Facts about the Ford Mustang

 

Production of the Mustang began in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964, and the car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964 at the New York World's Fair. It's Ford's third oldest type plate currently in production. The initial sales forecasts expected less than 100,000 units for the first year. This mark was surpassed in Ford Mustang from the rollout. An additional 318,000 would be sold during the model year (a record), and in the first eighteen months, more than a million Mustangs were built.

All of these were VIN-identified as 1965 models, but several changes were made at the traditional opening of the new model year (early August 1964), including the addition of back-up lights on some models, the introduction of generators to replace generators, and an upgrade of the V8 engine from 260 cu to 289 cu in. In the case of at least some six-cylinder Mustangs equipped with 101 hp 170 cu in Falcon engine, the rush in production included some unusual features, such as a horn ring with 'Ford Falcon' logo under a trim ring embossed with 'Ford Mustang.' These characteristics made enough difference to justify the designation of the 121,538 formerly as the "1964½" model year Mustangs, a difference that has endured with purists.

The OPEC oil embargo of 1973 led to stricter pollution laws and the desire for fuel efficiency. This was also the first time in car history that the big 3 had to compete with imports. The new Mustang II was smaller than the first version, but due to the extra equipment required to meet new U.S. emissions and safety regulations, it was heavier than the first model. Performance was reduced, and in the first year only 385,993 cars were sold. Second generation Mustangs were available between 1974 and 1978 and available in a coupe and hatchback version.

In 1979, the Mustang was redesigned for the third time. This time it was based on the larger Fox platform, and the interior was really big enough for four people. The trunk was larger and so was the engine compartment. The available body styles included a coupe, hatchback and in 1983 a convertible. In 1979, the third generation of the Mustang served as an Indianapolis 500-speed car, and Ford built 10,478 memory replicas. The third generation of Mustangs was produced from 1979 to 1982.

Fourth generation style was available from 1994 to 2004. 1994 Brought the first major redesign to the Mustang in 15 years. Patrick Schiavone incorporated several stylings from former Mustangs. The base model came with a 3.8 OHV V6 engine from 1994 to 1998 and was paired with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox or optional 4-speed automatic. Although originally used in the 1994 and 1995 Mustang GT, the Ford 302 cid pushrod small-block V8 pulled after nearly 40 years of use and replaced it with the newer Modular 4.6 L SOHC V8 in the Mustang GT in 1996. In 1999, the Mustang got a slight facelift to both inside and outside, but the drivelines remained largely the same.

At the 2004 North American International Auto Show, Ford introduced a completely redesigned Mustang to the 2005 model. This was based on a brand new platform, and the styling was described by Ford's senior vice president of design, J Mays, as "retro-futurism". The base model is powered by a 210 hp cast iron block 4.0 L SOHC V6. Mustang GT has an aluminum block 4.6 L SOHC 3-valve modular V8 with variable camshaft timing (VCT) that produces 300 hp. All Mustangs in 2008 have seats that contain material derived from soybeans, and a new option for 2009 was the glass roof, which is basically a full sunroof.

For 2010, Ford unveiled a redesigned Mustang ahead of the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The 2010 Mustang remains on the D2C platform and mostly retains the previous year's roadway capabilities. The Mustang received a thoroughly revised exterior with only the roof panel preserved, sculpted for a sleeker, more muscular look and better aerodynamic performance. There were 10 models available for the Mustang in 2010. For 2011, Ford revised all current engines. The engines have advanced technologies such as Ti-VCT (dual independent variable cam timing). The Shelby GT500's 5.4L block is now made of aluminum instead of iron as in previous years and is rated at 550 hp and 510 lb • ft of torque. Due to being made of aluminum instead of iron, the new block is 102 lb lighter than the old one, which helps improve fuel economy, acceleration, handling and steering precision. All models are available with either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.