Motoring
MUSTANG SALLY Alf Alderson gets behind the wheel and the history of an American icon, the Ford Mustang
O
f the wide and varied marques of car that were manufactured in the USA in the 20th century, one stands out above all others as the quintessential American automobile – the Ford Mustang. The name still lives on almost sixty years after the first Mustang hit US car showrooms in 1964, but it’s generally accepted that the classic Mustangs, as featured in so many songs and movies (see box) are those of the 1960s. Consequently, this article focuses on the early Mustangs, on the basis that from the 1970s onwards the Mustang somewhat lost its way, becoming longer, wider and heavier and, in the 80s and 90s in particular, lacking in the style and elan that marked out the original car. Today’s sixth generation Mustangs give a nod, styling wise, to their iconic 60s forebears, but since they tend to be the vehicle
“First manufactured in 1964, the two-door Ford Mustang came with three body styles (convertible, coupé and fastback) and was expected to sell 100,000 units in its first year; it beat this four times over, making it the most successful US vehicle launch since the 1927 Ford Model A, and within two years there were over a million Mustangs on American roads”
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