Ford Mustang 1964 - 2013 Reviews
In the early 60`s, Ford was presented Mustang in an effort to keep up with its main competitors Chevrolet. The car was destined to become one of the most successful and respected in the range of Ford. During the developing the car was named Cougar (Panther), and the name Mustang was preferred before going into production because of a resemblance to the war model of the fighter P-31 Mustang. The galloping horse as the emblem of Mustang was chosen later on the assumption of the name of the car.
Mustang was first introduced to the public in 1964 in two versions - as a two-door coupe and a cabriolet.
Million of the cars Mustang was sold for two years.
The car looked great it was low, sport, with a long hood and the sharply excised back part. This car was to Americans taste, but and that Europeans accepted Mustang with a great success. The Old World was won by a powerful engine, stylish design and affordable price of Mustang.
The success of Mustang was a long list of custom-built equipments owing to it a customer could order the car with the modest design, the simple interior and the unpretentious motor but another could buy Mustang with the “metallic” body-colored, lavishly decorated with chrome, with the powerful engine, the sport gearbox, the leather cabin and air conditioning. Not without reason one of the advertising slogans was: "We will make Mustang for you."
In April, 1965 “common” customers were offered the package “GT” including: the tuned suspension, the sensitive steering wheel, disc brakes on all wheels, the dual exhaust system and the special coloring body. By 1966 the individualization of Mustangs reached new achievements - according to brochures the car interior style and color could be made out of 34 variants.
Then there were new sport modifications, developed jointly with the famous firm of Carroll Shelby, its masters designed the legendary Cobra. GT-350 of Shelby the car engine had the output of 306 PS and the special racing GT-350R of Shelby had only 360 PS. In the 1966 a mechanical supercharger of Paxton brand was established in GT-350 that allowed the engine to increase the output to 420-430 PS under certain rotations.
In due course it was necessary to redesign any car parts. These decisions were concern of the more powerful model of 1966 “Karrol Shelby GT 500”. The only horizontal rod of the gitter disappeared, the sparger aerators were added to the decorative air intakes at the rear wheels, trims and decorations were reshuffled. At the same time the six-cylinder engine was standardized. Series V8 engines continued to exist in the future. Of course, if someone was not suited by the output of 271 PS he could order the equipment Cobra of Ford dealers, increased the engine power to 350 PS.
Mustang was augmented by a few centimeters and as a result changed the body panels by 1967.
The power-generating sets consisted of eight: from the six-cylinder engine with the volume of 3.3 liters and the output of PS to the new V8 engine with the volume of 7.0 liters and the output of 355 PS which replacement was possible only by lengthening the engine compartment and only in Mustang - Shelby GT-500.
The new great option was the hydro-mechanical transmission FMX with automatic or manual gearboxes.
In the same 1967 Karrol Shelby gave all the rights of producing of Mustang Shelby to the corporation Ford Motor and refused to participate in the constructing of the following versions of sport cars.
B 1968 there were two new eight-cylinder engines. And the potential customer could choose of ten power-generating sets with the volumes of 3.3, 4.7, 5.0, 6.4 and 7.0 liters and the output of 115, 120, 195, 230, 250, 271, 320, 325, 335 and 390 PS.
In 1968 there was the modification Shelby GT-500KR with Ram Air engine 428 Cobra Jet with the volume of 7.0 liters having the official output of 325 PS but developing the output to 410 PS and the special air intake system.
In 1969 Mustang was completely modernized. At the same wheelbase the length of the car was augmented by 10 cm and the weight - by 60 kg, there were new versions of the car: the cheap E, the expensive Grande and Mach 1 with the engine of 335 PS.
The Boss model was attractive the great interest of customers. Mustang Boss 302 with the engine of 290 PS was designed to fight with the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 in the racing of Trans Am held on oval tracks.
Mustang Boss 429 was designed to participate in NASCAR racing. The car was equipped with eight-cylinder engine of 375 PS developing the torque of 611 Nm at 3400 r/min, a lot of details and parts were made of light alloys. The replacement of the large powerful engine was the reason of reconstructing of the front suspension and changing of the fastening of shock absorbers and double wishbones were lowered by 25 mm. Boss 429 also received the sport four-stage gearbox, the oil cooler and the best design of the cabin. In outward appearance the car differed by the hood with a large air intake, spoilers and extended wheel arcs. Finally, we had to notice that the reliability control on winding roads of Mustang Boss 429 had no equal.
In 1974 there was a new model and the era of the second-generation of Mustang began. The car was diminished in size, but kept all three bodies. Then in that year there were variety of models Mach I and Cobra of second generation.
In 1978 Mustang III was introduced in Geneva. The car had angular forms and significantly reduced to the dimensions of the European auto body.
In 1982 – there were the coupe or targa bodies.
In 1983 – there was the open model Konvertible.
Ford started to produce sport modifications of Mustang. In 1984 the model SVO was presented. A year later, there were modifications Cobra and Mach. The car was completely redesigned all over again.
In 1985 it was the debut of Mustang GT Cabrio.
In 1986 there was the car LX having the sharp features body.
In 1992 a prototype Mach III was shown in Detroit.
Ford has produced Mustang IV stylized in cars of 1964 since 1993.
In 1997, the fourth generation was changed a few. Exterior elements of the body was updated, it got the new rear vertical three-band lighting equipment (previously it was horizontal).
In 1998 the modification SVT of 320 PS was presented. However, the engine had not declared output and in the summer of 1999 the production of this modification was stopped.
In 2000, the fourth generation of the Mustang got a formidable appearance: new headlights and bumpers, the differently shaped hood, larger air intakes in front of the rear wheels and steeply protruding wheel arcs. The swift steed as a traditional emblem was dressed in chrome as the first generation of Mustang. The engine was also changed. The modern 4.6-liter V8 engine had the output of 260 PS and sped up the car to 240 km/h.
In November, 2003 in Las Vegas, Ford Corporation introduced the new version of the famous Mustang which presentation was timed to the 10th anniversary of the production of the first SVT car. The current Mustang SVT Cobra was available in 2 versions: coupe and cabriolet. 2003 cars were produced in total and all of them were in strict accordance with the model of the anniversary series. There was the 32-valve V8 4.6 engine Triton forced by volumetric supercharger to 390 liters and independent rear suspension under the hood. It was possible to order the car with the manual 5-stage gearbox.
Mustang SVT Cobra as the anniversary model can be distinguished by some details hidden from the untrained eye. For example, there are unique golden 17-inch alloy wheels with a double spokes, the rear part and body thresholds with the inscription of “10th anniversary” and the image of the attacking cobra. There are special colors for design: Torch Red, Black Clear coat (like "Classic Black") and Silver Metallic. Cushions of the anniversary Ford Mustang are covered with red leather and there are carbon insert on some interior panels.
To the 40th anniversary of the Ford Mustang the corporation timed the presentation of the model Mustang GT-R. There is the 5-liter aluminum V8 engine with two camshafts under the hood. Its output is 440 PS at 7.000 r/min and the maximum torque of 542 Nm. On customer request, the engine power can be increased to 500 PS. The engine works with the manual 6-speed gearbox that drives the rear wheels.
Mustang GT-R has 20-inch wheels, powerful brakes with 370-mm discs front and 335-mm - behind. Tire sizes are 275/35 front wheels and 315/30 rear wheels. The exterior of Ford Mustang GT-R is enhanced by wings, the carbon fiber hood with an air intake, the rear diffuser and rear wing. Exhaust pipes are on the rear fenders in front of wheels.
At the Detroit auto show the completely new generation of Ford Mustang of the legendary American sport car of 2005 was presented. The updated car is constructed on the modernized platform has new engines and the new, more aggressive body design. The new model got the original look of the front part of the body with the classic round headlights.
The cabin design is also completely updated, now Ford Mustang looks sporty-modern and stylish. One of two gasoline engines can be located under the hood of 2005 Ford Mustang. There can be either the four-liter V6 with 200 PS, or the new 4.6-liter V8 with 300 PS. At the same time Ford Mustang 2005 retained the classic rear-wheel drive but with the new completely redesigned chassis anyway this combination will give the pleasure of driving.
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