The most American American car
The Ford Mustang

Category that shook the world – pony cars 

We are in America in the 60s. The war is over, the economy, and within it the car industry, is booming. At the same time, young people are looking for something new. Something stylish, sporty, but still affordable, which is almost nothing like their parents' highway cruisers (like the Cadillac Eldorado), but not as expensive and fussy to maintain as a European sports car. Understanding this, Lee Iacocca and Donald Frey, Ford employees, came up with a new concept. What if they made a fashionable, cheaply maintainable car, which, although more compact than its contemporaries, was therefore more agile and desirable. And in 1964, at the New York World's Fair, they introduced the Mustang. The very first "pony car" (pony car - a smaller, but powerful, sporty, affordable, usually rear-wheel drive car) that car enthusiasts quickly fell in love with.

1. Step – The design

Since the idea was given, 3 studios (Corporate Projects Studio, Ford Studio, Lincoln-Mercury Studio) were tasked with creating their own designs in just 14 days, following the basics of the “pony car” concept. After 2 weeks, 7 design ideas were created, of which one, created by the Ford Studio (a small white car with red wheels), immediately stood out from the rest. In the end, this was selected, and then potential customers and couples were involved in assessing whether this design would actually be the winner. 

Interestingly, when the subjects were asked if this model would be practical for them, almost all of them initially answered “no.” However, when moderators informed them of the car’s unexpectedly low price, they quickly reevaluated their decision. Almost all of them went back to the car to inspect it again, and they began to consider why this car would be worth buying, why the Mustang would be practical for them. 

First generation (1964-1973)

The Mustang was introduced in 1964. It was named after the legendary World War II fighter plane, the P2 – Mustang. Ford was a huge success, selling more than 51 units in its first calendar year alone, making the Mustang the most successful new car in American history. Its popularity was due to several things. First, its price. It inherited several other Ford models, which were already well-proven components, which allowed the Detroit factory to keep its production costs low, which was later reflected in the purchase price. 

Second, it was available in a wide range of engine configurations (from a 2,8-liter inline-6 ​​to a 4,7-liter V8) and trim levels over the years, such as the Shelby GT350. The GT350 was a more powerful, performance-centric model that Ford created in collaboration with the legendary Carroll Shelby. The successful partnership was also reflected in the fact that Ford and Carroll's paths crossed again several times thereafter.

In addition, the model's popularity was also contributed by the fact that until the end of the 60s, when GM introduced the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford had no competitor in the "pony car" category. After that, Ford continuously updated the model to make it more attractive to its customers. The car also began to grow in size, so that more people could use it in greater comfort, and, perhaps most importantly, to provide more space for its constantly developing and increasingly powerful engines. From the end of the 60s, the Mach 1, the Boss 302, and the Boss 429 models were available, which were more than 20 cm longer and 15 cm wider than the first generation.

Second generation (1974-1978)

The Mustang II, the second generation of the "pony car", was introduced in the middle of the oil crisis of the 70s. It was because of this, and the tightening of government regulations, that Iacocca initiated a return to smaller sizes with the new generation. Using the Ford Pinto platform, a more compact, lighter vehicle was created than its predecessor, which was initially sold with only 4- and 6-cylinder engines in order to achieve lower fuel consumption. The generation later received the more attractive and powerful "Cobra II" and "King Cobra" models, in order to cover a larger market. The concept proved successful again, and in 1974 Motor Trend chose the model as the car of the year, and its sales were also successful (over 1 million units were sold), surpassing the sales of the GM Camaro.

Although the Mustang II was criticized by many, including for its design and weaker, less powerful engine, we cannot deny that the model helped the brand through a very tough period that directly affected the automotive industry, and was able to survive, only to be reborn in its 1979rd generation in 3.

Written by: Aaron Kecskeméti