine. It gets a custom gloss black paint job with flat black racing stripes and a one-off custom wide-body Street Scene body kit with custom 22- and 24-inch TIS Modular wheels and Pirelli tires. It also includes a billet grille, hood scoop, tinted taillights, Eibach springs and angel-eye headlights.

The cabin gets a suede-and-leather design and a custom JL Audio system with two 12-inch subwoofers, amps and speakers.

"This vehicle being a part of my album artwork is just a reflection of the direction and feel that album has," said Nelly in a statement issued by Ford.

The Mustang is one of the best-known brands in American automaking, with recognition almost as high as the Ford name itself. Ford has been throwing itself into nontraditional forms of advertising of late, with a growing emphasis on social media.

It is not clear if Ford is paying to advertise the Mustang on Nelly's new album.

Inside Line says: Another example of the subtle insertion of auto advertising in the most unexpected places. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent