Ford to offer 50th anniversary Mustang

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

NEW YORK (AP) - Ford is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Mustang with a limited-edition model and a display atop the Empire State Building.

At the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, the company revealed the 50 Year Limited Edition. The company will only build 1,964 special cars, honoring the year when the Mustang first went on sale.

"If you don't like this car, you don't like cars," said Executive Chairman Bill Ford, whose first car was an electric green 1975 Mustang.

Earlier in the day, Bill Ford appeared with a bright yellow 2015 Mustang convertible on the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building. It's the first time a car has been there since 1965, when Ford put a Mustang convertible there.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140416/DAD7A8K00.html

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Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company's executive chairman, stands with the all-new 2015 Mustang convertible as it's introduced on the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building during the New York International Auto Show, Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

[onehandle]

1. My 45th Anniversary Camaro approves. nt

[kimbutgar]

2. I had a 1966 mustang hard top automatic

I wanted a 69 Camero but Dad said the Mustang was a safer car for a girl going off to college. I paid half after working the summer and my parents paid the other half. I sold it after college. The only car I sold for more than I paid. I realized my mistake the day I sold it in 1979 as the new owner drove it away. To this day when I see that model I want to kick myself.

[jaysunb]

5. I feel you....

My first brand new car was a 64 Mustang convertible. Sold it to a neighbor when I got drafted in 65. I saw him about 20 years ago and he still had it.

The "shithead" used to wave at me sitting on the porch after I got back from Nam.

[IDemo]

8. I had a '67

289, automatic, Cragars. One of the few vehicles I've owned that I loved.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I had a '70 Boss 302 with the classic shaker hood scoop and rear spoiler and louvers....

I knew every nut, bolt and screw on that car.

[Codeine]

11. Had the same one, baby blue with black interior.

A U-Haul smashed into it at about 50mph while it was parked outside my work. Utterly destroyed.

[rickford66]

3. I had a 66 GT 4-speed coupe

Bought it used in 1971 for $750 with the money I saved in the Navy. Of course it needed lots of work. I always loved driving it. Now I'm restoring a 65 coupe, 4-speed, 302.

[kwassa]

4. Thank Lee Iacocca, who also invented the minivan.

The Mustang was Lee's while he was at Ford. Lee is now retired and 89 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Iacocca

Iacocca participated in the design of several successful Ford automobiles, most notably the Ford Mustang, the Lincoln Continental Mark III, the Ford Escort and the revival of the Mercury brand in the late 1960s, including the introduction of the Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis. He promoted other ideas which did not reach the marketplace as Ford products. These included cars ultimately introduced by Chrysler – the K car and the minivan. Eventually, he became the president of the Ford Motor Company, but he clashed with Henry Ford II. He was fired on July 13, 1978 although the company posted a $2 billion profit for the year.

....................................................................................

Realizing that the company would go out of business if it did not receive a significant amount of money for a turnaround, Iacocca approached the United States Congress in 1979 and asked for a loan guarantee. While some have said that Congress lent Chrysler the money, the government only guaranteed the loans. Most observers thought this was an unprecedented move, but Iacocca pointed to the government's bailouts of the airline and railroad industries. He argued that there were more jobs at stake in Chrysler's possible demise. Iacocca received the loan guarantee from the government, whose decision caused controversy.

Chrysler released the first of the K-Car line: the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, in 1981. Similar to the later minivan, these compact automobiles were based on design proposals which Ford had rejected during Iacocca's (and Sperlich's) tenure. Released in the middle of the major 1980-1982 recession, the small, efficient and inexpensive front-wheel drive cars sold rapidly. In addition, Iacocca re-introduced the big Imperial as the company's flagship. The new model had all of the newest technologies of the time, including fully electronic fuel injection and all-digital dashboard.

Chrysler introduced the minivan, chiefly Sperlich's "baby," in the fall of 1983. It led the automobile industry in sales for 25 years.[10] Because of the K-cars and minivans, along with the reforms Iacocca implemented, the company turned around quickly and was able to repay the government-backed loans seven years earlier than expected.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee design was the driving force behind Chrysler's buyout of AMC; Iacocca desperately wanted it.
Iacocca led Chrysler's acquisition of AMC in 1987, which brought the profitable Jeep division under the corporate umbrella. It created the short-lived Eagle division, formed from the remnants of AMC. By this time, AMC had already finished most of the work with the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which Iacocca wanted. The Grand Cherokee would not be released until 1992 for the 1993 model year, the same year that Iacocca retired.

[Rod Beauvex]

6. Huh.

I always thought some of those early Chryslers had a Ford-ish look to them.

[dembotoz]

7. will it come with a built in wheel chair ramp for those who also bought the original

[Nobel_Twaddle_III]

9. that was mean

[Socal31]

12. 2011 Shelby..

Fun to drive on weekends!

[malthaussen]

13. Shouldn't they build 1964 1/2?

The new one looks nice enough, but there is something about modern design that just doesn't zing me. But there are still a few real Mustangs around... and they can be cheaper than the new ones.

-- Mal

[Ino]

14. My first car...

was a 66 powder blue Mustang (sigh).

[Javaman]

15. my very first car was a 1965 (early) Mustang.

I got it from my brother. (who drove it to death)

It was 1980. I rebuilt the engine and the transmission. I put in new duct work, all new sheet metal for the floors and redid the body work (salt damage/rust from the Long Island winters) Then had it painted dark blue.

I loved that car. I miss it every time I see one drive by.

[WilliamPitt]

16. TAKE MY MONEY

Want.

[EX500rider]

17. "Executive Chairman Bill Ford, whose first car was an electric green 1975 Mustang." yikes!

Why would he admit to ever owning or Ford ever building that POS?

The '75 Pinto like Mustang was HORRIBLE.

And I've had a '67 fast back 4sp, a '83 GT (last year with a carb and no computer!) and a '88 LX convert.

[Blue_Tires]

18. kick