By Patrick Dunn
PHOTO: SAM VARHAGEN
ELENA FORD Reenacts her grandfather Henry Ford II’s unveiling of the 1965 Mustang 50 years later in Flushing Meadows.
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, auto fans, including the Mustang Club of America, came in droves to celebrate 50 Years of Mustang at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and Corona Park in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Ron Bramlett, the Speedway events’ executive director, contends that the Mustang’s versatility over the past five decades is why so many people turned out for this important milestone. “It fits everybody’s imagination one way or another,” he says.
The small army of over 10,000 ’stangs in attendance was just one attraction among many. “This was not your typical car show where everybody’s sitting in lawn chairs by their cars and keeping them spotless and clean,” Bramlett says. Many took advantage of “ride and drive” opportunities, which drew long lines. Others broke out suits and cocktail dresses. Shelby American hosted a gala at its Las Vegas headquarters, and both Speedway events had Saturday night banquets.
The high point during each event was the unveiling of the 2015 Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition, a 5.0-liter V-8 with Brembo front brakes and 19-inch alloy wheels, which will be limited to a run of 1,964 cars available in either Wimbledon White or Kona Blue. Other features include rear quarter louvered glass and a unique two-tone cashmere and black interior.
The festivities also drew Ford luminaries, including Bill Ford, Marks Fields and Gale Halderman, the man who first sketched the Mustang’s iconic design. “I got to shake the hand that held the pen that drew the Mustang, which was pretty incredible,” Bramlett says.
MUSTANG EVOLUTION Important moments in the history of this American icon
>1964 Ford unveils the Mustang at the World’s Fair in New York.
>1974 The Mustang II wins Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” award.
>1982 The California Highway Patrol purchases 400 Mustangs to help keep pace with high-speed pursuits.
>2008 The nine millionth Mustang is sold, cementing its legacy as an icon.
>2012 Ford designers achieve the seemingly impossible feat of giving even more muscle to the ‘Stang's exterior with the release of the Shelby® GT500®.
>2014 With a sleeker body, enhanced engine lineup and performance features, the 2015 Mustang is unveiled.
Tags: Mustang, Classic Cars
Ford fans celebrate half a century of one of America’s most loved and iconic cars.
ELENA FORD Reenacts her grandfather Henry Ford II’s unveiling of the 1965 Mustang 50 years later in Flushing Meadows.
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, auto fans, including the Mustang Club of America, came in droves to celebrate 50 Years of Mustang at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and Corona Park in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Ron Bramlett, the Speedway events’ executive director, contends that the Mustang’s versatility over the past five decades is why so many people turned out for this important milestone. “It fits everybody’s imagination one way or another,” he says.
The small army of over 10,000 ’stangs in attendance was just one attraction among many. “This was not your typical car show where everybody’s sitting in lawn chairs by their cars and keeping them spotless and clean,” Bramlett says. Many took advantage of “ride and drive” opportunities, which drew long lines. Others broke out suits and cocktail dresses. Shelby American hosted a gala at its Las Vegas headquarters, and both Speedway events had Saturday night banquets.
The high point during each event was the unveiling of the 2015 Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition, a 5.0-liter V-8 with Brembo front brakes and 19-inch alloy wheels, which will be limited to a run of 1,964 cars available in either Wimbledon White or Kona Blue. Other features include rear quarter louvered glass and a unique two-tone cashmere and black interior.
The festivities also drew Ford luminaries, including Bill Ford, Marks Fields and Gale Halderman, the man who first sketched the Mustang’s iconic design. “I got to shake the hand that held the pen that drew the Mustang, which was pretty incredible,” Bramlett says.
MUSTANG EVOLUTION Important moments in the history of this American icon
>1964 Ford unveils the Mustang at the World’s Fair in New York. >1974 The Mustang II wins Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” award. >1982 The California Highway Patrol purchases 400 Mustangs to help keep pace with high-speed pursuits. >2008 The nine millionth Mustang is sold, cementing its legacy as an icon. >2012 Ford designers achieve the seemingly impossible feat of giving even more muscle to the ‘Stang's exterior with the release of the Shelby® GT500®. >2014 With a sleeker body, enhanced engine lineup and performance features, the 2015 Mustang is unveiled. Tags: Mustang, Classic Cars
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