1964 was the year Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali. Martin Luther King received the Nobel Peace Prize. The Beatles caused a frenzy the first time they arrived in America. And the Ford Mustang was born.
The first Ford Mustang rolled off the production line on March 9, 1964, at the factory in Dearborn, Michigan, springing a new segment: those of pony cars. The Plymouth Barracuda had been introduced just 16 days prior. The model has been in continuous production since, which makes it the longest-running nameplate in the history of the brand.
The first Mustang was sold to the public on April 14 at a Ford dealership in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, before the automaker officially introduced it on April 17 at the New York World Fair.
Dealerships in the US and Canada had been sent brand-new Mustangs for promotional purposes. Those cars were never supposed to end up with customers. However, an airline pilot from Canada, Captain Stanley Tucker, did not want to hear a thing. He bought a Mustang on the spot.
Photo: Ford
Ford was originally planning to sell 100,000 examples per year. However, they were unable to stick to the plan. The popularity of the model skyrocketed and the following year, it was already the most successful model since the Model A in 1927. Ford sold over 400,000 units in the first year of production.
Two years later, the carmaker had already hit the one million examples mark. Number 10 million rolled off the product line in August 2018, with looks that matched the first-ever Mustang from 1964. It was painted in Wimbledon White, and it was a convertible powered by Ford's 5.0-liter V8 engine.
This year, Ford celebrates six whole decades since the Mustang story began. Now in its seventh generation, the Mustang sees the light of day at the Flat Rock plant in Detroit, Michigan. The 5.0-liter V8 engine rolls off the production line of Ford's Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The production facility has been operating since 1981, when it started building the Ford V6 engine.
The automaker's CEO, Jim Farley, uploaded four photos to X to show how the plant celebrated the 60th anniversary. The employees took several versions of the Mustangs and photographed themselves with them to mark the occasion.
Several V8-powered Mustang owners placed their cars to form the 6 and 0 numbers in a parking lot. The photo shows many other Mustangs in the vicinity of those forming the numbers. "Ford fans and employees are the best!" Jim Farley worth on social media.
Mustang owners from all over America reunited to celebrate together the day the first Mustang was manufactured. They are permitted to participate in such reunions, opposite to being locked out of the Coffee and Cars events.
The organizers blacklisted the owners of Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, Dodge Chargers, and Challengers in an attempt to prevent high-revving, donuts, and power slides, as well as hazardous situations when leaving the event. However, classic versions of the models are welcomed to the events.
Ford fans and employees are the best! Check out the @FordMustang 60th anniversary celebration in Canada at the @Ford Essex Engine Plant – home of the 5L V8 – Mustang owners form the number ‘60’ to mark the special day! #FordMustang#Mustang60pic.twitter.com/b4oO6PhpLm
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