Tuesday, June 24, 2014

50th Anniversary of Ford's Mustang-- Part 2: An Instant Hit

It was an instant hit.  That day, Ford dealers nationwide took 22,000 orders for the Mustang in colors ranging from Twilight Turquoise to the super-popular Rangoon Red.  Ah yes, Little Red Mustang.

After one year, Mustang sales reached 417,000, more than quadrupling Ford's projection.  Within two years they had sold over one million.

Today, the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, has the serial Number One (0001), the first Mustang ever made.  According to Matt Anderson, curator of the museum, "The idea was to produce something like the Falcon (Ford's then-bestselling wordaday sedan), only with a sporty body.

The Mustangs were built on a Falcon chasis.

Fifty years later, more than 9 million Mustangs have been sold. and Pony cars are still as popular as ever.

And, Mustangs have been made every year since.  The GM Firebirds and Camaros stopped production back in the early 2000s, but the Camaro has since made a great comeback.  And, the new Mustangs have their good-looks back.

I Saw Quite a Few 'Stangs Last Night at the McHenry Car Show.  --DaCoot

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