Ford’s announcement that it has just built the 10 millionth Mustang is cause for celebration, even allowing for the fact this most famous of cars has been around since 1964.
Unsurprisingly, Ford did just that by gathering employees and Mustang owners at its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan and the nearby Flat Rock Assembly Plant where the Mustang is built. Along with the expected display cars, there was also a flypast of three Second World War era Mustang planes, and a parade of Mustangs past and present.
The UK’s role in achieving that production milestone might be tiny at just 7,000 cars to date, but when you consider the Mustang has only been officially on sale in Europe since 2016 that’s actually not at all bad. Indeed, it means the UK has contributed almost 20 per cent of the Mustang’s European sales total over the past two years.
It’s easy to see why, for Ford’s muscle car offers outstanding value whether you buy new or used. For example, head to CarGurus and you’ll find dealers listing used examples of both the 2.3-litre, four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang, and the 5.0-litre V8 GT for comfortably less than £30,000. That price will give you a choice of Fastback (Coupe) or Convertible models that are still within the original three-year manufacturer warranty (although always confirm as much with the dealer), and most with less than 20,000 miles on the clock too.
The 10 millionth Mustang itself is a Wimbledon White convertible with Ford’s 454bhp V8 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. That colour, body style and engine configuration tie in with Mustang VIN number 001, which was displayed in Michigan alongside car number 10 million (pictured above). Admittedly those early Mustangs made do with a three-speed automatic gearbox to the current Mustang’s 10-speed auto, and the engine had just 162bhp, but by the standards of the day that still made Ford’s new coupe almost irresistible to buyers – as demonstrated by the fact 22,000 people placed orders within the first 24 hours of the car going on sale.
The news also happens to coincide with Ford’s announcement that the recently launched Mustang Bullitt has already sold out in the UK (pictured above alongside one of the original film cars), once again proving just how desirable these cars are. Built to mark 50 years since the car played a starring role in the Steve McQueen film, the £47,145 Bullitt offered buyers a limited-edition version of the Mustang with a choice of Dark Highland Green or Shadow Black exterior colour, 19-inch wheels, a digital dial display, upgraded audio system and Recaro sports seats.
Not that the Mustang was always quite as compelling, having gone through some less than stellar iterations, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. However, by using the same kind of retro design themes seen on cars such as the BMW MINI and Volkswagen Beetle, the Mustang came back fighting for its fifth-generation in 2004, and Ford hasn’t looked back since.
Fast forward to today and the vast majority of Mustangs you’ll find for sale in UK dealerships will be sixth-generation models produced for the UK market. All offer two-plus-two seating, plenty of style and strong performance (even the 2.3-litre versions will get from 0-62mph in under six seconds), and although less polished to drive than something like a Porsche 911, they are still a lot of fun.
Not that one should really compare a Mustang to cars such as the 911 in the first place, given it costs around half the price. Indeed, such outstanding value for money has always played a big part in the Mustang’s appeal, whether you’re talking about that first car from 1964, the 10 millionth example today, or anything in between. If you want to know what it feels like to own a supercar, but not pay supercar prices for doing so, nothing else comes close.
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