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Spotless 1972 Ford Mustang Sprint Is a Tribute to the Summer Olympics

Introduced in 1964, the first-generation Ford Mustang became a huge success, moving no fewer than 2.2 million units through 1969. But sales decreased by a whopping 36% percent in 1970 and an additional 21% in 1971. That's when Ford decided it was time to spice things up with a special-edition Mustang.
1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition 8 photos
Photo: Bobs Classic Cars & Parts/YouTube
1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition1972 Ford Mustang Sprint edition
With the 1972 Summer Olympics just around the corner, Edsel B. Ford II, the company's marketing manager at the time, created the Sprint Decor Group, a package inspired by the international multi-sport event held in Munich, Germany.

The appearance bundle was centered around the American flag. All cars were finished in white and featured blue stripes with red accents on the hood and the lower body. The interior was designed to match the exterior through bright blue carpeting and bucket seats with white bolsters, blue cloth, and red piping. The American flags on the rear quarter panels rounded off the package.

Ford offered two different bundles on the Mustang Sprint. There was a Sprint Package A option, which included all of the above, for $156. The Sprint Package B version included Package A but added the competition suspension, Magnum 500 wheels, and different tires. The latter was priced at $347.46.

While Mustang sales continued to drop for the 1972 model year, the Sprint package was considered rather striking and ordered on 9,383 cars. That's about 7.5% of the total Mustang sales for the year. The coupe was the most popular choice at 6,247 examples, while 3,086 left the factory with the Sportsroof body style. Only 50 Sprints were ordered as convertibles.

Come 2022 and the Mustang Sprint isn't particularly desirable, but it's one of the rarest FoMoCo ponies from the early 1970s. And because 1972 Mustangs aren't as popular as their predecessors, many Sprints ended up abandoned in junkyards or forgotten in barns. So while you will find quite a few of them for sale right now, fully restored and unmolested examples are a rare sight.

YouTube's "Bobs Classic Cars & Parts" recently spotted (and filmed) one at a local car show and it's one of the finest Sprints I've seen in a very long time. It's unclear whether this 'Stang was restored at some point or just spent its life as a garage queen, but it looks downright fantastic from every angle. It's not perfect if you look really close, but both the paint job and the upholstery are as authentic as they get.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, Ford also offered Sprint editions of the Pinto and Maverick in 1972. You can check them out in the last picture in the photo gallery below. But before you do that, hit the play button below for a walkaround of the 1972 Mustang Sprint.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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