The Mustang Legacy—Future-Proofing an Icon

When the Ford Mustang made its global debut at the New York World’s Fair in April 17, 1964, even the most casual onlooker would’ve known that the new car would be destined to set the world on fire.

Ford’s groundbreaking new “pony car” appeared in Ford showrooms across America that same day. By nightfall, over 22,000 Mustangs had been driven off dealer lots by eager buyers. 

By December 31, 1964, more than a quarter of a million Mustangs had been sold. And by the time the spectacular new car celebrated its first anniversary, it had made its way to the garages of over 420,000 proud new owners—plus the cover of Time magazine. 

A phenomenal debut from a car that came from humble origins; the Mustang, after all, came from the second-generation Ford Falcon, one of Ford’s most popular models at the time and one which came as a sedan, coupe, a convertible, or a station wagon. But unlike its progenitor, the Mustang would only come as a two-door hardtop or a convertible. 

Humble underpinnings allowed Ford to position the original Mustang as the “working man’s Thunderbird,” the latter being Ford’s upscale luxury coupe, which was already on its fourth generation when the Mustang came out. The first-generation Mustang came with V6 or V8 engines displacing between 2.8 and 4.7 liters mated to 3- or 4-speed manuals or 3-speed automatics.

Within three years, there would be more than 500 Mustang fan clubs from L.A. to New York. And in March 1966, just a month away from the car’s second anniversary, Ford marked a new milestone with the one millionth Mustang—a stunning number in the 60s—to roll off from its assembly line in Dearborn.  

The Mustang would continue to sell strongly through the late 60s and early 70s, the only hiccup (which affected the entire car industry) being with the world oil crisis of 1973. It forced American carmakers to downsize their automobiles, resulting in the Ford Pinto-based Mustang II, which was introduced in September 21, 1973.

Performance took a dive because, despite the smaller dimensions, the new car was also saddled by smaller engines (as small as a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Pinto engine) and the stringent exhaust emissions standards mandated by the U.S. government. The science of cleaning up exhaust emissions in those days was very new, resulting in drastically lower power and poor drivability. The Mustang II was also heavier than its predecessor, this time owing to new safety regulations that dictated bigger and heavier bumpers, among other body and chassis crash-protection measures.

Nonetheless, it was still good enough to earn Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award in 1974 and, four years later at the end of its surprisingly short life cycle, to rack up a million units in sales numbers—a testament to the car’s relevance despite the debilitating effects of a global crisis and performance-sapping new federal standards. The Mustang II was also the car of choice of the three main characters of the iconic detective TV series of the 70s, Charlie’s Angels.

Speaking of celebrity appearances, the Ford Mustang is arguably one of Hollywood’s mainstays. It has starred in memorable scenes in Bullitt, Gone in 60 Seconds, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Need for Speed, and no less than two James Bond movies, Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever.

Three more generations would follow the Mustang II. The long-lived (1979-1993) third generation even flirted with becoming front-wheel drive—a layout most major manufacturers were switching to in the early 80s. But loyal Mustang enthusiasts lobbied Ford to retain the traditional muscle car layout of rear-wheel drive. Thus, the front-wheel drive prototype became the Ford Probe while the third-gen Mustang adopted the rear-wheel drive Fox platform of the Ford Fairmont sedan. That generation spawned the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT), which churned out the superb Mustang SVT Cobra and Cobra R.    

The almost equally long-lived (1994-2004) fourth-gen Mustang showed greatly improved refinement and much lower noise/vibration/harshness (NVH) levels. At the same time it also boasted some of the most powerful models in the 2001 Bullitt, the 2003 Mach 1, and the new 2004 Cobra with a V8 generating close to 400 horsepower, allowing it to run with the fastest Porsches of the time.

The fifth-generation (2005-2014) Mustang holds a special place in Filipinos’ hearts as it was the first pony car to be officially imported to the Philippines, in 2012. It was already close to the end of its product lifespan but every single model that appeared in local Ford showrooms were quickly snatched up by Filipino fans enamored by the glorious 5.0 V8 growl, the head-turning styling reminiscent of the classic ’65 model, and the surprisingly spacious and practical 2+2 seating configuration. 

Today, the world continues to be a better place with the current sixth-generation Mustang. In keeping with the global trend of small-displacement turbo engines, the latest Mustang starts with a fuel-efficient 2.3-liter EcoBoost (turbocharged in Ford-speak) 4-cylinder engine developing a powerful-for-its-size 310hp mated to a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. Those craving that addictive V8 surge of power should tick the box for the 5.0 V8, whose 460 horses are channeled through an industry-leading 10-speed automatic for an adrenaline-charged 4.0-second 0-100 km/h sprint.

The latest Mustang is also the most sophisticated and most technologically advanced pony car ever, with independent rear suspension and computer-aided driver-assist systems to rival those in the most expensive European luxury cars. It bristles with high-performance tires and special 19-inch alloy wheels, a K-shaped chassis brace, Brembo six-piston brake calipers, specially tuned suspension, and a race-derived TORSEN differential. What used to be a brash, unrefined muscle car has evolved into a world-beating true high-performance car that can run—and beat—Europe’s finest.

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So what does the future hold for the iconic pony car? Continued evolution, that’s for sure. A seventh generation is already in the works and is rumored to be set for a 2022 world debut as a 2023 model. It will almost certainly have similar EcoBoost and V8 powertrains on a similar rear-wheel drive platform.         

But what is even more intriguing than the eighth-gen pony car is the other Mustang—one that does not have other muscle cars in its crosshairs. 

This is the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. What’s distinctive about the Mach-E is not what it is, but what it’s not. First, it doesn’t have a V8. It doesn’t even have an internal combustion engine. Heck, it’s not even a muscle car. 

The Mustang Mach-E is a pure-electric SUV—and it exists to redefine what is one of the most iconic names on automobiledom. It is Ford’s way of elegantly future-proofing an invaluable part of Blue Oval legacy—particularly in light of the undeniable march towards SUVs and electric vehicles. What better than to combine the two concepts in one history-making vehicle that harks back to over half a century of milestones and triumphs? 

The Mach-E is a pure-bred Mustang through and through, right from the piercing headlights to the pony car logo on the closed grille that’s shaped like a traditional Mustang’s. The muscular fenders send not-so-subtle hints of the car’s performance while the beautifully rendered LED taillights hark to the classic 65’s (and the current car’s) three-bar taillights. 

Speaking of performance, the all-wheel drive Mach-E promises a scintillating 0-100 km/h acceleration of just 3 seconds. More relevant to a new generation of buyers, however, is the fact that the Mach-E can travel up to 480 kilometers on a single full charge and is capable of a 100-kilometer range from a 10-minute quick charge. A rear-wheel drive version is available for those who want a dynamic experience closer to a traditional pony car’s—all while hauling more people and cargo and taking you off the beaten path that a traditional Mustang never could.                 

Turbo four. Normally aspirated V8. Pure electric. Coupe. Convertible. SUV. The pony car is here to stay—built on a legacy of performance and practicality. For the Mustang, in any form, all the world’s a stage—and is all the better for it.