AUTO FOCUS
The Original Beast
T
he Mustang had the most suc-
cessful car launching in auto-
mobile history, selling, in its
first eighteen months, more
than one million cars. The
Ford Mustang needs no intro-
duction to any car enthusiasts
and popular culture has made
the car an icon of phenomenonal proportions.
First conceived by Ford product manager,
Donald N. Frey, and championed by Ford Division
general manager Lee Iacocca, the Mustang proto-
type was a two-seat, mid-engine roadster.
Much of the chassis, suspension, and drive-
train components were derived from the Ford Fal-
con and Fairlane. The car had a unitized platform-
type frame, which was taken from the 1964 Falcon,
and welded box-section side rails, including weld-
ed crossmembers. The Mustang grew larger and
heavier with each passing year. This would make
the car meaner and faster. Also, around this time
the concept of drag racing was reaching its peak
and the mustang would go on to be the ideal car to
fit this bill.
In 1994, the Mustang underwent its first major
redesign in 15 years. The design, code named “SN-
95” by Ford, was based on an updated version of
the rear-wheel drive Fox platform known as “Fox-
4”.
The base model came with a 3.8 L V6 engine
with a diplacement of 232 cubic inches (3797 cc)
which was rated at (1994-1995) 145 hp (108 kW)
or (1996-1998) 150 hp (112 kW), or (1999-2004)
190 hp (142 kW). After nearly 40 years, Ford re-
tired its 302 CID overhead-valve small-block V8
and in 1996, the 4.6 liter Ford Modular engine was
introduced for the first time for the Mustang.
In 1999, the Mustang received Ford’s ‘New
Edge’ styling theme with sharper contours, larger
wheel arches, and creases in the bodywork, but its
basic proportions remained the same as the previ-
ous redesign.
Recently Ford introduced a completely rede-
signed Mustang which was codenamed “S-197”
and based on an all-new D2C platform for the 2005
model year. Developed under the direction of Chief
Engineer Hau Thai-Tang and exterior styling de-
signer, Sid Ramnarace, the fifth generation Mus-
tang draws inspiration from Mustangs of the 1960s,
notably the 1969-70 model.
The Mustang is a must for all car lovers…
54 August 08
AUTO FOCUS
In Popular Culture
The Mustang has been on the Car and
At Wrestlemania 23, which was Driver Ten Best list five times: 1983,
held at Ford Field in Detroit, 1987, 1988, 2005, and 2006, and won
Michigan on Sunday April 1, the Motor Trend Car of the Year award
2007, WWE Champion John in both 1974 and 1994. Ford Division’s
Cena entered the stadium and entire car line won the Car(s) of the Year
rode to the entrance ramp in a award in 1964, which was the Mustang’s
Shelby GT-H. first year of production, but a few weeks
before its actual introduction.
In the 2000 film, Gone in Sixty
Seconds, it is the infamous car
referred to as ‘Eleanor’.
In the 2007 film, American Gang-
In the late 1960s and into the mid-1970s Boss 302 Mustangs were promi-
ster, Detective Trupo drives a
nently used in the Trans Am Series. The engines in the Boss 429 Mustangs
Shelby GT350H.
were used for NASCAR races in 1969 and 1970 in the Ford Torino. Cur-
In the 2007 film, I Am Legend, rently, Mustangs are used in a number of different racing series, including
the main character Robert Nev- the KONI Challenge Series, where it won the manufacturers title in 2005.
ille can be seen driving a 2007 The Mustang remains a popular track and drag strip car at amateur and pro-
Shelby GT500 in the opening fessional levels of competition.
scene.
In the 2008 TV film version of
the program Knight Rider, KITT
is a Shelby GT500KR. Professional drifter
Vaughn Gittin Jr. of Ford Starting in 2008, previous 2007 Shelby GT500
In the 2006 game Need For
Racing and Falken Tires, Mustangs could be sent to Carroll Shelby’s
Speed: Carbon, the Shelby
drifts a Ford Mustang in Special Performance Plant in Las Vegas to be
GT500 (old model) is a car that
the Formula Drift and rebuilt into a Super Snake, which resembles
can be unlocked.
D1 Grand Prix series. the 1968 GT500KR, for an additional cost of
In the 2007 film, The Bucket List, He was the number one $27,995. The Super Snake will offer a 605 hp
main characters Morgan Free- ranked American drifter 2.3L Eaton roots type supercharged version
man and Jack Nicholson can be in the world in 2006. with warranty or a Kenne Bell twin-screw su-
seen driving Shelby Mustangs on percharged version with “over 725 hp”.
a racetrack
In the 2007 game Need For
Speed: ProStreet, the Shelby
GT500 (1967 old model and
2007 concept model) is a car that
can be driven in-game.
Both the Shelby GT500 and GT-
500KR appear as driveable cars
in the 2007 game Forza Motor-
sport 2, released by Microsoft
Game Studios and Turn10 Inter-
active.
In the 2005 game, Gran Turismo
4, a Shelby GT350R was avail-
able as a prize car. It is unlocked A Mustang is a free-roaming feral horse of the North
by winning the Shelby Cobra American west that first descended from horses
Cup in the Shelby Hall under the brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs
American manufacturers in Gran are often referred to as wild horses, but the more cor-
Turismo Mode. rect term is feral horses.
August 08 55