Ford Mustang: The First Generation

No one anticipated quite how thoroughly the Ford Mustang would catch the imagination of the American public. The Mustang was marketed as the All-American classic and introduced what became known as the "Pony Car"—an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image—and a revolutionary profile of automotive designing in the U.S. The company made over a billion dollars selling over 400,000 units in its debut year. It took only 18 months for Ford to hit the million Mustang mark, making it Ford’s most successful launch since the Model A. Today’s car sales don’t even scratch the number of Mustangs sold on their first year. In over 50 years of production, Ford has sold 9 billion Mustangs worldwide. This book focuses on the First Generation (1964–1973) and the evolution of the Ford Mustang. This was an era when Mustang became synonymous with the name Ford and set an unprecedented benchmark for all rivals to follow. Its popularity was an emotional connection based on its unique and adaptable styling, its performance, and its affordability.