In mid-April, Ford celebrated the 55th anniversary of one of its most iconic models, the Mustang. The car has been officially available in Europe since 2015, but the love between it and the continent dates back to the birth of the iconic American muscle in 1964.
To celebrate the birthday of the iconic car in the UK, 66 enthusiasts boarded their Mustangs together and joined four brand new and classic models from Ford’s own collection. The number 55 was then chosen. Production of the Ford Mustang began in March 1964 as a compact car based on the previous model, the Falcon. The name Mustang is derived from the P51 Mustang fighter jet from World War II.
Mustang marked the beginning of a new class of cars — with a long front and short back, later becoming the muse of many other models — Chevrolet Camaro, Chrysler Barracuda, Toyota Celica, Ford Capri and others.
Ford’s initial expectations and sales targets were 100,000 units in the first year, but the performance was so successful and the car was so well received by the public that over a million units were sold in the first 8 months alone!
In the first generation, engines started with a 2.8-liter petrol engine, which was soon replaced by a 3.3-liter with 120 hp. What follows is a host of new and more powerful engine options on offer, the most powerful of which is the 7-liter V8 developing over 400 horsepower. Just a year after its release, the first Ford Mustang made its debut in theaters. the car participates in the famous «Goldfinger» from the series about the legendary Agent 007 — James Bond. the model quickly became a real movie star and starred in more than 500 films in 55 years.
In the US, car prices have always been reasonable — in the current version, they start at $24,000. Moreover, the first generation of the model was sold for exactly $ 2,368, which quickly gives it an advantage in the market. The one who invented and launched the car in the middle of the last century — Lee Iacocca, made a brilliant marketing move. He invites potential buyers to see the first Mustang prototype, which has not yet been shown to the press. And he forces them to determine the price themselves.
Most say the amount is $1,000 more than Ford determined, and are adamant that the car is too small and expensive. However, when they understand exactly how much it will cost them, they immediately change their minds.
Lee Iacocca says one of the hardest things about designing a car is coming up with a name. The Mustang case is even more interesting because Henry Ford III himself was involved in choosing the name.
One option is to name the car Torino, but shortly before its release, the grandson of the founder of the company married a beautiful Italian woman who subsequently left him. Thus, all Italian associations are prohibited.
Eventually Ford sent one of his experts to the Detroit Public Library, where he had to dig up the names of every known animal in various languages. Thousands of options were offered, and Yakoka settled on 5 of them — Bronco, Puma, Cheetah, Stallion and, finally, Mustang.
The 1967 Mustang is the oldest version of the car released in the LEGO series, boasting over 1,400 parts and customization options. With details including a rear axle that can be «attached» to the detailed engine bay under the hood opening, this model is a real challenge for Mustang fans and LEGO enthusiasts alike.
