History of the Ford Mustang
This is the story of the most iconic American automobile ever made
If there is a car that can be said to be a classic piece of Americana, the Ford Mustang is it. For decades the Mustang has enjoyed unparalleled popularity. They say necessity is the mother of invention, well the Mustang was created with a great need to boost poor sales and compete with rival car companies and Ford put together the right mix of design and marketing to come out on top.
The Concept
Ford wasn't doing well in the year 1964. Although it had experienced good sales with its Falcon model in years past, Chevrolet had pulled ahead in sales due to its development of the Corvair Monza. Ford pinpointed the style and character of the new Chevy cars as their reason for their success and set out to answer back with a little of their own.
Lee Iacocca stepped up to the plate and suggested the new vehicle be designed by the people. At first, upper management at Ford rejected the concept, but eventually Iacocca won them over and soon after the car began its design stage. In order to reduce costs on the development, the Mustang used many parts that were originally included on other car models, notably the drivetrain that was found in both the Fairlane and the Falcon. It came in two-seater models, coup or convertible.
The Campaign
To launch their new car, Ford put together an extraordinary advertising campaign. Ford debuted the Mustang at the World's Fair in New York on April 17, 1964. Within two days the advertisements were all over U.S. television. The campaign was one of the most successful launches in American history, with over a million Mustangs sold in its first year and a half on the market (during which time it was upgraded to a four-seater).
A significant selling piece of the Mustang was that it was built to order. That is, purchasers had a huge list of options that they could select on the car for themselves. Air conditioning, power steering and a high performance engine were all offered, along with different power train combinations. The Mustang was the first automobile to offer a laundry list of options and it became extremely profitable for both manufacturers and dealers.
New Models
The '64 to '66 Mustang models were built with a sports car look, including long hoods and shorter rear units. Interiors were also designed along sports lines, with a small backseat and two seats in the front.
1967 and 1968 Mustangs had a larger grill than the original models, and also a widened hood that was more aggressive looking and a better reflection of the engine units.
1969 and 1970 Mustangs were longer than the previous models, and were also heavier. In addition, the headlights of the Mustang were now housed inside the grill instead of protruding.
'71 to '73 saw the heaviest Mustangs to date put on the market.
The second generation of Mustangs saw a return to the appearance of the original model, but with important innovations in the guts. Rack-and-pinion steering was an important part of the system that was manufactured from 1974-1978.
Third generation Mustangs were produced longer than any other generation of the vehicle. While it lacked the cosmetic appeal of the other generations (being smaller and with softer lines), this model had a complete reworking of the interior so that four people would fit in it comfortably. With a 302 with a better camshaft and new valves as well as an updated exhaust system, the third generation of Mustang was the best from a performance point of view, being one of the fastest domestic cars available in America.
But the third generation Mustang didn't catch the consumers eye the way previous Mustangs had, so Ford redesigned it with the goal of restoring the heady sales-figures of earlier generations. The manufacturers relied on a return to the sporty look to accomplish this, and the move paid off. The new Mustangs were almost a perfect hybrid of the earlier models in look, and included all the innovations in the guts that had made the Mustang a reliable performance car.
With the 2005 redesign, the fifth-gen Mustang has gone retro. Like sleeker versions of their 1960's era predecessors, these Mustang continue to shine for a new generation of Americans.
About the Author
Alex consults for a hobby shop offering diecast model cars as well as highly detailed Mustang pedal cars for kids.
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