Unusual Facts About Mustangs
Since its introduction in 1964, with the distinct "1964-1/2" model year, the Ford Mustang has been an iconic American muscle car. It became increasingly beefy and powerful before sinking in the middle 1970s into nothing more than a glorified Pinto. The Mustang staged a dramatic comeback in the 1990s with both styling and power that harkened back to the car's glory years, and today the Mustang is once again considered the pride of Detroit.
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Origins
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According to the Muscular Mustangs website, John Najjar, who designed the initial Mustang prototype, said he named his car after the P-51 Mustang airplane, but then-Ford chief "Lee Iacocca has stated a few times that it was directly named after the horse itself, not the airplane."
The Mustang did not get its own platform initially. Instead, the car was based on the Falcon platform. Years later, when the Mustang II was introduced, Ford would once again base the model on a different car's platform--in this case, the lowly Pinto.
Glory Days
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The first Mustang sold was to an airline pilot.
While the Mustang convertible is the most desired model among today's collectors, both of the initial 1964-1/2 models were hardtops.
The movie "Bullitt," which prominently features the Mustang, premiered on October 17, 1968. It became an instant hit among Mustang fans and is still shown at Mustang rallies and car club meetings today. More than 30 years later, in 2001, Ford introduced a special Mustang "Bullitt" GT model. The car had distinctive side scoops, 17-inch "Bullitt"-style wheels, and a lowered and specially-tuned suspension.
An orange 1973 Mustang Mach I was prominently featured in the 1974 action movie "Gone in 60 Seconds".
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The Lean Years
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The 1974 Mustang II, with its four-cylinder engine--a response to the gas shortages of the early 1970s--is commony derided as one of the worst U.S. cars ever made and virtually identical, mechanically, to the much-maligned Ford Pinto. Yet that model sold three times as many cars as the 1973 Mustang.
The 1980s and 1990s
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The Mustang celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1984 with a special V-8-powered GT that came in Oxford white with a Canyon red interior.
In the late 1980s, Ford executives almost moved the Mustang over to a front-wheel-drive platform, but the outcry among Mustang fans was so loud that the company relented. Instead, Ford created the front-wheel-drive Probe.
For the 25th anniversary, the traditional running horse logo was brought back to the dashboard, along with the inscription, "25 Years." This design element was limited to Mustangs produced between April 1989 and April 1990.
Rebirth
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A 40th anniversary edition Mustang GT convertible, which rolled off the assembly line in 2004, bears the distinction of being the Ford Motor Co.'s 300 millionth car.
The 2004s also were the last to be built at Ford's legendary Dearborn Assembly Plant, which had built Mustangs since the car's inception.
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