1964 marked significant events in history, including Cassius Clay’s transformation into Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize, and the debut of the Ford Mustang.
Introduced on March 9, 1964, at the Dearborn factory in Michigan, the Mustang pioneered the pony car segment, predating even the Plymouth Barracuda by just 16 days. Since then, the Mustang has remained in continuous production, earning the title of the longest-running nameplate in Ford’s history.
The first Mustang was publicly sold on April 14 at a dealership in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, before its official revealing at the New York World’s Fair on April 17. Ford had distributed brand-new Mustangs to dealerships in the US and Canada for promotional purposes, although these models were not intended for customer purchase. However, Captain Stanley Tucker, an airline pilot from Canada, defied expectations by purchasing one of these Mustangs on the spot.
Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Mustang is in its seventh generation and continues to be produced at the Flat Rock plant in Detroit, Michigan. The 5.0-liter V8 engines are manufactured at Ford’s Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which has been in operation since 1981.
To mark the occasion, Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, shared photos on social media depicting the plant’s celebration. Employees arranged V8-powered Mustangs to form the numbers 6 and 0, symbolizing the 60th anniversary.
Mustang enthusiasts from across America gathered to commemorate the day the first Mustang was manufactured, highlighting the community’s passion for the iconic model. While some events may restrict certain vehicle types, Mustang owners are welcome to participate in celebrations, fostering camaraderie among enthusiasts.