1965 Ford Mustang
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The 1965 Mustang set an all-time record for first-year sales of any new model. Today's auto market is too fragmented with different types of cars for a single model to ever get the wildly enthusiastic reception of the first Ford Mustang in America.
Americans had few foreign models from which to choose in the 1960s, so domestic autos ruled the market. Lee Iacocca, then the young, savvy head of Ford Motor's Ford division, felt a sporty, inexpensive model would be hot because it would be youth-oriented and World War II baby boomers were getting their first driver's licenses. Also, the 15-29 age group was expected to grow by almost 40 percent between 1960 and 1970.
The 1965 Mustang hardtop coupe drew 501,965 buyers, the convertible 101,945 and the fastback coupe 77,079. Iacocca even told Carroll Shelby to build an affordable, modified, limited-production 1965 Mustang that could beat no less than Chevy Corvettes on race tracks. Shelby did just that, using the semi-fastback body.
Our stunning red with...