The Ford Mustang is considered by many to be the classic American automobile. For decades the Mustang has enjoyed unparalleled popularity. Born out of a need to compete with a rival company's model and to boost sagging sales, the success of the Mustang is due to the right combination of media savvy, great entrepreneurship, and marketing brilliance.



The Concept

In 1964, the Ford company was experiencing a downswing. With the development of the Corvair Monza, Chevrolet had taken a significant lead in sales. With the greatest success of the Ford Falcon squarely in the past, the Ford Motor Company knew they needed something new. Ford wanted an answer to the Chevy's character and style, which were its key selling features.

Lee Iacocca stepped up to the plate and suggested the new vehicle be designed by the people. While his idea was initially rejected, he eventually talked management into going along and soon design was under way. To keep development costs down, the new vehicle was to use as many parts from existing Ford car models as possible including the drivetrain, which would be that of the Falcon and the Fairlane. This new Ford automobile, dubbed the Mustang, would be available as a two-seater, convertible or coup.

The Campaign

The Ford launch of the Mustang involved an incredibly detailed advertising campaign. The car would be revealed to the public at the 1964 World's Fair in New York on April 17 of that year. Two days later, the car was advertised on all three American television networks. The campaign was one of the most successful launches in American history, with over a million Mustangs sold in its first year and a half on the market (during which time it was upgraded to a four-seater).

One of the largest perks of buying a Mustang was that every car was built-to-order and each soon-to-be-owner could choose from a long list of options to include on their new car. Some of the options included power steering, power train combinations, air conditioning, and a high performance engine. The Mustang was the first automobile to offer a laundry list of options and it became extremely profitable for both manufacturers and dealers.

New Models

The '64 to '66 Mustang models were built with a sports car look, including long hoods and shorter rear units. Interiors were also designed along sports lines, with a small backseat and two seats in the front.

1967 and 1968 Mustangs had a larger grill than the original models, and also a widened hood that was more aggressive looking and a better reflection of the engine units.

1969 and 1970 Mustangs were longer than the previous models, and were also heavier. In addition, the headlights of the Mustang were now housed inside the grill instead of protruding.

'71 to '73 saw the heaviest Mustangs to date put on the market.

The second generation of Mustangs saw a return to the appearance of the original model, but with important innovations in the guts. Rack-and-pinion steering was an important part of the system that was manufactured from 1974-1978.

The third generation of Mustang was also the longest incarnation of the car in terms of production. While it lacked the cosmetic appeal of the other generations (being smaller and with softer lines), this model had a complete reworking of the interior so that four people would fit in it comfortably. This generation also was given a 302 with a superior camshaft along with an updated exhaust system and new valves. From a performance standpoint, it was actually the best Mustang to-date and was one of the fastest cars in the country.

The fourth generation of Mustang was designed to get the car back to the sales numbers it had enjoyed in previous years. The manufacturers relied on a return to the sporty look to accomplish this, and the move paid off. Ford had successfully melded the look of earlier generationg with the superior parts and performance of the third-generation Mustangs to create one formidable machine.

With the 2005 redesign, the fifth-gen Mustang has gone retro. Like sleeker versions of their 1960's era predecessors, these Mustang continue to shine for a new generation of Americans.