Ford Mustang

Ford introduced the 1965 Mustang at the World’s Fair in 1964 and it was an instant success. Ford initially planned to sell 100,000 cars in the first year but first day sales alone reached almost 22,000! Dealerships were then creating waiting lists for several days after.

Ironically, the first Mustang was sold by accident. It was a convertible model and was supposed to be used for a dealership tour to show the model off. It was sold to a pilot who, after clocking up 10,000 miles, decided to trade the car back to Ford. Ford then preserved the car which is now on display at the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

The Mustang was the first of the ‘Pony’ cars in reference to its distinctive horse logo. This moniker was applied to competitors cars produced to try and match the success of the Mustang including the Chevrolet Camaro.

After the initial success of the pony car, Ford approached racing legend Carroll Shelby and asked him to design a unique high- performance Mustang. The Shelby GT350 was born along with a race version known as the Shelby GT350R.

The Mustang owed its success to its good looks, powerful engines and affordability. Starring roles in several great movies also helped to enhance its status.