The Ford Mustang was brought out five months before the normal start of the 1965 production year. The earliest versions are often referred to as 1964½ models, but VIN coded by Ford and titled as 1965 models[8] with production beginning in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964;[9] the new car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964[10] at the New York Worlds Fair.[11] Executive stylist John Najjar, who was a fan of the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane, is credited by Ford to have suggested the name.[12][13] Najjar co-designed the first prototype of the Ford Mustang known as Ford Mustang I in 1961, working jointly with fellow Ford stylist Philip T. Clark.[14] The Mustang I made its formal debut at the United States Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York on October 7, 1962, where test driver and contemporary Formula One race driver Dan Gurney lapped the track in a demonstration using the second race prototype. His lap times were only slightly off the pace of the F1 race cars. An alternative view was that Robert J. Eggert, Ford Division market research manager, first suggested the Mustang name. Eggert, a breeder of quarterhorses, received a birthday present from his wife of the book, The Mustangs by J. Frank Dobie in 1960. Later, the books title gave him the idea of adding the Mustang name for Fords new concept car. The designer preferred Cougar or Torino (and an advertising campaign using the Torino name was actually prepared), while Henry Ford II wanted T-bird II.[15] As the person responsible for Fords research on potential names, Eggert added Mustang to the list to be tested by focus groups; “Mustang,†by a wide margin, came out on top under the heading: Suitability as Name for the Special Car.[16][17] The name could not be used in Germany,[18] however, because it was owned by Krupp, which had manufactured trucks between 1951 and 1964 with the name Mustang. Ford refused to buy the name for about US$10,000 from Krupp at the time. Kreidler, a manufacturer of mopeds, also used the name, so Mustang was sold in Germany as the T-5 until December 1978. Mustangs grew larger and heavier with each model year until, in response to the 1971–1973 models, Ford returned the car to its original size and concept for 1974. It has since seen several platform generations and designs. Although some other pony cars have seen a revival, the Mustang is the only original pony car to remain in uninterrupted production over five decades of development and revision.[19] First generation (1964–1973)[edit] This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles or condensing it. (May 2013) Main article: Ford Mustang (first generation) 1964 Mustang convertible 1965 Ford Mustang in Serbia. As Lee Iacoccas assistant general manager and chief engineer, Donald N. Frey was the head engineer for the T-5 project—supervising the overall development of the car in a record 18 months[20]—while Iacocca himself championed the project as Ford Division general manager. The T-5 prototype was a two-seat, mid-mounted engine roadster. This vehicle employed the German Ford Taunus V4 engine and was very similar in appearance to the much later Pontiac Fiero. It was claimed that the decision to abandon the two-seat design was in part due to the low sales experienced with the 2-seat 1955 Thunderbird. To broaden market appeal it was later remodeled as a four-seat car (with full space for the front bucket seats, as originally planned, and a rear bench seat with significantly less space than was common at the time). A Fastback 2+2 model traded the conventional trunk space for increased interior volume as well as giving exterior lines similar to those of the second series of the Corvette Sting Ray and European sports cars such as the Jaguar E-Type. The Fastback 2+2 was not available as a 1964½ model, but was first manufactured on August 17, 1964. The new design was styled under the direction of Project Design Chief Joe Oros and his team of L. David Ash, Gale Halderman, and John Foster[21][22]—in Fords Lincoln–Mercury Division design studios, which produced the winning design in an intramural design contest instigated by Iacocca. Favorable publicity articles appeared in 2,600 newspapers the next morning, the day the car was officially revealed.[23][24] A Mustang also appeared in the James Bond film Goldfinger in September 1964.[25] 1967 Mustang fastback To cut down the development cost and achieve a suggested retail price of US$2,368, the Mustang was based heavily on familiar yet simple components, many of which were already in production for other Ford models. Many (if not most) of the interior, chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components were derived from those used on Fords Falcon and Fairlane. This use of common components also shortened the learning curve for assembly and repair workers, while at the same time allowing dealers to pick up the Mustang without also having to spend massive amounts of money on spare parts inventories to support the new car line. Original sales forecasts projected less than 100,000 units for the first year.[26] This mark was surpassed in three months from rollout.[27] Another 318,000 would be sold during the model year (a record),[28] and in its first eighteen months, more than one million Mustangs were built.[26] Several changes were made at the traditional opening of the new model year (beginning August 1964), including the addition of back-up lights on some models, the introduction of alternators to replace generators, and an upgrade of the V8 engine from 260 cu in (4.3 l) to 289 cu in (4.7 l) displacement. In the case of at least some six-cylinder Mustangs fitted with the 101 hp (75 kW) 170 cu in (2.8 l) Falcon engine, the rush into production included some unusual quirks, such as the horn ring bearing the Ford Falcon logo covered by a trim ring with a Ford Mustang logo. These characteristics made enough difference to warrant designation of the 121,538 earlier ones as 1964½ model-year Mustangs, a distinction that has endured with purists.[29] 1969 Mustang hardtop Fords designers began drawing up larger versions even as the original was achieving sales success, and while Iacocca later complained about the Mustangs growth, he did oversee the 1967 redesign..[30] From 1967 until 1973, the Mustang got bigger but not necessarily more powerful.[31] The Mustang was facelifted, giving the Mustang a more massive look overall. Front and rear end styling was more pronounced, and the twin cove instrument panel offered a thicker crash pad, and larger gauges. Hardtop, fastback and convertible body styles continued as before. Federal safety features were standard that year, including an energy-absorbing steering column and wheel, 4-way emergency flashers, and softer interior knobs. The 1968 models received revised side scoops, steering wheel, and gasoline caps. Side marker lights were also added that year, and cars built after January 1, 1968 included shoulder belts for both front seats. The 1968 models also introduced a new 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 engine. The 1969 restyle added more heft to the body as width and length again increased. Weight went up markedly too.[32] Due to the larger body and revised front end styling, the 1969 models (but less so in 1970) had a notable aggressive stance. The 1969 models featured quad headlamps which disappeared to make way for a wider grille and a return to standard headlamps in the 1970 models. This switch back to standard headlamps was an attempt to tame the aggressive styling of the 1969 model, which some felt was too extreme and hurt its sales. Its worth noting though that 1969 sales exceeded those in 1970.[33] Starting in 1969, to aid sales and continue the winning formula of the Mustang, a variety of new performance and decorative options became available, including functional (and non-functional) air scoops, cable and pin hood tie downs, and both wing and chin spoilers. Additionally, a variety of performance packages were introduced to appeal to a wider audience, notably the Mach 1, the Boss 302, and Boss 429. The two Boss models were introduced to homologate the engines for racing but received fame on the street and to this day they still demand premium pricing for their pedigree. 1969 was the last year for the GT option. However, a fourth model available only as a hardtop, the Grande, (pronounced grund-ai) met a degree of success starting in 1969 with its soft ride, luxurious trim, 55 pounds (24.9 kg) of extra sound deadening, and simulated wood trim. 1971-2 Mustang coupe Developed under the watch of Bunkie Knudsen, the Mustang evolved from speed and power to the growing consumer demand for bigger and heavier luxury type designs.[34] The result were the styling misadventures of 1971–73 ... The Mustang grew fat and lazy,[34] Ford was out of the go-fast business almost entirely by 1971.[35] This was the last major restyling of the first-generation Mustang.[36] The cars grew in every dimension except height, and they gained about 800 pounds (363 kg).[36] The restyling also sought to create the illusion that the cars were even larger.[36] The 1971 Mustang was nearly 3 inches (76 mm) wider than the 1970, its front and rear track was also widened by 3 inches (76 mm), and its size was most evident in the SportsRoof models with its nearly flat rear roofline[37] and cramped interior with poor visibility for the driver.[38] Performance decreased with sales continuing to decrease[39] as consumers switched to the smaller Pintos and Mavericks. A displeased Iacocca summed up later: The Mustang market never left us, we left it.[40]
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 13:48:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015