If you know me, you know I love Mustangs. Probably more than any other car on the road. And if you know Mustangs, you know that the original muscle car just turned 50. Like a lot of Mustang fans, I've been feeling a little nostalgic about that. Today's Mustang is fantastic, of course, but I can remember so many outstanding Mustangs that came before it. To fully appreciate what the modern Mustang has become, you've got to look at the entire body of work.
That's why I was so excited to come across Mustang: The First 50 Years, a new documentary that's sold as a two-DVD set. With a running time of two hours and 30 minutes, Mustang really gets into the details of each of the first five Mustang generations, unearthing a bunch of interesting facts in the process. Did you know, for example, that the Mustang was going to be called "Cougar" until right before it began production? At the last minute, the marketing folks decided that a wild horse was a better fit than a killer cat, so they shelved "Cougar" until it reappeared on Mercury's version of the first-gen Mustang. The documentary is full of neat little anecdotes like that, and even old Mustang guys like me will end up learning a thing or two.
I'll tell you another thing the film got me thinking about: my favorite Mustangs ever. There's a number of interviews with both enthusiasts and Ford insiders, and the question "What's your favorite Mustang?" is a frequent one. The 1965 Shelby GT350 is a popular answer, and I get that -- it's fast, rare and beautiful -- but these days I find myself gravitating toward a couple of the later first-gen models. The 1971 Mach 1 has aggressive, over-the-top styling that I love, and you could get it with the 429-cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8, so that's one of 'em. The other is the 1969-'70 Boss 429, which has basically the same 7.0-liter V8 and fastback styling that's right up there with the best you'll ever see. If I had my druthers (in other words, if I had just a few more coins in my piggy bank), both of those would be in my garage. The film takes you through every meaningful Mustang for the past six decades, including some great vintage driving footage, so you'll have ample opportunity to reflect on your top picks.
I should shut up now and let you go enjoy the show, but before I sign off, I want to share one more thing that I really enjoyed. At the end of the second DVD, you're gonna want to keep watching through the credits, because what's waiting on the other side is a treasure trove of old Mustang television commercials. It's really fascinating to see how car ads have evolved over time. I'm guessing a long take of the new 2015 Mustang driving on sand dunes alongside a prancing white stallion wouldn't really resonate with current shoppers, but it made sense to the Ford team in the '80s, and that's just one highlight among many. You really get a sense of how significant it is for one car to be successful for 50 years and counting. Mustang: The First 50 Years made me feel especially proud to be a Mustang fan, and I bet it'll do the same for you.
Let me know in the comments if you've seen the film. I'd love to get a conversation going about some of the history behind this classic car.
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About the Author(s)
Obsessed with cars since age two, John ultimately pursued his passion and became an automotive journalist and editor. Now twenty years along, hitting new and classic car shows and properly exercising his old 911 still gets his motor running.
