5 most influential Mustang personalities
Father of the Ride
Lee Iacocca, considered by automotive historians as the father of the Ford Mustang, was the general manager of Ford when he pitched the idea of a compact “fun-to-drive” car that would launch the Mustang and usher a new genre of “pony” cars of the 60s. On his 40th birthday, he was made president of the Ford Division on Oct. 15, 1964.
Making the Mustang’s first ‘bombshell-bie’
His name became synonymous to high performance Mustangs. Carroll Shelby was a former race car driver and test pilot and was the first to collaborate with Ford create its first high-performance variant. The first Shelby Mustang debuted on Jan. 27, 1965, dubbed as the Shelby GT350. Shelby’s collaboration continued until it ended in the 1970s. Three decades later he would return to collaborate with Ford in 2005 to create the special edition Shelby GT-H. In 2011 alone, Ford sold 5,026 Shelby GT500 variants.
Creating that adrenaline Roush
Jack Roush started with his love affair with the brand when he purchased his first Mustang while working as an engineer at Ford. Years later he went on to put up Roush Racing, Roush Performance and Roush Industries. From 1990 until 2004, his company worked with Team Mustang as they developed the third- and fourth-generation Mustangs.
Saleen away
Steve Saleen is a former race car driver who formed Saleen Autosport in 1983 and created its first Saleen Mustang in 1984. These are highly modified Mustangs equipped with specially designed aerodynamic ground effects, suspension and a completely redesigned interior. In 1995, Saleen formed a race team with comedian Tim Allen of the American TV series “Home Improvement” and fellow race driver Bob Bondurant, called Saleen/Allen “RRR” Speedlab. The team raced Saleen Mustangs in the SCCA World Challenge, with Saleen and Allen themselves as the drivers.
She’s gone in 60 Seconds
The last Mustang personality we have is a fictional character but a notable one in Mustang history. Aside from the 1967 Highland Green Fastback of the movie “Bullitt” of the Steve McQueen fame, the other memorable movie roles the Ford Mustang has to its credit include the original 1974 “Gone in Sixty Seconds” movie with a 40-minute chase scene that destroyed 93 cars. Its Hollywood blockbuster remake starred Nicolas Cage trying to steal 50 cars in two days. The unicorn car being “Eleanor” was a highly modified silver and black 1968 Shelby GT500 built by Unique Performance that ushered in a renewed interest in American Muscle cars in 2000.
