The original Ford Mustang brought sports car-like performance to the mainstream much like Henry Ford's Model T which made it possible for the regular Joe to own a car. Mustang achieved its iconic status by offering the utility of a family saloon and performance of a sports car at an affordable price.
As a style icon Ford’s pony car even influenced design philosophies of other carmakers and today we can spot Mustang’s styling elements in foreign cars around the world. Mustang is one of the most recognized cars in the world and its trivia spans over half a century. Here are some obscure facts about Mustang.
10 A Legendary Launch
Ford Mustang was destined for greatness and things looked pretty good for the motor company when it introduced Mustang as its flagship model. The event was even covered by the TIME magazine which dubbed the iconic pony car as “a Ferrari for the masses”.
As one of Ford’s most successful models, the Mustang has been in production for 56 years. The outgoing model of Mustang is currently in its sixth generation and the company has now embarked on a new frontier with a futuristic propulsion system.
9 Return Of A Movie Icon
After a short hiatus, Mustang just recently made it glorious Hollywood comeback with a brief cameo in the Academy Award-nominated film Ford vs. Ferrari. Ford Mustang used to be a Hollywood favorite before German carmaker Audi took over the silver screen. It was only a few years ago that movie franchises were obsessed with Mustang.
Hollywood blockbusters like Gone in 60 Seconds and Need for Speed are some of the many successful films that featured Mustang as a Hero car. Ford offers the current Mustang fastback model in a British racing green color scheme which is inspired by the car driven by Steve McQueen in the 1968 film Bullitt.
8 Unusual Sales Approach
Ford Mustang was so popular that, on many occasions, dealers would have to sell inventory by lottery. Things have drastically changed since then but Mustang continues to offer a lot of bang for the buck. Ford is world-renowned for delivering supercar-like performance at discount warehouse prices.
The company’s Coyote-powered Mustang can leave offerings from some of the most prestigious European makes in its dust and it will still not burn a hole into your savings. Ford takes advantage of its parts-bin quite well and this substantially reduces the Mustang’s maintenance costs.
7 It Faces A New Type Of Rival
The Mustang is an Icon and there is no denying that but as the world moves into the next era of automotive technology, it is no surprise that the future of four-wheelers lays in the EV space. A pioneer in the electrified segment, Tesla offers its mass-market offering, Model 3 with prices starting at just $31,690 after taking into account potential savings.
Prices for the entry-level Mustang variant start at $26,670 and much like the customer base of performance sedans, more and more Mustang buyers are opting for Tesla’s offering instead of the legendary sports car.
6 Modern Variants Of The Muscle Car Are Surprisingly Efficient
It can be incredibly difficult to distinguish between different variants of the Ford Mustang. As far as exterior styling is concerned, there are very subtle styling differences between different Mustang models. This means that customers don’t have to shell out for a top-end model to own a stylish sports car.
Mustang’s base variant is ideal for buyers who need a practical commuting solution but are also looking to own a piece of Americana. With an EPA estimated combined fuel economy of 26 MPG, the entry-level EcoBoost variant makes for a very practical daily commuter.
5 Staggering Success
Ford had an instant hit with the Mustang when the muscle car was officially unveiled back in 1962. That very day (April 17th) Ford received 22,000 orders for the pony car and by March 2nd, 1966 Ford had sold a million units of the muscle car.
This nameplate is also one of the very few cars that have been in production for over half a century. Ford Mustang’s production run is responsible for giving us some of the most badass sports cars of all time.
4 A Nameplate With Many Body Types
The Ford Mustang is not just a series of convertibles and coupes that are powered by big thumping V8s. The blue oval brand has also introduced the pricing of its Mach-E electric crossover vehicle which is a Mustang-inspired, battery-only offering.
Ford introduced its electric SUV- the Mustang Mach-E as an extension of the pony car nameplate and recently, the company even showcased a 1400 BHP battery-powered prototype of the sports car. With the growing demand for EVs and SUVs, Ford Mach-E is exactly what the brand needs to stay relevant in the current market condition.
3 It’s One Of The Safest Sports Cars On The Road
Most supercar manufacturers tend to opt-out of crash tests either because of their limited production run or by citing the performance-oriented nature of their product. Some brands even use software to virtually simulate crash tests but Ford opted to physically crash test Mustang and as it turns out it is one of the safest cars on-road.
The outgoing Mustang on the other hand not only offers power figures that can rival the finest performance vehicles from around the world but also gets a five-star crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
2 Supportive Aftermarket Community
The Mustang's popularity is a thing of fables. There are several reports of customers breaking out into riots around the dealerships when the sports car was first introduced and that enthusiasm still endures today.
However, passion for the Mustang is much more constructive now and has spawned a dedicated aftermarket community that offers everything from striking body kits to state-of-the-art performance enhancing equipment. There are also specialist tuning houses like Shelby and Roush which aspire to deliver some of the most capable Mustangs in the world.
1 Subject Aspirations
Back in the 70s, Japanese car manufacturer, Toyota was so enchanted by the design of the Mustang that it even styled the 1973 Celica to emulate the famous sports car. Over its 56-year production run, Ford developed several versions of Mustang and some of them became cult icons in their own right.
For the first time in 17 years, the blue oval brand has decided to resurrect one such cult icon- the Mustang Mach 1 moniker in form of a special edition variant of the 2021 Mustang. The excitement surrounding this upcoming supercar is a testament to the model’s popularity.