Ford celebrates

Ten millionth Mustang

Lee Iacocca’s original idea was simple enough: an affordable four-seat sporty car with European styling, available with six-cylinder or V8 power. Basing it on the Falcon chassis made it economically viable at a time when Ford was still reeling from the losses from the spectacularly unsuccessful Edsel model. But even then, in 1961, when Henry Ford II gave his approval for the Mustang project, Iacocca was warned that if it wasn’t a success, then he would be seeking employment elsewhere.

But Iacocca’s job was safe. While Ford had originally figured on producing around 80,000 Mustangs in the first year of the car’s release, within the first 18 months a million Mustangs had been sold.

A little over half a century on and the Mustang has reached the 10 million mark. In recognition of this milestone, Ford celebrated with the production of a special edition 10 millionth Mustang. Built to match the first Mustang to be built with a VIN, and the millionth Mustang (built in 1966), the 10 millionth ‘Stang is a V8 six-speed manual Wimbledon White convertible.

Ford president of global markets Jim Farley described the Mustang as the ‘company’s most important car today, at least in terms of the emotion and passion Ford fans feel’.

“Mustang is the heart and soul of this company and a favourite around the world,” Farley said.

“I get the same thrill seeing a Mustang roll down a street in Detroit, London, or Beijing that I felt when I bought my first car – a 1966 Mustang coupe that I drove across the country as a teenager. “Mustang is a smile-maker in any language.” In Australia, two-and-a-half years after its introduction, Mustang remains segment leader.