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One of the biggest draws at the 2025 Colorado Auto Show was the shiny red 2025 Ford Mustang GT at the front of the Ford display. The Mustang, which debuted in April of 1964, as a 1964 1/2 model at the New York World’s Fair just turned 61. It doesn’t show its age. As it starts its 61st year, the sleek Mustang is still setting records and winning new generations of fans.
Mustang’s Winning Legacy
Lee Iacocca is often considered the father of the Mustang. He directed the Ford designers to build a fun and affordable sporty car. Ford has always positioned the Mustang as the affordable sportscar. The Mustang really created the pony car segment. S&P Global Mobility says the Mustang is the global sports car leader in sales as well as America’s best-selling sports car. Ford has kept the Mustang in production since 1964, which makes it Ford’s longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Ford has tweaked the size and horsepower of the Mustang over the years. The Mustang is now in its seventh generation.
Ford Growing the Mustang Name
In recent years, Ford has invested heavily in racing the Mustangs. In 2025, it captured a win at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and multiple NASCAR and Australian Supercar victories. Beyond IMSA endurance racing, NASCAR and Australian Supercars, Ford continues to race with Mustang in series around the world, as well as the one-make Mustang Challenge series.
Ford has increased the types of Mustangs that are available, as well. Now, there is a Mustang for truly every fan. There is the economical Mustang EcoBoost and a much faster Mustang GT. The Mustang Dark Horse introduced in 2024. Torque News writer Marc Stern described it this way.
“A special team of Ford engineers, designers, and experts worked for more than three years to create Mustang Dark Horse, a street and track-capable performance Mustang with striking visual cues and all the capability sports car lovers expect, right down to the available carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution (late availability). Mustang Dark Horse is the first new performance name for the brand since Mustang Bullitt was introduced in 2001.”
“For decades, Mustang has competed against the most premium brands on the greatest world stages and won,” said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company. “We surprised everyone, and we’re going to surprise them again with a track-capable Mustang that puts a new level of performance, styling. and American engineering in the hands of everyday customers who still want the thrill and excitement of a V8 sports car.
Ford again stunned fans with the creation of the 815-horsepower Mustang GTD supercar. The GTD sets a new performance bar with 815 horsepower, 664 pound-feet of torque and a top speed of 202 miles per hour, the most of any street-legal Mustang ever. The GTD recently becoming the first car from an American brand to lap the famed Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes. When it debuted in January, brand manager Jim Owens said, “Mustang GTD is the pinnacle of Mustang performance. Mustang GTD Spirit of America celebrates the daring behind that performance.”
Mustang Even Added an EV
Ford added an electric vehicle under the Mustang name in 2019. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is not considered one of the Mustang variants but instead is a separate vehicle under the Mustang name.
Ford has sold nearly 1 million Mustangs worldwide over the past decade. The sports car is sold in 85 markets. According to Ford, as America’s best-selling sports car, Mustang now represents nearly half the non-luxury sports car segment.
Mary Conway Photo from the Colorado Auto Show
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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Source: torquenews.com
