John Wick is a fictional title character of the John Wick film series. Played by Keanu Reeves, this character is a retired assassin until a Russian gang invades his house. After the gang kills his dog, he goes on a non-stop cycle of revenge, getting back at those who have harmed him.
In film series, John’s wife is terminally ill, and we see him fall apart on screen. He spends his days driving his 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. During the movie, we see how this car is influential in the evolution of the story. Although you can't obtain the original that Keanu Reeves drove in the first movie, you can definitely check out the new recreation of the classic car. We'll go over the true story behind the Mustang, and how you can add this to the list of everything you need to know about John Wick's cars.
Let’s see the true story behind John Wick’s Mustang…
Update March 2022: This article was updated with more information about Jon Wick's 1969 Ford Mustang
All You Need To Know About The Story Of John Wick
After John’s wife’s funeral, he takes his new dog, Daisy out to get some food. He stops at a gas station to refuel his car. As Wick is about to leave the gas station, three men pull up alongside him. One of the men takes notice of his beautiful Mustang.
He compliments John on his ‘Boss 429’ and asks if it is a 1970 model year. Wick is sure to correct him, saying it is a 1969 model, and not 1970. But interestingly, Wick never corrects the man by saying it isn’t a Boss 429, but rather a Mach 1.
Later that day, the three men from the station follow John home and break into his house - kill his dog, and steal his Mustang. Although John is not able to retrieve the car by the end of the first movie, he undergoes an adventure to repossess his famed vehicle in the second installment.
John Wick Does Not Drive 1970 Mustang Boss 429
Although the man called his car a Boss 429, it is actually a Mustang Mach 1. The biggest giveaway that Wicks’ car isn’t a Boss 429 is that it features an automatic transmission. All 1969 Ford Boss 429 Mustangs were equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission.
We can see that it is clearly an automatic transmission in the second movie. The moment when John steals his car back from the man, he grabs the recognizable StarShifter Automatic gear lever and slams his car into reverse. This shows how it is certainly not manual transmission, and therefore, not a Boss 429.
In addition, the car features the non-functional hood scoop equipped standard on the 1969 and 1970 Mach 1. The design is completely different from the prominent hood scoop of the Boss 429. Furthermore, John Wick’s car has a chin splitter and rear spoiler that was not available for the Boss 429.
Lastly, the interior of the car has the appearance of the Mach 1, but includes a steering wheel from the Shelby Mustang for added flare. Either the John Wick has no idea about his car, or the producers decided to take some creative liberty with the Mustang.
Many Mustangs Were Crashed While Filming John Wick
Throughout the course of the first movie, the company used a total of five Mustangs in the production of just the first installation. Unfortunately, the crew destroyed all five of the classic cars while shooting this film. It is reported that Reeves performed most of his stunts in the car but also crashed one on his first take.
The Mustang Mach 1 Specs
Looking at John Wick’s car at a glance, we can see that it is a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The transmission is an automatic with a B&M shifter. The exterior color of the car is a metal gray, with the interior being black. The seats inside are high-back design. The car features dual rally stripe decals, hood pins, a front chin and rear deck lid spoilers.
The wheels on the Wick's Mach 1 are Magnum 500, and the tires are Firestone Wide Oval. The steering wheel used is a Shelby Wood 3-Spoke wheel. Overall, this Mustang Mach 1 is a notable and unique car, not only for its specifications but for the impact that it had in the movie and automotive world.
John Wick's Mustang is one of the most iconic cars to ever feature in Hollywood movies. It stands alongside James Bond's Aston Martin DB5, the Toyota Supra from the original Fast And Furious movies, or the TransAm from Smokey and the Bandit. Just like them, an original movie car is rare to come by, especially since all of them were crashed while filming. However, many replica models and kits are available similarly, should you fancy converting your Mustang Mach 1 to resemble the ones in the John Wick movies.