**The History of the Ford Mustang**

The Ford Mustang has a rich history that spans over five decades. From its iconic design to its powerful engines, the Mustang has been a symbol of American muscle cars.

**1964-1995: The Early Years**

The first-generation Mustang, also known as the "Pony Car," was introduced in 1964. It was designed to be a more affordable and sporty alternative to other Ford models. The Mustang quickly gained popularity for its sleek design and powerful engine options. In 1996, the Mustang underwent a major redesign, introducing the SN95 body style. This generation of the Mustang was notable for being slower and having a more rounded design compared to its predecessors.

**1999-2004: A New Era**

The next-generation Mustang, introduced in 1999, brought about significant changes. The SVT Cobra and Terminator models featured supercharged engines and independent rear suspension, making them stand out from other Mustang variants. This generation also saw the introduction of a new 4.6-liter engine that produced 310 horsepower.

**2005-2012: A Return to Form**

The 2005 Mustang marked a return to the classic design of the '60s, with a throw-back styling that set off a retro trend in the auto industry. The S197 design was a direct evolution of the iconic Mustang lines and was a huge success. This generation also saw the introduction of the 4.6-liter engine producing 310 horsepower.

**2013-2014: The Final Shelby GT500**

The 2013 Mustang was notable for being Carroll Shelby's swan song, with his final design input on this car in his final years. The GT500 model made 662 horsepower and had a top speed of 202 miles per hour.

**2015-Present: The Latest Redesign**

The latest redesign of the Mustang came in 2015, making it slightly wider and lower than its predecessors. This generation also saw the return of independent rear suspension, making the Mustang handle better on the road.

**A Renaissance of Affordable Power**

Today, we are experiencing a renaissance of affordable power, with many cars producing over 300 horsepower without breaking the bank. The Mustang has played a significant role in this movement, offering an American car that can seat four people, get 30 miles per gallon, and produce a thrilling sound.

**A Legacy of Innovation**

The Ford Mustang has created its own class and has set the bar for other cars to follow. With strong rumors of hybrid and electric Mustangs in development, it's clear that the Mustang will continue to innovate and push boundaries in the automotive industry.

Stay tuned for part two of this article, where we'll dive deeper into the history of the Ford Mustang.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(engines revving)(tires squealing)- We've launched the newage of American sports carthat continues to this day.It's more American thanfootball, apple pie,and blissfully wastefulconsumerism combined.It's also very likelythat you've owned one,or know someone who owned one.It's the Ford Mustang.Here's everything you need to know to getup to speed on the Ford Mustang.(upbeat electronic music)Let's get something outof the way right now.The Mustang is not a muscle car,or at least it didn't start out as one.When first sold in 1964,the Mustang was offered with four engines,the biggest being a 289 cubic inch V8,making a respectful 271 horsepower.Not exactly setting the world on fire,but that wasn't the point of the Mustang.The Vice President of FordMotor Company at the time,Lee Iacocca,(amplified) Lee Iacocca,wanted to give the American consumer a carthat weighed under 2,500pounds, for under 2,500 bucks.He also wanted to design and producethe car in a year and a half.This kind of timelinewas unheard of back then,and would still be impressive today.- Impressive.- Iacocca saw an untapped marketfor a four-seat, two-door sports car,and he wanted to get it tomarket before anyone else.To save money on designand production costs,Ford used the chassis from theFalcon, their family sedan.Now, according to Iacocca,the Mustang's iconic longhood and a short deck.- Wow, it looks like a giant--- Johnson!- I said deck.Were inspired by European cars of the era.Iacocca also creditedthe Chevy Corvair Monzawith the idea of including bucket seatsand a floor-mounted shifter.He debuted the Mustangin the 1964 World's Fairin Flushing Meadows, New York,and on the very same day,dealerships opened theirdoors with the new carin their showrooms.That's insane.- It's insane.- Ford dealers sold 22,000Mustangs on the very first day.A huge part of Mustang's initial successwas Ford's marketing campaigntowards young baby boomers.This was, of course, beforethey ruined the world.The youthful flocked to the dealershipsto get their hands on thesportiest cars around.The Mustang's launch couldnot have been better.The only thing stopping Fordfrom selling more Mustangswas their ability to build more of them.Ford pumped out 1,200 cars a day,and even that wasn't enoughto keep up with the demand.In its first year of production,Ford sold over 400,000 Mustangs,and made over a billion dollars.- A billion dollars?- It was undeniable.The Mustang was a success.- Go!Success!- Alright, boom.Back to the facts.In 1965, a man with a girl's name.- My name's Carroll Shelby,and performance is my business.- Carroll Shelby had a dream, literally.He woke up in the middle of the night.- Wake up.- And wrote down a name.He woke up the next morning and saw COBRAscrawled across his notepad.Shelby modified a 289 V8to make 35 more horsepower,and then he put it back in a '65 Mustang.Then he gave it blue racing stripes.It was the birth of a legend.The GT350 was a race car for the street,and that wasn't just a marketing gimmick.The car actually competed inthe SCCA Production B-Class,and ended up winning thechampionship three years in a row.The hype was real, andin true race car fashion,Shelby offered the car for nearly doublethe price of a normal Mustang.- Sold it for double the price.- The Shelby name wouldforever be tied to the Mustangand it continues today.In 1967, the Mustang got a major faceliftwith the introduction of the new Fastback.Sure, the Fastback hadbeen an option since '65,but the updated '67 designwas an instant classic.The sweeping lines ofthe new model were theperfect mix of Americanaggression and sex appeal.Just like me.Heh.(strained laughter)The grill had a bigger opening,like a shark waiting to strike.The taillights were now concaveand the Fastback reachedall the way to the back.It was a revelationand it still stands outas one of the best-lookingAmerican cars ever.The legacy of cool was cemented in 1968with the release of Bullitt,starring the coolest guy inthe world, Steve McQueen.Bullitt features an iconic car chasebetween a '68 Charger and'68 Mustang driven by McQueenthrough the streets of San Francisco.Steve McQueen did a fairamount of his own drivingfor the scene as he wasan accomplished driver.You can actually tell when he's driving,by looking at the rearview mirror in the shot.If it's down, Steve's driving.If it's up, it's one of his stunt drivers.So now it's 1969,and the American musclecraze is in full swing.Ford's rivals are swinging for the fenceswith their new designs.The Camaro, the Charger, the AMC Javelin,are all giving the Mustanga run for its money.So?What does Ford do?They go super-sonic.(screaming)Ford announced the Mach 1,an absolute show-stopperfeaturing a matte-blackhood, front-splitter,hood pins, and the crown jewel:a 428 cubic inch race engineknown as the Cobra Jet.Cobra.Jet.Poisonous snake and jet.- Whoa.- If you wanted the ultimatestreet racing machine,Ford had you covered.While Ford was updating the Mustangwith the new and interestinglooks, gas became expensive.Nobody wanted to buy carswith giant engines anymore.They simply couldn'tafford to fill them up.So?What did Ford do?Did they A, discontinuethe Mustang line untilit made sense to bring it back?Or B, fundamentally changethe Mustang to conform tomarket trends until it wasno longer recognizable,and sullied its good name in the process?B. They, they went with B.The new Mustang, nowcalled the Mustang II,shared zero componentswith the previous models.The Mustang II?Its sister-car was the Pinto.The Pinto, man.The fuckin' Pinto, dude.The fuck, Ford?In 1974, the Mustang was notavailable with a V8 option.Instead, consumers couldchoose between an inline-fourand a V6, neither of which made any power.- (agonized screaming) Why?- However, this didn't stop the Mustang IIfrom leaving the dealership.Ford sold nearly 300,000Mustang IIs that year,making it the sixthbest-selling Mustang ever.(crickets chirping)For the rest of the seventies,Ford tacked on aestheticupgrades to the Mustang,and even offered a Cobra package,in honor of the original Shelby Cobra.But these were nothing morethan appearance packages.Ford updated the Mustang,yet again, in the early '80swith their new Fox unibody chassis.And they even experimented withturbo-charged engine arrangements.But, sales were slumping.Ford proposed replacing the Mustangwith a front-wheel drive designthey had borrowed from Mazda.Mustang fans flooded Fordwith letters in protest,demanding that theykeep the Mustang alive.Ford responded by keepingthe original pony carand naming the new car, the Probe.1987 saw a renewed and refreshed Mustang.The 302 cubic inch, or five liter, enginegot new forged-aluminum pistons,and some bitchin' new cylinder heads,which made it great for modifications.The Mustang was back!The 5.0 Fox body is stilla solid choice for anyonelooking for a great project car.There is a huge after-market,and you can build a Foxbody for nearly any need.You wanna go drag racing?Cool.Drifting?It can do it.Just wanna tear up the canyon?The Fox body is for you.The '90s arrived and sodid the Fresh Prince,and the SN95 body stop.It was rounder and sportier-lookingthan the previous gens.Starting in 1996, theMustang was no longer offeredwith the 302 Windsor, the motor that,in many different configurations,had powered the Mustang since 1967.Rest in peace, Windsor.- Goodbye.- This is the Mustang thatI remember from high school.They were okay.SN95 was slower, looked likean amoeba, dickheads drove 'em.If you were a girl in 1996that had rich parents,they probably bought youa convertible V6 SN95 for graduation.In teal.Ah, I still remember Britney.Next up was the new-edge redesign in 1999.It had some really cool versions.Both the SVT Cobra and the Terminator hadsuper-charged engines andindependent rear suspension,I think a first for the Mustang.And the SVT Cobra had a giant wingand is gonna be adefinite collector's car.The new 2005 Mustang lookedlike the old Mustang.- Yes!Yes!- The new S197 designwas a direct evolutionof the iconic Mustang lines of the '60s.You might be a little numb to them now,because these Mustangs are everywhere,but when it debuted,everyone agreed that thiswas a great-looking car.The throw-back styling was a huge success,setting off a retro trendin the auto industryfor years to come.Chevy and Dodge responded withretro designs of their own,and they've all sold really, really well.♫ Money, money, moneyThe updated 4.6 liter enginenow made 310 horsepower,and for the first timein Mustang's history,the S197 was its own platform.It only shared randomparts with a Lincoln,which is like a nice Ford, so, who cares?In 2010, Ford updated the Mustang againwith refreshed body panels,giving it a new look.The next year, Ford unveiledthe new, but familiar,five liter Coyote V8 toreplace the old engine.The Coyote produced 412 horsepowerand 390 foot-pounds oftorque from the factory,all for around $30,000.It went around theNurburgring faster than an M3.'Ze Germans were not happy.- Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein!- 2013 saw Carroll Shelby'sswan song, his final GT500.Mr. Shelby passed away in 2012,but he gave design input onthis car in his final years,like the true gearhead he was.The GT500 made 662 horsepowerand at a top speed of 202 miles an hour.Nowadays, when people thinkabout monster horsepowerfrom the factory, they usuallybring up the SRT Hellcat,but Shelby did it first.The latest redesign came in 2015.Now the Mustang is a littlewider and a little lower.You'll be hard-pressed to finda better-looking car for the money.- Damn.- And even though it's starting to looka little curvy again, thelook is undeniably Mustang.And one more thing:independent rearsuspension's back, baby, yes!Ford decided the world was readyfor a great handling Mustang.Welcome to the 21st century, Ford.It could be argued thatwe are experiencinga renaissance of affordable power,and we have the Mustang tothank for a lot of that.We don't even blink when anew car makes 300 horsepower,when 15 years ago thatwould be pretty impressive.Now you can buy an Americancar with four seats,that gets 30 miles a gallon,and sounds like this.(engine revving)All for around 30 grand.That's pretty amazingwhen you think about it.The Mustang created its own class,and chances are, if there'sa car that you love,it's great because at one point,it had to compete with a Mustang.And with strong rumors of hybrid,and even EV Mustangs in development,you can rest assured that Ford's Mustangwill be setting the bar for years to come.This is everything you need to know to getup to speed on the Ford Mustang.(upbeat electronic music)The Mustang has such a historythat we're gonna have to doa second part for this one,so keep your eyes peeledin the months to come.Make sure you like, subscribe, and share,and let us know in thecomments what we missed,what cars you want to see us cover.What's your favorite Mustang?Do you have a Mustang memory?Maybe your grandpa ownedone, your uncle, your dad.My dad didn't.Fuck you, dad.Go over to our YouTube andsubscribe to that shit.We're gonna start having stuff over therethat you can't get here.Holler. (laughs)