Ford Motor Co. F warm up your engines to celebrate an important birthday: the 60th anniversary of its iconic Mustang.
A star was born: The Mustang made its world debut on April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair. According to Ford, nearly 15 million show visitors took a ride in the nearly half-mile-long Mustang, the Magic Skyway designed by Walt Disney. Talk about a grand entrance!
Instant Classic: The base model Mustang back then was attractively priced at $2,368, roughly the equivalent of 420 Big Macs today. Ford sold a staggering 100,000 Mustangs in four months and a whopping 418,000 units in the first year. The car’s popularity even inspired a 1965 song by Mack Rice“Mustang Sally,” about a woman in love with her new car.
Nearly two years after its debut, on March 2, 1966, the millionth Mustang rolled off the assembly line. Vice President of Ford Donald N. Frey then stated, “Mustang has come to mean more than a horse or an automobile. Mustang means fun, youth and glamour. Mustang means sunglasses, shoes and hats.
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Lasting Legacy: Ford has kept the Mustang fresh with numerous redesigns over the past six decades, but its appeal remains timeless. The vehicle has appeared in various films, the first of which was the James Bond film “Goldfinger” released in 1965. But the most notable appearance of the Ford Mustang in popular culture was the 1968 film “Bullitt”. The film starring the iconic Steve McQueen and his legendary car chase cemented the Mustang’s legacy.
The turn of the 21st century saw the Mustang roar onto the big screen in the action film “Gone in 60 Seconds” starring Nicolas Cage AND Angelina Jolie.
Also Ford CEO Jim Farley He is known to love spending time working on classic Mustangs as well as vintage motorcycles.
Modern Muscle: Fast forward to today, Ford sold a whopping 48,605 Mustangs in the U.S. in 2023, marking a 2.2% year-over-year increase. The all-electric Mustang Mach-E also saw a 3.3% sales increase in 2023, with 40,771 units sold.
However, the first quarter of 2024 suggests a change: gas-powered Mustang sales fell 6.8% year over year, while Mach-E sales increased 77.3%, suggesting a growing appetite for electric cars.
Convenient Power: For the 2024 model year, Ford offers a lineup of nine Mustang variants.
The entry-level Ecoboost Fastback starts at a very reasonable $30,920. At the high end, the Mustang Dark Horse Premium starts at $62,180, still significantly more affordable than competitors like the Porsche 911, which starts well over $100,000.
The 2024 Mustang Mach-E’s starting price of $39,995 is also lower than its main rival, the Tesla Model Y.
A beautiful moment at a gallop: To commemorate the Mustang’s 60th anniversary, Ford will host an owner and fan event at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday, unveiling the limited-edition Mustang 60th Anniversary Appearances Package.
Additionally, owners of current-generation Mustangs will receive an exclusive new feature on the anniversary, the company announced last month.
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To know more: Tesla’s Cybertruck outperforms Porsche Taycan in first quarter despite falling behind Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T: Research Data
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