Celebrating the Ford Mustang’s 60th birthday, around 800 cars gathered at the British Motor Museum in the UK. Despite only being officially sold in the UK for the past seven years, the Mustang has developed a huge and dedicated following. The event showcased the inclusive and accepting nature of the Mustang community, with a wide variety of cars on display. From top fuel funny cars to well-worn cruisers and drift weapons, the event highlighted the everyman appeal of the Mustang. However, the less popular Mustang II from the 1980s was not as prominently celebrated. The upcoming S650 Mustang took center stage at the event, flanked by a restored 1966 car and a freshly registered Mach-E. The reception of the Mach-E by enthusiasts suggests that it has been embraced as part of the Mustang family, supporting Ford’s ambition to expand the nameplate to include a range of models.
While the Mach-E may not have the same outlandishness as some of the other Mustangs on display, it still has its own fan base. This raises the question of whether kilowatts will eventually replace cubic inches as a measure of credibility in the Mustang community. Despite this, the biggest attractions at the event were mechanic Simon Day’s faithful tribute to Lightning McQueen from Disney’s Cars movie and a jaw-dropping 1965 Fastback brought by Car SOS star Tim Shaw. The event not only showcased the quality of restorations but also highlighted the neighborly sense of familiarity and friendliness that pervades the Mustang community.
The article also features a list of must-have Mustangs, including the first-generation Mustang, which is rare to find in its original form today. The Fox Body Mustang, named for its modular platform shared with other Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury cars, sold over 2.5 million examples. A factory-fresh 1966 car and the GT Fastback Mustang, famous for its role in a movie car chase, were also featured. The fourth-generation SN95 Mustang, which was facelifted in 1998, still looks fresh today.
Overall, the event celebrating the Ford Mustang’s 60th birthday in the UK showcased the car’s dedicated following and inclusive community. The Mustang’s appeal lies in its affordability, cachet, and performance, making it one of the best-selling cars of all time. With the upcoming launch of the new-generation S650 Mustang and the acceptance of the Mach-E, it seems that the Mustang will continue to thrive in its seventh decade.
