History of the Ford Mustang. History of the Ford Mustang Car Dynamics and consumption

Ford Mustang is an American classic pony car produced by Ford Motors Company. The prototype of the brand is the Ford Falcon Sprint. Launched in 1963 as a two-seat concept car, it went into production the following year with minor design changes under the unofficial name "1964½". The car was so well advertised that within eighteen months of its release over a million units were sold. The entire Ford Mustang lineup.

The Mustang created a car that was uncharacteristic of American cars of that time - restraint in size and chrome trim. The car introduced the fashion in America for “pony-class” cars - stylized as a sports car, with a powerful but serial engine and a coupe-shaped body with long hoods and short rear ends. The Ford Mustang inspired many American and even foreign manufacturers to release similar models.

Background

Full-scale production of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 was launched five months after the first versions went on sale. And, although the company officially names the release date as 1965, in fact the first cars began to be produced starting in March 1964.

Mustangs became larger and heavier with each model year, but early in the next decade Ford brought the car back to its original size. The 1974 concept has since seen several generations of the platform and design. Although some other pony cars have gone through many iterations, the Mustang has retained its distinctive look throughout five decades of development and production.

First generation (1964-1973)

To reduce development costs for the Mustang, it was largely composed of components, many of which were already in production for other Ford models. This use of common components reduced assembly and repair training time for workers, while allowing dealers to accept the Mustang (1967 Ford Mustang) without forcing them to spend huge amounts of money on replacement parts to service the car.

However, over the next nine years of production, the designers made a lot of changes to the appearance and design of the car. The result was a much larger and more luxurious car, but this often did not bring with it any increase in power or handling.

The Mustang gradually evolved from a fast and powerful car into a large and heavy luxury design. As a result, the press wrote: “Mustang has grown fat and lazy.” Sales began to fall, buyers began to give preference to competitors' cars.

Second generation (1974-1978)

The new model, called the Mustang II, was released two months before the first (1973) oil crisis. Its reduced size allowed it to compete successfully with imported cars. The car turned out to be even slightly smaller than the first generation car, but became less playful.

Third generation (until 1993)

The third generation Mustang had two body styles. For the first seven years of production, the car was somewhat angular. Later, from 1987 to 1993, the front end was made more aerodynamic. In addition, from the second half of the 80s, engines with injectors came to replace carburetor engines.

Fourth generation (until 2004)

In the fall of 1993, the Mustang underwent its first major redesign in fifteen years. It was based on an updated version of the platform called Fox-4. The silhouette of the new car includes some motifs from earlier Mustangs. In its sixth year of production, the Mustang's contours became sharper and its wheel arches grew larger, but it remained easily recognizable in both design and construction.

During production, the car was equipped with more and more powerful and improved engines, starting from 154 hp. With. on the first cars and ending with 390 hp. With. inclusive.

Fifth generation (until 2014)

Ford first introduced the redesigned 2005 Mustang in 2004. The car is designed on the original D2C platform. The machine, depending on the configuration, was equipped with various power units up to 304 l. With. power.

It's hard to confuse the Ford Mustang with any other muscle car. Assertive, aggressive, stylish - it is created for lovers of unbridled power and high level comfort on the roads.

Wild horses under the hood

The history of Ford Mustang production began in 1964. Over more than 50 years of experience in implementing advanced developments, engineers have managed to create a truly unique car. At the moment, you can buy a Ford Mustang to order from the USA in many trim levels, here are a couple of the most popular:

1. - GT Premium with a 5-liter, 8-cylinder engine and a power of 426 hp;
2. - Ecoboost Premium with a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine that is capable of producing 310 hp.

The first option is suitable for those who like to excite their imagination with the menacing sound of the exhaust and the shaking of the manual gearbox handle when starting the engine. It is for you that 8 cylinders are presented without snotty start-stops, various environmental gadgets and cylinder shutdown functions. The powerful 5-liter engine accelerates to hundreds in 4.8 seconds, with a limited top speed of 250 km/h. On the highway, the Mustang consumes up to 15 liters of gasoline per 100 km.

For those who are afraid to keep an eight-cylinder beast under their hood, the new 2019 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Premium with a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine is available for sale. The Mustang 2.3 Ecoboost Premium modification is suitable for those who like a lot of cars for reasonable money. Ford engineers made sure that the sound of the turbocharged engine is not inferior to its more powerful brother. So the turbo-four will reach 100 km/h in 6 seconds, and the turbine will continue to pull power out of the engine even after 5000 rpm. Naturally, fuel consumption will decrease and on the highway it will be about 10 liters of gasoline per hundred.

Built for comfort

Despite its externally compact dimensions, 4 adult passengers can easily fit inside the Mustang. The front row of seats is traditionally designed in a sporty style, while the rear row has a one-piece design. Each element of the interior is made of expensive materials, and the internal filling is simply crammed with modern technologies.

To fall in love with american car All you have to do is sit behind the wheel for a few seconds and listen to the smooth operation of any of the engines. Buy Ford Mustang GT at great price in Russia at the most favorable conditions You can always contact Auto Premium Group.

The first generation Ford Mustang was first shown at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964 and made a great impression on spectators. The initial version of the car with a 2.8-liter engine (102 hp) accelerated only to 150 km/h. But the list of options included V8 engines with a power of up to 380 hp, an automatic transmission and a lot of other equipment. The first Ford Mustang was offered in three body styles: coupe, fastback and convertible. Over the years of production, it has lengthened from 4613 to 4923 mm.

The production of the first models continued until 1973. In total, almost three million first-generation cars saw the light of day. The "base" version was priced at $2,368 (roughly $18,500 these days).

2nd generation, 1973–1978

The second Ford Mustang, shortened to 4445 mm, developed on the basis of the compact one, was released in 1973. The cars were equipped with a 2.3 liter four (89 hp), a 2.8 V6 (106 hp) or a 4.9 liter V8 (131-141 hp). The car was offered in two versions: a two-door coupe or a three-door hatchback

Despite poor dynamics and poor handling, about 1.1 million cars were sold until 1978, with prices starting at $3,134.

3rd generation, 1978–1993

The third generation Ford Mustang lasted on the assembly line from 1978 to 1993. At this time, it was again lengthened to 4562 mm, and lighter materials were used for production. The previous engine range was supplemented by a 2.3-liter turbo-four (118 hp), and more powerful (up to 203 hp) engines with fuel injection began to appear under the hoods of Mustangs only in 1983.

The result of the restyling of the “third” Mustang in 1986 was the Mustang SVT, boosted to 238 hp. "eight" 4.9 liters. In just 15 years, 2.6 million third-generation cars were produced. The car was also sold on the American market under the name.

4th generation, 1993–2004

GM's plans to revive the model prompted Ford to develop the fourth generation Mustang in 1993. New car was based on a reinforced old platform. The wheelbase increased slightly, the brakes became disc brakes in the “base”, and ABS was installed at an additional cost.

The “basic” version of the “fourth” Mustang was equipped with 3.8-liter V6 engines (147-193 hp), and the GT, Cobra and Mach I versions were equipped with 4.9 V8 engines (218-243 hp) and 4.6 liters (264-390 hp). From that time on, only models with coupe or convertible bodies began to go on sale. The starting price increased from $10,810 to $13,365 (about $22,000 today).

In 1998, during the restyling, the car's exterior was redesigned in the spirit of the New Edge design, sound insulation was improved, a traction control system appeared, and the top versions of the Cobra received an independent rear suspension. Production of the fourth generation Mustang ended in 2004, by which time approximately 1.6 million vehicles had been produced.

5th generation, 2004–2014

The first copy of the fifth generation Ford Mustang was released in 2004. The new cars had a simplified suspension and interior; the cars were based on their own D2C platform.

The new Mustang was equipped with V6 4.0 (231 hp) and V8 4.6 liter (304-450 hp) engines combined with a five- and six-speed manual transmission or a five- and six-speed automatic transmission. “Charged” versions with V8s 5.4 and 5.8 produced up to 672 hp.

The cost of the “basic” model was $19,000 (about $24,000 today). In 2009, the car underwent a restyling, but this did not save it from declining sales.

6th generation, 2014

The sixth generation Ford Mustang sports car debuted on the American market in September 2014, and in 2015 the car officially began to be sold in Europe - for the first time in the history of the model. The Ford company has refused to sell Mustangs in Russia.

Coupes and convertibles are equipped with a 2.3 EcoBoost turbo engine (317 hp) or naturally aspirated engine V8 5.0 with a capacity of 421 hp. s., and the Ford Mustang is also equipped with a V6 3.7 engine that develops 300 horsepower. Cars are equipped with a six-speed manual transmission or automatic transmission with the same number of steps. All versions have rear wheel drive.

In the American market, the Ford Mustang is offered at a price of 23.5 thousand dollars, in Western Europe the car costs from 35 thousand euros.

Ford Mustang- an iconic Pony Car class car produced by Ford Motor Company.

The original version 11233 (1964/65-1973) was created on the basis of units of the family Ford sedan Falcon (creator Lee Iacocca and his team). The first production Mustang rolled off the assembly line on March 9, 1964 as a 1965 model (among collectors, Mustangs produced before the fall of 1964 are referred to as the unofficial "1964 1/2 model"). On April 17, the car was presented to the public in New York, and on April 19, it was shown on all three American television networks. The promotion of the car was accompanied by active advertising campaign. It was one of the most successful premieres in the history of the automotive industry. Ford sold 1.7 million Mustangs in the first 36 months.

NOTE ABOUT ENGINE POWER

It should be noted that when talking about American classics, one must keep in mind that until 1972, the power of American engines was indicated by manufacturers without attachments (Brake HP; the designation for such horsepower is bhp); while in the rest of the world power was measured at the flywheel of an engine with installed attachments, standard intake and exhaust systems ( European standard DIN, sometimes horsepower according to this standard it is designated as PS). In the USA, power began to be measured this way only in 1972 (SAE hp standard, close to the European one).

Since there had been no strict control on the part of the state before, there was a certain inconsistency, and it was impossible to derive a single practical conversion factor from bhp to SAE hp; but in general, the stated power rating figures of those years usually exceed the actual values ​​in the modern sense by 40-150 hp. depending on the level of honesty of the manufacturer.

It wasn't until 1972 that the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) brought order to this area, and to the surprise of buyers, the stated power of many engines was reduced quite significantly, for example, the Chrysler 426 HEMI engine in 1971 had a stated power of 425 hp. s., and in 1972 the power of the same engine was already indicated at 350 hp. according to SAE.

This article gives the power values ​​declared by the manufacturer.

Comparing the power of American classic engines produced before 1972, measured in bhp, with similar figures for European and domestic engines of those years, as well as modern ones, is the same as directly comparing speed in miles and kilometers per hour.

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS

The first prototype of the car under the motto Mustang (1962) was a two-seat mid-engine roadster in the spirit of European sports cars of those years with an extremely unusual, futuristic design.

However, there was little interest in the concept from the public, and the conceptually similar two-seater (more precisely, simulating two-seater due to the removable plastic fairing over the rear seat) Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster did not become a bestseller; But the sporty versions of the Ford Falcon compact, like the Falcon Sprint, turned out to be very attractive to consumers, combining the capacity of a family sedan with a brighter appearance and slightly improved dynamics.

This influenced the choice of the concept of the new car; as a result, the Mustang became a four- to five-seat coupe with a “classic” layout on a modified Falcon chassis. And from the mid-engine concept, the car only inherited the air intakes behind the doors, which, naturally, were already fake. The prototype was built in 1963 and had a much bolder design than the production model that followed.

The name of the car was also not born right away. It was originally developed as a Special Falcon. Later names were proposed such as: Cougar - this name was proposed by the car designer D. Oros; Torino; T-Bird II - proposed by Henry Ford II in honor of the already produced Ford Thunderbird; Bronco, Puma, Cheetah, Colt and others. Many of the unused names were later assigned to other cars of the company.

The final design was developed by the Mercury-Lincoln Division, primarily by David Ash and John Oros.

Most of the mechanical “stuffing” was unified with the already produced Ford Falcon and Ford Fairlane models, which made it possible to lower the price basic configuration up to $2,368, and also significantly reduce maintenance and repair costs. Thanks to this, the Mustang proved attractive to a wide range of buyers.

1969-1970 MODEL YEAR

By the 1969 model year, the Ford Mustang underwent repeated modernization, increasingly moving away from the original concept: with the same wheelbase, the length of the car increased by 3.8 inches (~10 cm), weight - by 140 pounds (~70 kg), and in the model line new versions appeared - the cheap E, the luxurious Grande and the sports BOSS and Mach 1. The Ford Mustang in 1969 became the first model to use a four-headlight headlight design; the headlights were placed inside and outside the radiator grille.

The BOSS 302 was built to compete with the Camaro Z/28 in Trans AM racing. Version with 429 V8 with 375 hp. intended for NASCAR and equipped with Ram Air-induction and special exhaust manifolds.

Under the hood of the Mach 1 there was a 351 V8, and as an option it was possible to order a self-locking cross-axle differential rear axle and even a 428 Cobra Jet engine. Versions of the Shelby Cobra were available in fastback and convertible body styles and became increasingly luxurious, equipped with a 428 Cobra Jet V8 engine producing 335 hp.

In this article we propose a short history legendary brand, by which you can trace everything Ford models Mustang from 1962 to present.

1960s

In the early 60s, global automakers were faced with the question of what to offer the post-war baby boom generation. For this purpose, Ford decided to create a special model of a personal car based on the Ford Falcon. A competition was announced within the company, in which the winner was the project that laid down the canons of the future “pony style”: sharply defined sides, a long hood and a shortened rear end.

The first Mustang was the Mustang I concept model, introduced in 1962. The two-seater sports car was named after the legendary World War II era stormtrooper P51 Mustang. The second generation of Mustangs was shown to the public at the New York Auto Show in 1964. The car was equipped with a 170 in³ 6-cylinder engine, a three-speed gearbox, closed wheel covers, original dashboard, bucket seats and carpeted interior.

The first production version of the Mustangs was the Wimbledon convertible, whose sales exceeded all expectations. Already 12 months after its release, almost 420 thousand copies of this car were sold. By the end of the 60s, “pony cars” were almost universally recognized as the highest achievement of automotive design.

1970s

With the advent of the 70s, Ford stopped producing original Mustang models based on the Falcon platform. But during this period the largest Ford versions Mustangs based on the GT350/GT500 and Boss 302/429. They were almost 600 pounds heavier and 1 foot longer than the first models. The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was also presented to consumers with an impressive range of power plants, the most impressive of which was the 429 Super Cobra Jet (SCJ) with a power of 370 hp.

In the mid-70s, Ford introduced the second generation of Mustangs with a completely new design and a line of Cobra II engines. The car was equipped with a non-functional air intake on the hood, front and rear spoilers. In versions with a V8 engine, American engineers installed a 4-speed manual transmission.

1980s

During this period, tightening environmental restrictions forced many manufacturers to reduce engine power. The Ford company was no exception with the Mustang model - the 4-cylinder was removed from the line, the car received a new aerodynamic body. The convertible body, which was produced in the 60s, also returned to the assembly line.

1990s

This time became an era of design and technical progress for the Ford Mustang. In honor of the 30th anniversary, the car was significantly modernized, improving the already excellent performance characteristics. 1,330 of the vehicle's 1,850 components were replaced. The fastback body was no longer produced, leaving only a convertible and a 2-door coupe. For the first time, a driver's airbag was included as standard. All cars in the basic version were equipped with an improved 4-cylinder engine.

The fourth generation of the legendary pony car received sharply defined lines, a new hood and grille, stylish wheel arch trims, updated headlights and fascias. At the same time, the manufacturer launched a small batch of the exclusive SVT Mustang Cobra model with improved performance and original style. In 1993, a limited number of racing versions of the Cobra R sold out before production began.

2000s to present day

In the new millennium, the Ford Mustang remained almost alone on the market. Pontiac Firebird's closest competitors are essentially not developing and are not pleasing consumers with updates. At this time, Ford is producing the 300 millionth Mustang and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the popular model.

Although Mustang production at the famed Dearborn plant ceased in the 2000s, models assembled at other plants were put on the market. First of all, it should be noted the Mustang Shelby GT model, exclusive version Shelby GT500 with a turbocharged power plant producing 500 hp, limited edition Mustang Bullitt.

In 2013, the sixth Ford generation Mustang in convertible and coupe body styles. In April 2014 legendary model celebrated its 50th anniversary. During this time, more than 9 million copies of the car were sold. Half a century has passed, but the Mustangs have retained the easily recognizable elements of the classic design and their character, for which they are idolized by numerous fans around the world.