Not many automotive nameplates span a consecutive 60 years, much less something as seemingly ephemeral as a sports coupe. However, it was 60 years ago, on April 14th, when the public saw the first Mustang on a stand at the Ford Pavilion at the New York World’s Fair. The Mustang went on to set a new sales record for a vehicle in its first year, with over 418,000 models sold. Since then, the Mustang line has continued unbroken through 7 generations. Its shape has varied, but – putting aside the Mach-E for a moment – it was always a 2-door sport coupe with a front engine, rear-wheel drive, and a V-8 among the engine options. Benna Ford has been proud of every Mustang we have watched drive off our lot to an excited customer.
Owning a Mustang has never required a lot of money, just a desire for something fun, more personal, a little less practical, and a lot more stylish. Some models have been economical, others blindingly fast. Because fun is at its center, the lineup has always had a convertible. It has become the “all-American sports car” even as its sales spread across six of the seven continents.
Mustang Experience Center and Celebration
Naturally, Ford has not let this anniversary pass by quietly. It is opening the Mustang Experience Center adjacent to the iconic Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The center will include a Mustang-focused Ford Heritage Gallery, an aftermarket parts shop, a retail store for Mustang merchandise, and the Ford Performance Racing School’s hands-on track instruction, teaching Mustang owners how to best enjoy and harness the performance of their cars.
This was the obvious location for the Mustang 60th anniversary celebration on April 17th. Mustang owners came from across the country and even around the world to compare their rides, ride along drifting Mustangs on the Charlotte track, and simply celebrate all things Mustang.
Limited Edition Anniversary Package
Here, Ford revealed its 60th-anniversary Package, a limited-production model, with only 1,965 being built. Naturally available in red, white, and blue, the package brings back subtle reminders of the first Mustang that blend in with what the Mustang has become. It starts with rocker panel stripes that recall the first-generation model’s “racing stripes.” 20-inch 5-spoke wheels combine a machine finish with Dark Gravity Gray and feature stamped galloping Mustang center caps inspired by those on the 1965 model. The grille mesh recalls that on the original model with silver-finish nostrils that feed air into the 5.0-liter V8 and the iconic galloping Mustang badge in the center.
Impossible to do in 1965, the new Mustang has headlights that echo the triple-themed taillights that have long been a Mustang design element. Smoked headlight housings accentuate these lights on the 60th Anniversary Package. Race Red and Vapor Blue models are fitted with silver side mirror caps as a callback to the chrome mirror housings of the original.
Ford Mustang Global Gallop
Finally, to celebrate the Mustang’s global presence, the Ford Mustang Global Gallop will lend 7th generation Mustangs and Mustang Mach E’s to 60 journalists, content creators, and Mustang ambassadors from around the world with the simple instruction to drive someplace cool and tell of the experience. The Mustang experience has always been about driving for the sheer fun of it.
Benna Ford is proud to have played a small part in the Mustang’s journey. That’s why we sell not only the Mustang and Mustang Mach-E but also high-performance Mustang models from Shelby American Inc., whose founder started modifying Mustangs 60 years ago. Visit Benna Ford to start your own Mustang experience.
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