{"id":28853,"date":"2024-03-06T08:00:37","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T08:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/?p=28853"},"modified":"2024-03-05T16:13:11","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T16:13:11","slug":"the-ford-mustang-still-flexing-after-six-decades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/the-ford-mustang-still-flexing-after-six-decades\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ford Mustang – Still Flexing After Six Decades"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seeing as how the Ford Mustang celebrates its 60th birthday this year – and with no signs of hanging up its stirrups any time soon – we thought we’d pay homage to the perennially popular pony car by picking a muscular model from every decade of its production. From the original first gen to the current crop of V8-powered coup\u00e9s and convertibles there really is a Mustang for everyone, most of which can be found within these hallowed pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Deeply ingrained not only in car culture but wider popular culture as a whole, most discerning petrolheads will know the Mustang’s origin story by now. Developed by Ford’s chief engineer at the time, Donald N. Frey, and championed by general manager Lee Iacocca, the Mustang was introduced as an affordable and fun car that could seat four people, birthing an entire segment \u2013 that of the pony car \u2013 in the process. But as strong as the car’s association with the V8 engine is, the original Mustang didn’t actually come with one.<\/p>\n

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That honour belongs to the \u201865 model and combined with that now iconic long hood, short deck styling and a base price of less than $2,500, the Mustang sold like the hottest of cakes. Quadrupling its projected first year sales figures Ford would go on to sell a cool million Mustangs within two years, firmly establishing the name and kick starting a rolling revolution, the effects of which continue to be felt to this day.<\/p>\n

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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say, and rival manufacturers predictably would jump on the Mustang bandwagon with the likes of the Camaro from Chevrolet, the Pontiac Firebird and Dodge’s Challenger all following suit to profit on this new wave of popularity spearheaded by Ford.<\/p>\n

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But this isn’t a list of the best Ford Mustangs, however. Think of it more as a highlights reel, whether that be from a performance perspective, the influence of a certain model or simply as a talking point. The important thing to remember is the lasting legacy of this iconic car and how it has shaped the rich tapestry of the grand automotive landscape. So, with that in mind, let’s dive in and wish the mighty mule many happy returns shall we?<\/p>\n

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1960s – 1965 Ford Mustang<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Of course, the importance of the original, first generation Mustang cannot be understated but the car would begin to grow almost immediately, not just in physical size but also in engine capacity and by the end of the decade you could option your Mustang with a 7.0-litre Boss V8 pushing out 375bhp. A far cry from the dinky six-pot featured in the very first 1964\u00bd cars, as they would become known.<\/p>\n

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From Fastbacks to GTs and Shelbys to Mach 1s there are so many stand out tracks from the Mustang’s premiere decade of production to choose from but for sheer purity, simplicity and its genre-defining legacy we have to go with the original two-door hardtop as our pick of the ’60s. This is peak Mustang for many and whilst perhaps not as flashy as some of the later models it remains an incredibly important car that paved the way for all future generations.<\/p>\n

1970s – 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Before Nic Cage’s typically over-the-top Nic Cage performance as a car thief obsessed with ‘Eleanor’, the 1967 Shelby GT500 in 2000’s car heist movie Gone in 60 Seconds, there was the original version of the film that hit cinema screens back in 1974. A true cult classic the real star of the movie was the 1973 Mustang Mach 1 that actually performed the epic 128 foot jump we see at the end of the film.<\/p>\n