Fifty years after debuting one of the world’s most popular cars, Ford is marking the milestone by revealing a Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition. Based on the all-new 2015 Mustang GT fastback, only 1,964 examples of the limited edition car will ever be built when it goes on sale this autumn.
“The new Mustang blends a muscular, contemporary shape with design cues that define it as quintessentially Mustang,” said Moray Callum, Ford vice president of design.
The only two available colours are “Wimbledon White”, like Mustang serial No. 0001 that was first sold to Capt. Stanley Tucker in April 1964, or “Kona Blue”.
“Chrome trim was much more prevalent on cars in the 1960s than it is today, so we added some discreet highlights for the grille, side glass and tri-bar taillamps,” said Callum. “The darker Kona Blue provides a particularly striking contrast against the chrome.”
Chrome bezels surrounding the base of each of the three taillamp blades take inspiration from the original 1962 design proposal by Gale Halderman that became the basis for the production model that debuted in 1964. The three individual lamps on each side of that design were combined into a single tri-bar lamp cluster for production, but the original concept has returned five decades on. The Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition will be the only 2015 model with the large faux gas cap badge on the rear fascia, with 50 Years added to the GT designation.
Another visual element that won’t be found on any other Mustang is the louvered rear quarter-windows. Unlike the external louvers on the quarter-windows of the 1965 fastback, the new windows are comprised of layered sheets of glass built with a construction technique uniquely developed for this car.
On the inside, the aluminum trim panel that spans the double-brow instrument panel gets an axel spin finish different from other 2015 Mustangs, plus a special serialised 50 Year Limited Edition badge on the passenger side.
The limited-edition is the only 2015 Mustang with a cashmere-stitched, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The stitching is also used on the instrument panel, shifter boot, centre armrest, door inserts and seats. The seats feature two-tone cashmere and black leather upholstery, and the Mustang 50 Year logo on the seat backs.
Powered by the upgraded 5.0-litre V8 engine delivering more than 420 bhp and 390 lb.-ft. of torque, each car will be equipped with the Mustang GT performance pack that includes six-piston Brembo front brakes and 19-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tyres.
The 19-inch alloy wheels feature a custom Y-spoke design inspired by the chromed steel wheels that were offered on the original Mustang 50 years ago. The front wheels are 9.0 inches wide with 255/40R tyres, while the staggered rear wheels are 9.5 inches wide with 275/40R tyres.
The 50 Year Limited Edition is also the only 2015 Mustang that will be available with a combination of an automatic transmission and the performance pack. When equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission, the car will get a limited-slip rear differential with a 3.55:1 final-drive; the six-speed manual will get a Torsen differential with a 3.73:1 final-drive ratio.
The limited edition car will be among the first 2015 Mustangs built when production begins later this year.
Source: Ford
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