The 50th Anniversary Ford Mustang grows on you.
After seeing it debut later this year and getting a closer look at it during the NAIAS 2014, I wrote that the car was beautiful — but it didn’t strike me as a Mustang. While some automakers reintroducing classic edition or re-issue vehicles with historic pedigrees opt to re-create the look that made them famous (…Think the 21st century Fiat 500, BW Beetle or Dodge Challenger…), Ford chose to redefine what a Mustang looks like.
And, I realize that’s necessary. It must be that way. While looking back at the birth of the great American muscle car, I can see that car was of its time, yet timeless. The 50th Anniversary Mustang is also of its time in appearance and technology. Now, time will tell if it also lives on in history.
Ford announced at NYIAS 2014 that it will honor the original year of the Mustang’s birth by making 1,964 50th Anniversary special edition Mustang GTs. They’ll come in the same Wimbledon White as the first Mustang, wearing special badges dedicated to the big birthday year. It’ll come with every possible piece of kit and option. The only option the buyer chooses is what transmission goes with the 420 horsepower V8 – manual or automatic.
And, if you would dare choose to marry an automatic transmission to your V8 50th Anniversary Mustang, you don’t deserve to own one.
That’s one opinion I won’t change.