1965 Fastback	1966 GT	1967 GT	1968	1969 GT	1972 Convertible	1973 Fastback
1977 II Hatchback	1978 II Ghia	1983 Convertible	1988 Hatchback	1996 GT convertible	2001 GT	2005 GT

While the Mustang is not really a separate Ford Motor Company marque, it has always been different enough from the rest of the Ford lineup to be treated as a separate marque by most automotive historians.  The Mustang was designed as a sporty, personal car (much like the original Thunderbird) that was also affordable. One of the secrets to the success of the Mustang was the "have it your way" approach to optioning the car. You could have an economical commuter car (six-cylinder, bench seat), or a wild street racer (hi-powered 286, buckets, full instrumentation), and many different combinations in-between.

Mustang reflected the trends in the automotive world more than most models.  In the beginning, it was youthful.  Towards the end of the 60's and early 70's, power and brawn were the order of the day, even on the more sedate models.  In the mid-70's, a smaller, more economical version arrived, in response to the fuel crisis and leaner economic times.  The late 70's brought forth a more efficient, European-style Mustang that lasted through to the mid-90's.  Talk of killing off the Mustang, or replacing it with a front-wheel-drive version, proved to be just rumors, as a more muscular version appeared in 1994.  Restyled in 1999 to evoke a feeling of the original model, the Mustang is left as the only "pony car" made by an American manufacturer. 

© 2002 San Francisco Historical Automobile Society, P.O. Box 880233, San Francisco, CA 94188-0233