Second Step Having decided not to take the Mustang I two-seater concept car project further to the company production line, so the American car manufacturer tries to bridge the public’s perception of the 1962 first concept and the next-coming Mustang production version. And Ford Design Vice President Eugene Bordinant asked stylist John Najjar Ferzely to design such mentioned car and built using a preproduction Mustang body with a customized nose and tail.
The
Ford Mustang II “concept” came out of the need to bridge the public’s
perception of the Mustang I two-seater from 1962 and the production
Mustang to come in April 1964. (Picture from: MustangSpecs)
In the summer of 1963, the Ford Styling Department submitted detailed design to Dearborn Steel Tubing (DST) to build the Ford Mustang II
prototype in order to test consumer and press reactions.
The Ford Mustang II “concept” has unique curved nose (with a small dent on the left side), grille-covered headlights, removable hardtop and typical tri-bar tailights. (Picture from: MustangSpecs)
Physically the
second prototype car looking more like what would become the Mustang production version
with a wheelbase of 108 inches and is powered by a high-performance V8
engine capable of spraying the power of 271 hp, the same engine used by
the Shelby Cobra sports car.
The Ford Mustang II “concept” is powered by a high-performance V8 engine capable of spraying the power of 271 hp, the same engine used by the Shelby Cobra sports car. (Picture from: BlogConsumerGuide)
As quoted of Wikipedia, the Mustang II resembled the first generation Mustang, with the same triple-bar taillights, faux side louvers and the 108-inch wheelbase, but some modifications made it a unique variant. The steel body, reinforced by fibreglass sections was five inches longer and three inches shorter in height. The body did not incorporate bumpers and featured a cut-back, swept low-profile windscreen and buried, sculpted headlight treatment.
The 1st Generation of the Ford Mustang production version was officially launched for the first time on April 17, 1964. (Picture from: OtoSia)
Starting with the original car's roof cut off to create a convertible, a detachable fibreglass hardtop was made, but the Mustang II often appeared as a roadster. The interior had "aircraft-styled" instrument clusters with Ford Falcon speedometer predominating and the rest, handmade upholstery on mostly a wood frame. The whole interior treatment is fibreglass and things held up with pieces of 2x4 jammed into big blobs of putty.
The 1st Generation of the Ford Mustang production version was officially launched for the first time on April 17, 1964. (Picture from: OtoSia)
The Ford Mustang II was built on the 1963 Falcon Sprint
chassis which then evolved into a complete vehicle in September 1963,
minus the final top coat of paint. Like its predecessor, the Mustang II
made its debut at Watkins Glen Raceway, New York on October 6, 1963. After that the concept car was placed on the auto show circuit until
early of 1964, then it retired to the Ford warehouse in Dearborn.
Mystique Variants - The Ford Mustang is one of the American iconic sports car whose reportedly adapted the name of the legendary USAAF fighter plane in the World War II era and began its life as a pony car and later developed into a legendary muscle car.
Despite the original Mustang being a major hit from its launch in mid-1964, that didn’t stop Ford from thinking about future variants of the car such these Mustang Mach 1 and 2 Concepts. (Picture from: MustangSpecs - NetCarShow)
First Mustang As we all know, the 'Mustang' is one of the most famous global automotive icons owned by the Ford Motor Company. In fact, it is considered the only car that has managed to exceed initial expectations going from its pony/muscle car to a full-fledged sports car.
The Ford Mustang I Concept was arroused and designed by Ford's Executive Stylist John Najjar Ferzely in 1961 together with his colleague Philip T. Clark. (Picture from: Motor-Junkie)
And in the course of its long history of 58 years, Mustang has managed to come a long way from a simple Falcon-based chassis to today becoming a sports car with excellent handling and performance levels that are on par with similar cars from other world-renowned brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, etc.
And as you already know, there are countless models, generations, and versions of this legendary model. However, not many of us know the first variant of the famous Mustang. Well, this time we will discuss the first variant of the Mustang which was developed by Ford Motor Company in the 1960s. The original idea behind the concept was Ford's desire to develop a small sports car in order to compete with European cars such as the Triumph TR3 or MG MGA.
Ford Motor Company engineers and stylists built the Ford Mustang I full scaled clay model. (Picture from: Silodrome)
Regarding its name origin, actually before the Mustang name, there're several name suggestions appeared, such as among Ford' designers, they preferred the name of Cougar or Torino (at that time the advertising campaign using the Torino name was really ready), while among corporate executives such as Henry Ford II wanted to use the T-Bird II name.
Then the Mustang name was proposed by Robert J. Egggert, Research Manager of Ford Market Division based on his wife gift book of 1960 entitled The Mustang by J. Frank Dobie. While other sources said, it was proposed by John Najjar Ferzely, Ford's Stylist Executive who is a fan of the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter. In short, then the company was decided that the name of Mustang would be used for the Ford's new concept car.
At that time the Ford Motor Company built two prototypes of the Ford Mustang I consisted one non-running fiberglass mock-up, and another one was a fully functional car. (Picture from: Silodrome)
The American clearly liked it from the very beginning, because the name seemed to create a connection with the Wild West mythology that is so deeply rooted in America. So Ford seem to get a good marketing gimmick in America under those name. Things are different in Europe especially in Germany where the name of 'Mustang' cannot be used. Because the name had previously been registered by Krupp to be used as the name of its truck produced between 1951 and 1964.
In
October 62, when the Mustang I debuted at the United States GP, New
York, the Formula 1 race driver Dan Gurney lapped the circuit using the
prototype. (Picture from: Pinterest)
At that time, reportedly Ford refused to purchase such name for about US $10,000 from the German auto company. Not to mention that there are several other automotive products that also use the name of Mustang, such as motorcycles made by German moped manufacturer Kreidler in the 1970s, so as a consequence, Ford Mustangs sold in Germany must use the name of Ford T-5 until December 1978.
The
Ford Mustang I Concept has a modern wedge-shaped body made up of lightweight aluminum built on a chassis spaceframe. (Picture from: Pinterest)
In short, a couple years before the production version appeared, the first prototype named of the Ford Mustang I was arroused and designed by Ford's Executive StylistJohn Najjar Ferzely in 1961 together with his colleague Philip T. Clark. At that time this American car manufacturer built two car prototypes consisted one non-running fiberglass mock-up, and another one was a fully functional car.
The
Ford Mustang I Concept is powered by a 1,500 cc V4 mid-mounted engine coupled with a 4-speed all-synchromesh transmission to drive its rear wheels. (Picture from: Motor-Junkie)
As the Ford Mustang I concept has a modern wedge-shaped body made up of lightweight aluminum built on a chassis spaceframe. The concept car is powered by a 1,500 cc V4 mid-mounted engine coupled with a 4-speed all-synchromesh transmission to drive its rear wheels.
The Ford's new concept car made its official debut at the 1962 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen Raceway, New York on October 7, 1962, and the Formula 1 race driver Dan Gurney lapped the circuit using the car prototypes. As the result, both Mustang I's lap times are just a little over the speed of an F1 race cars at the time. Well, this small, light, mid-engined, 4-cylinder muscle car was blisteringly quick.
But despite the good reaction from car enthusiasts at the time, in the fact that Ford decided to take another path by not put the Mustang I into the assembly line even though originally it was a model that the American manufacturer was seriously developing for production. Probably the Ford Mustang I was deemed too extreme for mass-production.😢
Forgotten ONES - The Ford Mustang is an iconic American car that draws its inspiration from the legendary USAAF fighter plane of World War II, reflecting a blend of power, style, and heritage. Initially introduced as a pony car, it quickly evolved into a beloved muscle car, marking its place as a timeless classic in automotive history.
The Ford Mustang B1 OSI concept paved the way for innovative design and technology integration. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Since its debut in 1964, Ford Motor Company has maintained a steady production of the Mustang, spanning six impressive generations. Adorned with the emblematic wild horse logo, the Mustang has become synonymous with durability and has secured its position as the fifth-best selling Ford car, showcasing its enduring popularity and appeal.
The Ford Mustang B1 OSI debuted at the Turin Auto Show in 1965, followed by the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, and entered production the next year. (Picture from: Coachbuilt)
Throughout its evolutionary journey, Ford Motor Company engaged in fruitful collaborations with esteemed Italian design firms such as Carrozzeria Bertone and Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI). The partnership with Carrozzeria Bertone resulted in a refined version of the Mustang in 1965, adding a touch of European sophistication to the American icon. Simultaneously, OSI's contribution with the Ford Mustang B1 OSI concept opened new avenues for innovative design and technology integration.
The
Ford Mustang B1 OSI debuted at the Turin Auto Show in 1965, followed by
the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, and entered production the next year. (Picture from: Classic And Recreation Sportscars)
Specifically, OSI's partnership with Ford extended beyond the Mustang, leading to the development of other notable projects like the Anglia 105-based Torino and the Ford of Cologne-sponsored 20 MTS coupe. These endeavors showcased Ford's global reach and diverse product offerings, catering to a wide range of automotive enthusiasts worldwide.
The Ford Mustang B1 OSI featured a modified space-frame chassis and a powerful 289 Hi-Po 4.7-liter OHV V8 engine, delivering an impressive 270 horsepower. (Picture from: Fairytales and Dragons)
The Mustang's popularity transcended borders, with models like the T5 finding their way into the European market. The introduction of the Mustang B1 OSI, specifically tailored for European competition to compete with brands like Opel GT, underscored Ford's adaptability and strategic foresight in expanding its global footprint.
Inside the Ford Mustang B1 OSI, luxury intertwined with performance, seen in its mahogany dashboards, three-spoke alloy steering wheel, and premium leather trim. (Picture from: Fairytales and Dragons)
The Mustang B1 OSI was a technological marvel, featuring a modified space-frame chassis and a potent 289 Hi-Po 4.7-liter OHV V8 engine that churned out an impressive 270 horsepower. Its innovative design included an independent rear-suspension arrangement, self-locking ZF differential, and all-round disc brakes, setting new standards in performance and handling. Riding on knock-off Borrani wire wheels, and bodied in glass fiber, the car's signature feature was the fold-flat headlight arrangement which foretold the Porsche 928.
Rolling on knock-off Borrani wire wheels and crafted with a glass fiber body, the standout feature of the car was its fold-flat headlight arrangement, reminiscent of the Porsche 928. (Picture from: Fairytales and Dragons)
Inside the Ford Mustang B1 OSI, luxury seamlessly merged with performance, evident in its mahogany dashboards, three-spoke alloy steering wheel, and premium leather trim. Despite its groundbreaking design, only a single unit of the Mustang B1 OSI was produced, elevating its rarity and desirability among automotive enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Despite its groundbreaking design, only one unit of the Ford Mustang B1 OSI was produced, enhancing its rarity and appeal to automotive enthusiasts and collectors. (Picture from: Classic And Recreation Sportscars)
Unfortunately, OSI's journey was short-lived, culminating in its closure in 1968. Nevertheless, its contributions, especially embodied in the Mustang B1 OSI, continue to resonate as a testament to innovation and collaboration within the automotive industry.
Apologies, as this car is rare, we couldn't locate any related videos. Instead, enjoy this video showcasing the Ford of Cologne-sponsored 20 MTS coupe.
ONE-OFF - When you've seen of the many concept cars ever made by the Ford Motor Company, maybe the following car included in the ranks of unique and ultra rare collections. What car is it? It was the Ford Mustang 'Shorty' concept car developed by the American manufacturer in 1963 and introduced to the public in 1965, which is also widely referred to as the 3rd Mustang prototype made while it was still under development.
Here's the one-and-only 1964½ Ford Mustang III Factory Prototype aka Mustang 'Shorty' is designed by Vince Gardner in 1963, and introduced to the public in 1965. (Picture from: Hemmings)
As quoted from PerformanceFord, during the 1960s the Dearborn-based car manufacturer was looking for a sporty new car. For the reason Ford talked with the Budd Company in 1961 about creating a revived version of the original 1955-1957 Thunderbird. In short, the XT-Bird prototype was born which was combined a 1957 Thunderbird body with a 1961 Falcon chassis. The car looked flashy, but the rear seat was too small to be practical, at the end its development was not continued.
The Ford Mustang 'Shorty' has the look of a two-seater fastback built on the Mustang's trimmed chassis about 16-inches, and initially powered by the two-barrel 260cubic-inch drivetrain. (Picture from: RMSothebys)
Well, possibly it was from here that Ford started to get prospective candidate for its sporty new car. Sure enough, after carrying out a series of model developments, Ford finally launched the figure of a two-seater barchetta sports car called the Ford Mustang I Concept powered by a V4 mid-mounted engine at the 1962 United States Grand Prix in the Watkins Glen Raceway, New York on October 7, 1962.
The 1964 Ford Mustang 'Shorty' two-seater fastback posed along with its creator Vince Gardner. (Picture from: Hemmings)
Development of the Mustang model continued through a handcrafted prototype Mustang II which was also launched at the Watkins Glen Raceway one year later. Both of these prototypes were built fully operational and presumably could be made so again. It is not surprising that both are considered to be treasured artifacts which are now the collections of significant museums (the Henry Ford and Detroit Historical, respectively), and so are unlikely to appear on any public highway.
The 1964 Ford Mustang 'Shorty' retained the Mustang's original front-end, including what appears to be a production safety-glass windshield. (Picture from: PerformanceFord)
Back to the development of the Mustang model, in 1963, there's a talented freelance designer named Vince Gardner worked in the Dearborn Steel Tubing (DST) factory (a frequent Ford partner). He had previously contributed to the Cord 810 and later worked under Raymond Loewy at Studebaker, also had won the National Roadster Show award with his car creation called the Gardner Special was built based on the 1947 Studebaker Champion.
The interior of Ford Mustang 'Shorty' has retained its original parts, but the headliner, inner door panels and everything behind the doors was custom-fabricated. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
As quoted from Hemmings, Gardner was given a free hand with one of 10 pre-production Mustangs later known as the 1964½ Ford Mustang III Factory Prototype. As the result, under Gardner-designed bodywork, the new-Mustang has the look of a two-seater fastback built on the Mustang's trimmed chassis about 16-inches, and initially powered by the two-barrel 260cubic-inch drivetrain.
The ultimate powertrain of the 1964 Ford Mustang 'Shorty' is a Falcon V8 with an experimental bored and stroked version that measured 302cubic-inch coupled with a trio of two-barrel carburetors. (Picture from: Hemmings)
When Ford caught a glimpse of the car, they incorporated it into their traveling show circus in 1964, and shortly after that took the car under their official wing, they replaced the drivetrain into a Falcon V8 with an experimental bored and stroked version that measured 302cubic-inch coupled with a trio of two-barrel carburetors. As a show car, it was equipped with an automatic transmission,
The original windshield was reused, but the door windows along with the concave quarters and the sloping rear window were custom-made out of Plexiglas. (Picture from: PerformanceFord)
Unfortunately, when it was introduced to the public for the first time at the Henry Ford Museum in 1965, this Mustang 'Shorty', received little response and enthusiasm from world's automotive enthusiasts, because its shape was considered 'too weird and asymmetrical'. Due to get such negative reception of visitors and the automotive community at that time, Ford abandoned its plans to produce this model in limited quantities. Disappointed that it was not being produced and to prevent the car from being annihilated as well, Gardner took away his Mustang 'Shorty' car creation, hidden it in a warehouse for couple months.
Bumper-to-bumper, the finished prototype measured 22.5 inches shorter than a production Mustang. (Picture from: RMSothebys)
In 1968 the Mustang 'Shorty' finally found someone named Bill Snyder who really take care of it to 2015. After being stored neatly for several years, Snyder then carried out a complete restoration to return the car to its original condition in 2007 and finished in 2012. Following restoration work, the Mustang 'Shorty' was shown at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Even the one-and-only car had shown at various events across the United States, as part of the Mustang Fifty Years celebrations back in 2014.
The America's famous car manufacturer, Ford is preparing a 2015 Mustang model in order to welcome the celebration of the 50th Mustang's birthday, and from the Car and Driver pages which has featured images of the latest Ford Mustang, the United States legendary cars will undergo massive changes. Before its official launch on December 2013.
Is this the face of the 2015 Ford Mustang? Speculation is running wild about not only what it will look like but what kind of tech will be inside. (Picture from: http://www.digitaltrends.com/)
The Ford Mustang 2015 has a fiercer look than previous versions. According to estimates, the bumper and grille model of Ford Mustang is changed. Its front section is more character and still maintain the muscle car's unique air vents. Ford Mustang 2015 is more elegant with two fog lamp on the right and left side.
The artist's rendering of the next generation Mustang is expected to pull many design elements from the Evos concept car featured here. (Picture from: http://www.caranddriver.com/)
Given these photographs which illustrate that the Ford Mustang 2015 is getting close and real. They say this car will use a 2.4-liter GTDI inline engine that can generate power of 310 bhp (231 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque with emission levels of 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg outside the city.
Reportedly, the latest Ford Mustang is also be mounted 4.9-liter V8 engine with additional cost of U.S. $1,890. This upgraded engine is capable of spraying power to 430 bhp (321 kW) and 396 lb-ft (536 Nm) of torque with emission levels 18 mpg (in the city) and 28 mpg (outside the city).
Ford reportedly also is likely to be re-pinned "Mach 1" the legendary name on the latest generation Mustang. Ford assess the Mach 1 has become an iconic name that is so inherent in the manufacturer nicknamed the Blue Oval. As reported by Autoevolution, on Friday, October 25, 2013, that Mach 1 name has been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since last year.
For information, Mustang Mach 1 was first introduced in 1969 as an exclusive of the V8 performance models until 1974. The car is sleek models of the Mustang II. Ford Mustang became the most successful car since this automobile manufacturer stands. Several models have been issued and saved by its consumers. Over the last 49 years, a total of 9.2 million units of Mustang were produced and sold. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CAR AND DRIVER | AUTOEVOLUTION | DIGITAL TRENDS]
Phantom Challenger - The following article briefly tells about the rivalry that really happened between the two American automotive giants General Motors and Ford Motor Company through the automotive products produced by both of them.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is built by Ford Motor Company intended to be an equal rival model of the Chevy Corvette. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
The story begins when GM through its subsdiary marque, Chevrolet launched a design change of the Corvette sports car in the early 1960s, which at that time immediately caught the public's attention because of its good performance. Off course it made Ford top brass felt challenged to create an equal rival.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is featured an aerodynamic coupe styling bodywork, offered a great interior design plus retractable headlights. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
Then they called the company's engineers for immediately devised a plan. In short, the engineers produced this interesting concept such the Ford Cougar II Concept, which featured an aerodynamic coupe styling bodywork, offered a great interior design plus retractable headlights and was also called one of three-X car concepts, along with the Ford Allegro and Ford Mustang II.
The Ford XP Bordinat Cobra is a concept car creation of Ford Motor Company collaborated with Carroll Shelby back in the 1963. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
By design this Cougar II Concept is very similar to another concept car called the Bordinat Cobra, associated with Gene Bordinat, Ford's Vice President of Styling then, and the man behind the creation of these two great concept models. Well, the mentioned Cobra Roadster, which is one of the collaboration result cars of Ford Motor Company with Carroll Shelby, turned out to be warmly welcomed when it was introduced to the public, and many consumers really enjoyed the great styling. It's said that Ford never liked the eggshell-thin aluminum body of the Cobra, so it designed a coupe style similar to the Corvette and had one made.
The great looking Ford Cougar II fastback concept design built with a fiberglass body under finishing touches of a candy apple red color. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
Furthermore, both are also built on a Shelby Cobra legendary chassis, only the Cougar II Concept is powered by a Ford small block 260ci V8 engine. This great looking fastback concept design built with a fiberglass body under finishing touches of a candy apple red color, in which its bodywork was created and built by Ford designers, Ken Spencer and Ray Behmer.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is powered by a Ford small block 260ci V8 engine. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
While many historians and automotive enthusiasts have argued that the Cougar II Concept looked like a Corvette and deserved to be an equal rival for those Chevy's sports car, on the contrary Ford engineers at the time thought the car would be too expensive to produce.
So then the blue oval logoed company chose to be more focus on the Mustang project whose its production version is still could be seen until today, and left the Bordinat Cobra and the Cougar II Concept models dusty in the warehouse. Later, both of them were donated to the Detroit Historical Museum. 😢 *** [EKA [27102022] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORCITIES | THEGENTLEMANRACER | HEMMINGS | BURRITODETODO ]
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In the summer of 1963, the Ford Styling Department submitted detailed design to Dearborn Steel Tubing (DST) to build the Ford Mustang II
prototype in order to test consumer and press reactions. 
Physically the
second prototype car looking more like what would become the Mustang production version
with a wheelbase of 108 inches and is powered by a high-performance V8
engine capable of spraying the power of 271 hp, the same engine used by
the Shelby Cobra sports car. 
It was not until Aprik 17, 1964 that the Ford Mustang production version was officially launched for the first time by the American car manufacturer, which of course was a direct descendant of the Mustang II prototype in a very different shape of the Ford Mustang I. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR-JUNKIE | SILODROME | MUSTANGSPECS | WIKIPEDIA | MOTORTREND | VANDERBILTCUPRACES | AUTOWEEKS ]
