Ford Mustang: More than a block of metal
Picture the scene, the roads are cluttered with metal boxes, a sea of grey, silver and black, all looking about as inspiring as an abandoned shopping centre. This is what many cars are, they aren’t a form of inspiration, they are a means of transport, a 3 to 5 year cycle of going to work and back.
Luckily enough, over the history of the car, some brands have decided to bring out the hammer and leave their mark in the history of the automobile, and not settle for misery.
A new wave
The 1960’s. The decade of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, the moon landing, and the Ford Mustang.
Ford decided that there was an opportunity for the baby boomers, with young people getting their driving license, what better to have than an inexpensive, fun, stylish car.
Only problem was, that didn’t exist. You could get inexpensive — but it would be crap. You could get fun and stylish — if you were rich.
So it left the obvious gap, what car could young people drive that was new, modern, fast, without burning a hole in their wallet?
This was needed more than you can imagine, the 60’s embraced a time of optimism, prosperity and change, so a new car was vital to be able to match the energy of the people.
The Ford Mustang
The Mustang launched at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, the answer to America’s new generation.
Various engines came as part of the Mustang. I could bore you with the 6-cylinder, but who wants a 6-cylinder Mustang, that’s like building an outdoor pool for your mansion to then only fill the water half way to save money.
What you want to hear about is the full fat V8’s, ranging from 4.3L–6.4L, with that low down burble ingrained in my mind whenever I think about Steve McQueen hunting down the Dodge Charger in Bullitt.
Power ranged from 200–400 brake horsepower for the V8’s, with inflation that’s about 800 in 2025. I might have made that up but just know it was quick for the 60’s.
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And most importantly, it looked the part. Remember, this is for young people to express themselves, you can’t do that driving the equivalent of a tin can.
Long bonnet, big road presence, those iconic tail lights, the big pony stuck to both ends, and ensured that every new owner could make theirs 1 of 1.
“The car to be designed by you” was the message delivered by Ford, they’ll provide the beautiful base, you apply the finishing touches to make it yours, everyone is happy.
And the price of all this, in 1964, a base of $2,368, with inflation that is just shy of $25,000 at the time of writing, which this time isn’t made up.
So, affordable, good looking, loud, personable, fast, I wonder if it ever became successful?
Automotive history
The bio for this publication is ‘hyperbole infused car stories for your reading pleasure’. But for once, I don’t think the subtitle is exaggerating.
Ford could not have done a better job if they tried, over 400,000 sales in year 1, and over 1,000,000 after 2, those numbers are unheard of.
It wasn’t just numbers, as the saying goes, imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and Ford were more than flattered. By the end of the 60’s, Ford’s biggest rivals Chevrolet, Dodge and Pontiac had subsequently joined the muscle car game.
It can be argued that the Mustang was one of the most successful debutants ever, but to do this, you have to do more than just build a great car.
The Mustang made people feel better. It reinforced the good in life, being your own person, aspiration, having fun, and actually shouting about it, the Mustang did that and then some.
And thanks to the beautiful concept that is time, we get to look back and appreciate what the first generation Mustang was, whilst still seeing its DNA in the brand 61 years later.
The Ford Mustang is an automotive legend. Probably one of the most famous cars of all time, in fact, probably the most famous car of all time.
It took the car and turned it into a lifestyle.
So I think it’s fair that we have a lot of gratitude for the Ford Mustang. Because in a world which is a sea of silver, grey, and black heavy metal boxes, the Mustang shook the game, broke through the noise, and bellowed its way into the automotive hall of fame.
