The Ford Mustang is one such vehicle that needs no introduction. Its pictures have adorned the rooms of many kids, its photos are used as mobile wallpapers by many enthusiasts, its videos are being watched online by every car enthusiast. The concept of a ‘muscle car’ is very well defined by the Mustang. The name, the styling, the power, the engine note everything reminds us of something muscular.
The Ford Mustang completes 50 legendary years in the automotive world. This is one such car that is going to be remembered by many generations – those that are already gone and those that are yet to come. It was in 1962 that Ford introduced the Mustang 1 Concept to the world. The design was minimalist and the vehicle featured a very long hood, two seats and a mid-engine layout. After that came the first production-spec Mustang that was unveiled in New York in 1964. Ford priced the 1964 Mustang at $2368 which may seem peanuts now but it was a huge amount of money back then.
After the 1964 Mustang, it was time for the Shelby GT350 to arrive in 1965. Soon after, the Mustang crossed 1 million sales in March 1966. The 1967 Ford Mustang has been one of the most significant models in the pony car lineup. The design changed from semi-notchback to fastback and it oozed of rawness. Ford plonked a V8 in the Shelby GT500 and that engine had a capability of producing 355 HP of power. Come 1969 and Ford added few more models like the Boss 302, Boss 429, Mach 1 and Grande luxury model to the Mustang stable. The Boss 351 and Super Cobra Jet were then introduced in 1971.
The company introduced new models, new powertrains, new body styles with the Mustang nameplate and while some models have been successful, some have seen failure too. Ford also changed the body style to something that was completely different and looked more European. This design was based on the Fox platform. Designs have changed, engines have evolved and power has increased but Ford continues the legacy of the muscle car with changes done regularly to keep up with the fast-paced world.
2002 was the year when the Ford Mustang was at an all-time high. It had no real competitors in its segment since the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird went out of production. Ford sold the 9 millionth Mustang to a farmer in 2008 and it was a GT Convertible. The Camaro returned in 2010 and it came back in a vastly improved form. The Mustang also got a new competitor in the form of the Dodge Charger. 2011 marked the return of the 5.0 badge on this muscle car with the introduction of the Coyote V8 engine.
Ford also got the Boss 302 back to the Mustang stable in 2012 after a full gap of 40 years. The 2013 Mustang produces a massive 662 HP of power and it has a 5.8-litre V8 under the hood which means that the Shelby GT500 is the most powerful production V8 in the world. Lets have a look at the timeline which shows how the Mustang has evolved over the years.
Why Ford should launch the Mustang in India?
Just like other parts of the world, the Ford Mustang has a huge fan following in India too. We have many luxury and sports cars available officially here but what is missing is the presence of a muscle car. The 2014 Mustang V6 costs $23,335 which translates to Rs. 14 lakhs and with the addition of import duties and other taxes, Ford can price the same model here at a base price of approximately Rs. 35 lakhs. Even though this pricing may not seem too value-for-money, the vehicle would still fetch a lot of buyers since this is completely different than the BMWs, Audis and Mercs that we get at this price. There are many enthusiasts here who would love to own the vehicle and even though it is possible to import a vehicle privately, there would be no official after-sales support. Hence, Ford should consider launching the Mustang in India so that enthusiasts can get a taste of the vehicle and enjoy after-sales support too. After all, the sixth generation Mustang will be produced in right hand drive version as well.
