Steve McQueen Ford Mustang Bullitt Commercial (Some have said best commercial ever!)
2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt (Another Video)
2008 Ford Mustang "Dreamer" Commercial
History of the Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. The
Mustang had the most successful car launching in automobile history, selling, in its first eighteen months, more than one million cars. The
Mustang created the "pony car" class of automobiles — the sports car's "long hood, short deck" design. The Mustang remains in production after
four decades-worth of stylistic and technologic revisions.
First conceived by Ford product manager Donald N. Frey and championed by Ford Division general manager Lee
Iacocca, the Mustang prototype was a two-seat, mid-engine roadster. Pony cars were in disfavor by 1970, buyers preferred cheaper, fuel-efficient
compact cars. The new-for-1974 "Mustang II" model was drastically smaller than the 1973 cars. On assuming the Ford Motor Company presidency, in
December of 1970, Lee Iacocca ordered a smaller Mustang for 1974, initial plans required basing the 1974 Mustang on the Ford Maverick, a compact
car of like size and power akin to the Falcon's, the Mustang's original base car. Those plans went undone in favor of a yet smaller 1974 Mustang
based on the Ford Pinto, a sub-compact car. The first-year sales were 385,993 cars, almost that of the original Mustang's twelve-month sales
record of 418,812 cars.
In 1979, the new Mustang was based on the larger Fox platform (initially developed for the 1978 Ford Fairmont
and Mercury Zephyr). The Mustang's interior was re-styled to comfortably accommodate four people, despite a smaller rear seat. The body styles
included a coupé (Notchback) and a hatchback; a convertible Mustang was offered in 1983. The offered car-trim levels included: "LX", "GT", the
1993 "Cobra", the 1984-86 turbocharged "SVO", and the 1993 "Cobra R". The available motors were: 105 hp (78 kW) 2.3 L four-cylinder, 109 hp (81
kW) 2.8 L Cologne V6 (made by Ford of Europe), and the 140 hp (104 kW) 302 CID (4.9 L), all from the Mustang II cars line.
In 1994, the Mustang underwent its first major redesign in 15 years. The Cobra model also returned with its
GT-40 equipped 302 cu in engine, now rated at 260 hp (194 kW). The Mustang was named Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for the third time in
1994. In 1996, the Ford Modular engine was introduced for the first time for the Mustang. There was also a 1999 Model 35th Anniversary GT with a
cobra similar V8. It Had 290 Hp and offered a convertible Option with a 5-speed manual Transmission. Developed under the direction of Chief
Engineer Hau Thai-Tang and exterior styling designer Sid Ramnarace, the fifth generation Mustang draws inspiration from Mustangs of the 1960s,
notably the 1969-70 models. The 2005 Mustang's unique retro coupe styling complements its muscle car status with an approximate weight to power
ratio of 11.5:1. The current Mustangs are manufactured at the AutoAlliance International plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. The base Mustang, equipped
with a 5-speed Tremec T-5 manual transmission, is powered by a cast iron block 210 hp (157 kW) 4.0 L SOHC Ford Cologne V6 engine, replacing the
3.8 L pushrod V6. The Mustang GT features a standard 5-speed manual Tremec TR-3650 transmission with an aluminum 300 hp (224 kW) 4.6 L 3-valve
Modular V8 with variable camshaft timing.
More Ford Mustang History
The Mustang has never been an exotic car. As ordinary a car as the Mustang has always been, it has always been
extraordinarily attractive. The 1964 1/2 production Mustang followed two Mustang concept cars. Compared to
every other American car then in production, except the Corvette, the Mustang was gorgeously sleek. Engine
choices started with the utterly lame 170-cubic-inch (2.8-liter) OHV straight six that made just 101 horsepower; then proceeded through a
200-cubic-inch (3.3-liter) OHV straight six rated at a flaccid 116 horsepower; a 260-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) OHV V8 breathing through a two-barrel
carburetor and making 164 horsepower; a 210-horsepower two-barrel-equipped 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8; a four-barrel 289 making 220
horsepower; and, at the top, the famous "K-code" high-compression, solid-lifter, four-barrel 289 pumping out a lusty 271 horsepower. The V8s
outsold Mustangs equipped with the six by nearly three to one.
Even Ford was shocked at America's appetite for the Mustang during '65. Shelby's legendary series of modified
Mustangs would be built through 1970 in various forms and are today considered some of the most desirable Mustangs ever built. It's impossible to
ignore the Shelby Mustangs (which carried Shelby VIN numbers) when recounting Mustang history, but space considerations prevent further
discussion of them in this article.
The 2nd Generation (1967-1968)
By 1967, the Mustang had something it hadn't had before: competition. The standard power plant was now the
200-cubic-inch six making 120 horsepower with a 250-cubic-inch (4.1-liter) 155-horsepower six and the 200-, 225- and 271-horsepower K-code 289
V8s optional. Ford sold 356,271 coupes, 71,042 2+2s and 44,808 convertibles during '67 despite the new competition. The two-barrel 302 made 220
horsepower, while the four-barrel-equipped version put out 230 horsepower. Those big engines hinted at what
was in store for the Mustang over the next few years.
The 3rd Generation (1969-1970)
The Mustang got larger once again for 1969 even though the wheelbase remained 108 inches. Unlike the '67, the
'69 design clearly broke from established Mustang styling themes. But under the sheet metal the Mustang
still carried that Falcon-sourced front suspension and the solid rear axle was still perched on leaf springs. The 390 was back making 320 horsepower and two 428s were offered, with the "Cobra Jet" version making 335 horsepower and the
"Super Cobra Jet" pounding out 360.
For those who wanted a luxurious Mustang, Ford offered the '69 coupe as a "Grande" model. The two most
intriguing '69 Mustangs came in the middle of the model run. The Boss 302 Mustang arose because Ford needed a car to go up against the successful
Camaro Z28 in the SCCA Trans Am road racing series. The Boss 429 was built only to homologate Ford's spectacular 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter)
hemi-headed V8 for NASCAR stock car competition. Those Boss 429s were but a drop in the 1969 Mustang sales bucket. In all, Ford sold 299,824
Mustangs that year, including 72,458 Mach 1s and 14,746 convertibles. During the '70 model year, sales
dropped to 190,727 Mustangs including 6,318 Boss 302s, 499 Boss 429s and just 7,673 convertibles.
Still running on the Falcon-derived chassis, the '71 Mustang had engines ranging from the 250-cubic-inch six
rated at 145 horsepower, through a plebeian 302 making 210 horsepower, two 351s at 240 and 285 horsepower and new Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet
429s pounding out 370 and 375 horsepower, respectively. Whether it was due to this new car's so-so appearance or the age of the Mustang concept
is not known, but only 149,678 '71 Mustangs were produced. While the 1972 Mustang was mostly carryover from '71, a change to net horsepower
ratings and lower compression ratios (to reduce emissions) knocked the ratings of the 250-cube six to 98 horsepower, the lackluster 302 to 140
horsepower, and the three 351s offered to 163, 248 and 266 horsepower. Even though 1973 sales picked up to 134,867 cars, it was obviously time
for Ford to rethink the Mustang.
The 5th Generation (1974-1978)
Everyone hates the Mustang II. By the early '70s it was obvious to Ford that the pony car market the Mustang
had established was changing. Making the Mustang a smaller, more fuel-efficient car seemed like a good idea. Tossing aside the Falcon components that had underpinned the Mustang from Day One, Ford plopped the 1974 Mustang II (Ford put
the "II" there to indicate the extent of the car's change from the oversize '73) atop the basic structure and suspension of its subcompact Pinto.
The Mustang II rode on a miniscule 96.2-inch wheelbase and stretched out just 175 inches long total. That's 12.8 inches less in wheelbase and
12.5 inches less in overall length than the '73 Mustang. That's also 11.8 inches less in wheelbase and 6.6 inches less in overall length than the
original Mustang. Despite the smaller size, the Mustang II actually revived traditional Mustang styling cues like the scalloped sides while
retaining others like the three-piece taillights and the running horse in the grille. Available as either a notchback coupe or a fastback
hatchback, the Mustang II's pricing ranged from $3,134 for a base coupe to $3,674 for a Mach 1 hatchback.
The base engine was a single-overhead cam four displacing 2.3 liters (that's 140 cubic inches, and from here on
out Ford expressed all Mustang engine sizes metrically) and rated at a truly pathetic 88 horsepower. In stock form, the first Mustang II was
underpowered, period. As much as the Mustang II is despised today, Ford appreciated its success back then. A V8 returned to the Mustang lineup for 1975. Returning essentially unchanged for 1976, the Mustang II was stagnant during
the year. Production dropped about 18 percent to 153,117 cars.
For 1978 the Mustang II got some revised trim and the radical-looking (but mildly performing) "King Cobra"
version debuted. Thankfully, it was time for Ford to put the Mustang II out of its (and our) misery. While
the Fox platform was still a unibody structure, it shared little else with previous Mustangs. This basic suspension system would remain in use on
Mustangs through at least the 2003 model year.
Available as either a coupe or fastback hatchback, the new Mustang rode on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and was 179.1
inches long. That's a bit more than four inches longer in both dimensions over the Mustang II, but still shorter than the original Mustang's
108-inch wheelbase and 181.6-inch overall length. The new Mustang's styling was angular and handsome, but hardly related to previous Mustangs.
All three engines from the '78 Mustang II carried over to the '79 Mustang. The 2.3-liter SOHC was rated at 88 horsepower, the 2.8-liter Cologne
V6 at 109 horsepower and the 4.9-liter (but called a 5.0-liter by Ford) V8 made 140 horsepower. Late in the model year, the old 200-cubic-inch
(3.3-liter) OHV straight six reappeared making 94 horsepower. A healthy 369,936 Mustangs were built that model year.
It was the smallest — and the worst — V8 ever offered in a Mustang. By default the turbo four was the most
powerful engine in the '80 Mustang inventory. In what was the worst year ever for Mustang engine performance, Ford sold 271,322 examples of the
breed. A five-speed manual transmission finally came to the Mustang in 1981 as an option behind the regular
and turbocharged fours. Big news came for 1982 in the form of a new "High Output" (HO) version of the 5.0-liter V8 making a healthy (for the
time) 157 horsepower with two-barrel carburetion in a revived Mustang GT hatchback. The most unusual model Mustang, however, wasn't sold to the
public at all, but a "Special Service Package" notchback coupe equipped with the Mustang GT's 157-horsepower V8 and four-speed transmission that
was used by the California Highway Patrol as a pursuit vehicle. A new grille with Ford's Blue Oval logo at its center came along with the 1983
Mustang. A total of 120,873 Mustangs were sold that model year, including 23,438 convertibles. The turbo
four was back for one last year, now rated at 145 horsepower in the Mustang GT.
Carburetors were finally a thing of the past for Mustangs as even the 2.3-liter, SOHC four-cylinder engine now
sported fuel injection and made 90 horsepower. There was a good chance the Mustang would be killed before the 1990 model year, as Ford
contemplated re-engineering the car to accept a driver-side airbag. A new five-spoke, 16-inch wheel was offered on both LX and GT 5.0-liter
Mustangs for 1991. While the basic Mustang LX and Mustang GT were unchanged for 1993 (the 5.0-liter engine's output was revised to 205 horsepower
— probably for marketing reasons with the redesigned Mustang coming for '94), a new special-edition Mustang did appear in the form of the SVT
Cobra. Even after 15 years in production, Ford still sold 114,228 Fox-based Mustangs during the '93 model year. Obviously the Fox-bodied Mustang
was totally exhausted. Kill the Mustang and it would kill the one car the whole world associated with Ford. What appeared for 1994 was a Mustang
clearly influenced by the styling themes of Mustangs past. Base Mustangs (no more LX, just Mustang) got a fuel-injected development of the
3.8-liter Essex V6 rated at 145 horsepower. The Mustang GT got a revised version of the 5.0-liter V8 with a flatter intake manifold that was
rated at 215 horsepower. Available with either 16-inch or 17-inch wheels and tires, the '94 Mustang GT proved to be a better handling, more
secure driving car than ever before. The result was a slightly modified GT wearing 17-inch wheels and, thanks to a set of Ford's "GT40" cylinder
heads and a different intake, a 5.0-liter V8 making 240 horsepower. The new Mustang was a hit, but hardly overwhelming. Selling into a market
vastly more fragmented than it was in 1965, Ford sold 123,198 Mustangs during '94. The 1995 Mustangs were virtually identical to the '94s. The
only change to the model lineup was the introduction of a "GTS" model that essentially put the Mustang GT's drivetrain into a plain Mustang
shell. The big change for 1996 was the abandonment of the 5.0-liter V8 in favor of Ford's 4.6-liter, SOHC V8 in the GT. Rated at the same 215
horsepower as the outgoing 5.0, the 4.6 opened a new chapter in Mustang history as the good old small-block Ford V8 was left behind after serving
in the Mustang for 31 of the previous 32 model years. In addition, the 3.8-liter V6 was rerated to 150 horsepower. Transmission choices remained
the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
Ford built 108,344 Mustangs that model year, with 6,961 of them being Cobra coupes and 3,088 Cobra
convertibles. Except for redesigned five-spoke wheels on the Cobra, revisions to the 4.6-liter V8 that increased output to 225 horsepower and the
usual juggling of colors and trim, the 1998 Mustang carried over from '97. By the way, what is a "Mustang Cobra" anyhow? Eighth Generation
(1999-2004)
Significant revisions to both the base Mustang's 3.8-liter V6 and the GT's 4.6-liter V8 seriously increased
their horsepower ratings for '99. Intended to be the pride of the Mustang fleet for '99 was the seriously revised Cobra. A limited run of 300
"Cobra R" models were produced this year powered by a 5.4-liter, iron-block version of the DOHC, 32-valve engine rated at a massive 385
horsepower. For the first time since 1989, Ford sold more than 200,000 Mustangs — a total of 215,393 found homes in 2000.
The Cobra returned for 2001, but the big news that year was the special "Bullitt" edition Mustang GT coupe
designed to evoke memories of the '68 Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in the 1968 film of that name. The gorgeous wheels from the Bullitt made it
onto the regular Mustang options list for 2002, but the car was otherwise unchanged. The new Cobra uses a supercharged version of the 4.6-liter,
DOHC, 32-valve V8 making a stupefying 390 horsepower. With that grunt traveling through a six-speed manual transmission, the latest Cobra is the
quickest and fastest Mustang ever built by Ford.
To celebrate the Mustang's 40th birthday, Ford stuck a 40th anniversary badge on each 2004 Mustang. The
Mustang's interior is also reminiscent of the Mustang's glory days.
