Ford Celebrates Production of the 10 Millionth Mustang | McLarty Daniel Ford

For those who’ve reached a certain vintage, it might seem like just yesterday that they drove past a dealership or opened a magazine and first laid eyes on the new 1964-1/2 Mustang. The first so-called “pony car” — with a long nose, short trunk and available high output engine options — the basic shape of the Mustang would soon be imitated (though never duplicated) by every major auto manufacturer, kicking the muscle car wars of the 1960s into high gear.

Those folks who were fortunate enough to see the rollout of Ford’s iconic Mustang back in 1964 are sure to feel extra old today, with the news that Ford Motor Company recently celebrated production of the 10 millionth example of the breed.

At an event held on August 8 at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan, where the 2019 Ford Mustang is currently built, Ford rolled out the 10 Millionth Mustang to come off the line since 1964: a 2019 Ford Mustang GT convertible in a special Wimbledon White paint scheme that mirrors the shade on the very first Mustang ever produced for sale: a Wimbledon White 1964-½ Mustang convertible with a VIN ending in 001. That legendary first Mustang was also on hand for the festivities, loaned by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

During Mustang’s 54-year production run, the model has also been built in San Jose, Calif., Dearborn, Mich. and Metuchen, N.J.

The 10 Millionth Mustang features a 5.0 Coyote V8 putting out 460 horsepower, backed by a six-speed manual transmission. For comparison, Mustang #1 is also a V8, with a stout-for-its-day 164 horsepower, backed by a three-speed automatic.

Also on hand for the event were more than 60 Mustang owners whose cars represent all years of production, including one of two Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT fastbacks driven by Steve McQueen in the movie “Bullitt,” a film which currently lends its name to a 2019 Mustang package.

On the massive parking lot where new Mustangs are parked before being prepped and shipped to dealers, the cars on hand for the unveiling of the 10 millionth Mustang were used to spell out “10,000,000” in 50-foot letters, with Mustang #1 and the 10 millionth Mustang standing in for the commas in the number. Those in attendance were also treated to a flyover by three World War II-era P-51 Mustang fighter planes. Though the galloping mustang horse is the official logo of the Ford Mustang, famously seen on the grille and trunk of every model ever produced, the high-performance P-51 fighter was the true namesake of the model according to Ford company lore.

“Mustang is the heart and soul of this company and a favorite around the world,” said Ford global markets president Jim Farley in a press release issued by Ford. “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.”

According to an analysis by Ford, the Mustang — now in its sixth-generation model — has been America’s best-selling sports car for 50 years.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »