It is the best-selling sports car in the world and one of the longest-running: we look back at six decades of the Ford Mustang

The occasion deserves it: the same year the seventh generation of the Ford Mustang hits the market, the iconic model, which has become the best-selling sports car in the world over the last 10 years, is celebrating its 60th anniversary. And Ford Spain has decided to celebrate it in style.

To do so, and as part of a series of events that will unfold throughout the year, on April 18 the starting gun was fired with an emotional event organized by Ford Spain and Warner Music Spain, where in addition to bringing together models representing each of the Mustang’s generations so they could be seen up close, we took a journey through the history of this legendary sports car from its birth in 1964 to the present day, reliving some of the main historical milestones in parallel with the Mustang’s trajectory, with music always serving as the common thread.

And to mark this celebration, honoring the Mustang on its 60th anniversary, Ford Spain and Warner Music Spain have created a playlist with a selection of 100 songs totaling more than six hours of music across all genres: soul, jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic music. I recommend you don’t miss it, here is the link to the playlist “Ford Mustang 60 Years“.

You can hit “play” now while you join us on this visual journey through six decades of Mustang. A car of which almost one million units have been sold worldwide in the last decade, and which continues to write golden pages in the history of the automotive industry.

First generation of the Ford Mustang (1964-1973)

It was unveiled on April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, with hardtop (hard roof) and convertible bodies, and a retail price starting at $2,368. The idea was to offer a compact and affordable sports car… and Ford hit the bullseye. It quickly became a success, and over the nearly ten years this first generation lasted there were countless versions and variants, with successive design changes that even saw the Mustang grow considerably in size.

Worth highlighting, besides some legendary editions such as the Boss, Mach 1 or Cobra Jet, is the famous Shelby GT350 with a 306 hp V8 engine, presented in January 1965 and built on the Fastback body, a commission from Henry Ford II to Carroll Shelby. Later came the Shelby Mustang GT500, with the V8 boosted to 355 hp. As some notable curiosities of this first generation, the initial sales forecasts of Ford to sell 100,000 units a year were exceeded more than fourfold. In March 1966, just two years after its launch, the million-unit milestone was reached.

Personally, it is the Mustang I like most. The pictures speak for themselves.

Ford Mustang II (1974 – 1978)

The oil crisis arrived, fuel prices rose, and the era of the “muscle cars” came to an end, so the Mustang had to adapt by considerably reducing its size to return to its roots, “slimming down” by up to 200 kg. But it was still a model that stood out for its sporty design. Of course, priorities had changed, and efficiency was the goal. For the first time, the Mustang did not have the option of a V8 engine, initially making way under the hood for a 2.8-liter V6, although a V8 later returned to the scene.

But it was no longer the same: the V8 was now rated at just 130 hp, and it dropped to only 142 hp in the Mustang King Cobra version, with 5.4 liters of displacement. And since this generation also had no convertible version, in 1976 Ford decided to offer a version with an optional T-Top roof based on the Fastback body. This second generation of the Mustang introduced rack-and-pinion steering. In its launch year, 386,000 units were sold, and the price started at $3,134.

Third generation of the Ford Mustang (1979 – 1993)

Sales figures back up the success of a generation of the Mustang that, for many people, including me, is one of the least attractive in terms of styling. In fact, in its first year total sales reached 370,000 units, a figure very similar to what the previous generation achieved in its first year. And it maintained a good sales level throughout its run.

This generation, which debuted the platform known as Fox, shared with other models of the brand, took a turn toward a design more geared to European tastes, and also began to take aerodynamics into account, for efficiency reasons. It grew in exterior dimensions but kept reducing weight. In the early years, versions with performance engines or a convertible body were missing. But in 1984 the Mustang GT was brought back, and shortly before that a convertible version had been added to the range again.

In 1993 the Mustang Cobra arrived, designed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT), with a 5.0 V8 engine and 235 hp, taking over from the first turbo engine the Mustang ever had, a 2.3 four-cylinder with 175 hp introduced in 1984 on the Mustang SVO.

Ford Mustang IV (1994 – 2004)

With a style that can be considered retro-modern, the fourth generation of the Mustang, which introduced an updated version of the Fox platform, was once again a radical turn and an important technical evolution, aiming to revitalize sales that were in free fall. And they succeeded: as with the first generation, demand initially exceeded forecasts. Ford made the car recognizable as a Mustang once more, and although the 5.0 V8 was reduced to 4.6 liters from 1996 onward, power output increased. Initially it was also offered with a 3.8-liter V6.

In 1996 there was a styling refresh, and the engines kept gaining power, exceeding 300 hp. In 2001 the Mustang Bullit GT was launched, with a modified 4.6-liter V8. The Mustang SV Cobra models at the end of the series came close to 400 hp. Also in 2001 the Mustang Mach 1 returned, after almost 25 years, with its characteristic black stripe and the model name inscription.

Fifth generation of the Ford Mustang (2005 – 2014)

The fifth generation of the Mustang was a “return to the past”. Perhaps that is why it is my second favorite of the first five generations, behind the first. In fact, Ford set itself the goal of reviving the classic design of the 1960s, while still offering a fast and fun vehicle that was also efficient. Its line is once again unmistakable, making a classic fashionable again, and it was a sales success in its first year, although it no longer had many rivals.

Initially it was offered with a 4-liter V6 engine producing 210 hp, reserving the 4.6-liter V8 with up to 300 hp for the Mustang GT. And besides the design, the legendary versions of the past were also brought back, such as the Shelby Mustang GT500, with 500 hp.

Ford Mustang VI (2015 – 2022)

The sixth generation of the Ford Mustang was the first to be sold on a global scale, which led it to become the best-selling sports car in the world. European sales began on May 24, 2014, coinciding with the start of the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid in Lisbon. At the time, Ford was the official sponsor of the competition, and held a press presentation where attendees could test the car before going to the match in which Real Madrid won its tenth title. But that is another story…

Ford offered a special launch deal for the first 500 requests through a dedicated website, and they sold out in 30 seconds. Of the more than 9,300 reservation requests in Europe, more than 1,000 came from Spain.

This generation debuted with fastback and convertible bodies, and a 2.3-liter turbo 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 310 hp. In 2021 the Mustang Mach 1 was presented with a 5-liter V8 engine and 460 hp. Here you can read the road test of the Ford Mustang Mach 1.

2024: the seventh generation of the Ford Mustang arrives

And we arrive at 2024, the year of the Mustang’s 60th anniversary… and of the arrival of the seventh generation of the model, because although it carries the Mustang name, the Mustang Mach-E, presented in 2020, is not a full member of this saga.

We have already told you about the main new features of this new Ford Mustang 2024, from the styling changes to the new digital instrumentation, the Ford SYNC 4 multimedia system, or the updates to the 5-liter V8 engine with 450 hp. In addition, Ford has also just announced the arrival in Europe of the Mustang GTD and the California Special and Nite Pony Package versions. Undoubtedly, the best possible news for a model that will continue to write golden pages in the history of Ford… and to win over sports car enthusiasts.

Technical specifications of this car

CoupeFord Mustang6 versions · from 62,405 €