The 1964 Ford Mustang was an instant classic, available in a Coupe or Convertible. This Mustang was a sporty, yet affordable. It was conceived for the first group of youthful "baby boomers." The ’64 Mustang was the perfect match for the fast growing female segment of buyers.
Mustang was introduced in Detroit in 1964. It was launched as a ‘64-1/2 model, but is primarily known as the 1964 Mustang.
The ’64 Mustang featured a long hood, short deck and scooped fenders. The Mustang was eventually copied by Detroit manufacturers and expanded into high-performance versions known as the GT 350 and GT 500. These high-performance Mustangs were developed under the direction of road racer Carroll Shelby. It became popular to rent these 1964-1/2 Ford Shelby Mustangs, which were available through Hertz. The Mustang became a Trans-Am series champion.
The 1964 Ford Mustang was available with several engine choices: like a 171-cubic-inch six cylinder, a 260 cubic-inch V8, and three variations of the 289-cubic-inch V-8 offering up to 271 hp. The majority of buyers chose the V8 engine, with about one third of buyers opting for the six cylinder 171 in their 1964 Ford Mustang. The Mustang was available with the buyer’s choice of a manual transmission or automatic transmission. Younger buyers preferred the manual transmission, while the automatic transmission was more popular among the distinguished and experienced drivers.
The 1964 Ford Mustang's launch was very successful. Over one million Mustangs were sold in its first year. Starting price for the six cylinder with a 3-speed manual transmission was a $2368. Adding the most powerful engine and various performance and handling options made the sticker price $3850.
Today, a new Mustang has arrived, although it resembles an updated version of the original 1964 Ford Mustang. Vintage Mustang enthusiasts agree that the looks of the new Mustang is definitely headed in the right direction.
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