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Ford Motor Co. celebrated nan Mustang's 60th day connected Wednesday pinch nan pony car now successful its seventh generation, having go an icon of nan American car industry.
The Ford Mustang debuted April 17, 1964, astatine nan New York World's Fair and has carved retired a unsocial bequest successful nan decades since its launch, moreover arsenic its features person changed complete time.
"Mustang has stylistically and performance-wise been a conveyance that appealed to nan masses — anybody who wants a cool-looking car that goes fast, Mustang is location for you," Ford Heritage Brand Manager Ted Ryan told FOX Business.
Here's a look astatine nan Mustang's improvement since its debut 60 years ago:
FORD CELEBRATES MUSTANG'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL EDITION
A 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
1965-1973 First Gen
"Out of nan first cardinal that were sold, 43% were sold to women because, arsenic Carroll Shelby derisively said, 'It's a secretary's car.' Well, it could beryllium — you could put a small 289 motor successful and person a three-speed automatic, but you could besides spell up to nan V8. You could move nan Mustang into immoderate you want it to be, and it's really reaching backmost into its DNA today," Ryan said.
The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fastback. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
"We cognize truthful overmuch astir nan assemblage that we were catering to," Ryan said. "From [late Ford exec Lee] Iacocca's reside that nighttime erstwhile it premiered to nan media, he talks astir building a car for nan babe boomer generation. Our trading had grounded truthful miserably pinch nan Edsel, but connected this 1 we sewage it right."
1965 Ford Mustang hardtop. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
Ryan noted that Ford has a important magnitude of documents from nan era successful its archives that shed ray connected nan automaker's intent pinch nan Mustang.
MUSTANG WILL RACE WORLDWIDE WITH FORD PERFORMANCE MOTORSPORTS IN 60TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
"The codification sanction of nan task was nan 'Special Falcon Project,' and passim those notes it would opportunity 'a sporty, stylish conveyance that will entreaty to a younger buyer,'" Ryan explained.
"In a batch of cases, first-time buyers, because abruptly we cognize location were much college-educated buyers because of nan GI Bill, much double incomes because of women entering nan workforce, which spells retired nan truth that 43% were sold to women. So they were looking for a car for a caller generation."
1974-1978 Second Gen
1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II conception car. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
1979-1993 Third Gen
Ryan noted that though nan third-generation Fox Body Mustangs, which were built connected nan chassis of Ford's Fox platform, were "much-maligned," they marked an era "where Mustang really benignant of rediscovered its groove pinch accrued horsepower and nan expertise to spell fast."
1985 Ford Mustang GT convertible. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
1994-2004 Fourth Gen
1995 Ford Mustang convertible. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
FORD SPOTLIGHTS A NEW LINEUP OF POPULAR TRUCKS
| F | FORD MOTOR CO. | 12.14 | +0.08 | +0.66% |
2002 Ford Mustang GT premium convertible. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
2005-2014 Fifth Gen
2007 Ford Shelby GT Mustang. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
"Mustang's a halfway portion of nan lineup, it's a halo merchandise for nan brand, it draws group into Ford," Ford Mustang Brand Manager Joe Bellino told FOX Business.
"Whether you're racing a Mustang and you request to tow it to nan track, you're utilizing a Super Duty aliases F-150, aliases your 2nd car is an Explorer," he added. "It's grown pinch families, it transcends families — my dada had a Mustang, I person a Mustang — it benignant of gets passed down from procreation to generation."
The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt was named arsenic an homage to nan Mustang featured successful nan 1968 movie "Bullitt." (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
FORD CUTS PRICES OF ELECTRIC MUSTANG MACH-E BY UP TO $8,100
2015-2023 Sixth Gen
2015 Ford Mustang GT 50th Anniversary edition. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
"In nan past fewer years, particularly pinch nan seventh-gen, we've sewage a Mustang that appeals to everybody," Bellino said. "We've sewage an EcoBoost four-cylinder, we've sewage a V8, we've sewage a Dark Horse, we've sewage a GTD, truthful we've sewage this immense scope of offerings."
2024-Present Seventh Gen
"It's arsenic overmuch a portion of our lineup now arsenic it was 60 years ago, and it's going to beryllium 60 years into nan future, too," he added.
2025 Ford Mustang 60th Anniversary package convertible model. (Courtesy of Ford / Fox News)
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