15 Things About The 1964 Ford Mustang
The first Ford Mustang debuted in April 1964, and was an unprecedented success that exceeded even Ford’s expectations. Ford estimated they would sell 100,000 new Mustangs in the first year, and maybe 20,000 in the first few months. Little did they know, it would only take them three months to reach their first goal. 1965 is Mustang’s best-selling model year, with 680,969 sold. Incredibly, 1966 comes in second with 607,568 sold. By the end of 1966, more than 1.4 million Mustangs were sold.
Lee Iacocca was considered the creator of Mustang. He researched the market and concluded buyers wanted a car with a shorter wheelbase, a longer hood, a shorter rear deck and a lower roofline, all while keeping it affordable. Ford gave Iaccoca guidelines on this new car: under 180 inches long, weigh less than 2,500 pounds, or cost under $2,500. It also needed a standard six-cylinder engine.
