Final Concept - 1963

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Ford had the styling of their upcoming new Mustang nearly 100% complete. The year before, they set the Automotive press on its duff with the Mustang I mid engine research vehicle. Something spectacular was needed to bridge the gap between the Mustang I and the Production Mustang.

Taking a page out of the GM proven "Hype Notebook", Ford took a pre-production Mustang mule and created a show car beauty. The intent was to give the impression that the Production car was a variant of the show car. Actually, the opposite was the case.

Stylists took the wedge nose shape of the Mustang I and blended it to the headlamp area of the Show Car. The bumpers were removed, the top was chopped and the car was painted white with a blue stripe down the center, ALA Mustang I.

Mechanically the car was very close to the actual production Mustang. In all, a great looking car.

The Mustang II Show car was unveiled at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix in October of 1963. Lee Iacocca was the Ford Division Vice President and the Driving Force behind the Mustang. Mr. Iacocca gave a lofty speech about how Ford finds it useful to produce show cars to test the publics' reaction to styling and mechanical innovations that are under consideration for future production ... BUNK !

This was 100% Preproduction Hype ... a proven effective method of whipping up the public, getting them on their feet and wondering what's next. Pure old fashioned Showmanship .. and it worked.

Ford had spent nearly 100 Million dollars on this revolutionary new car. Needless to say, jobs and careers were on the line. But nobody, not even Lee Iacocca, had any idea how much of a wallop the Mustang had in
store. The General (GM) never knew what hit him.

In 6 months time, the Mustang would hit the streets. The Mustang revolution would begin, and it hasn't stopped.

Today, this unique vehicle resides in the collection of the Detroit Historical Commission. A gift to the City of Detroit from the Ford Motor Company.

A Second Concept car

(Click on an image below to enlarge)