“Icon that left a mark on the unconscious”: Ford Mustang celebrates 60 years

Since the 1960s, it has crossed generations. The Ford Mustang celebrated its sixtieth anniversary on Wednesday April 17. First unveiled at the New York Auto Show on the same day in 1964, the “horse car” remains highly prized by collectors. In Provence as in the rest of France, clubs bring together members, who plan to participate in the celebrations organized for the 60th anniversary of the model.

In Gardanne, Jonathan, 36, hit the road on Friday April 19. Go to the Futuroscope Stadium, near Poitiers (Vienna), to participate in a large gathering. This diesel mechanic bought himself a 1967 Mustang One of the most popular models. “It was a childhood dream, which I was able to fulfill in 2023he explains. I had to participate in 60 years. Since I was a child, I have been a Mustang fan.“

A regional meeting organized in Var

of “a fan“like him, they are everywhere in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Several clubs in the Var represent them. In Vidauban, Gilles Saint-Germain founded the Mustang Drivers Club Paca.”In my youth, I was rocked by my father who brought a Mustang similar to the one in the movie Bullitt, by Steve McQueen.“, recalls this retiree. Famous for chasing the fierce streets of San Francisco, the feature film focuses on the cult model of the company with a blue circle. So much so that it announced the Bullitt version of the modern Mustang.

Often stuck in the United States, where he travels in a Mustang, this association of enthusiasts has members in the Var, Alpes-Maritimes and Bouches-du-Rhône. He is organizing a gathering in Vidauban on June 9 for the car’s 60th anniversary. “It brings a lot of people“, he says, because this type of event is common. People come up, ask questions about the cars, give them a thumbs up as we pass through the villages.“”When you come to the roundabout, people let you pass“, also smiles Philippe Thomann, regional representative of the French Mustang Passion club.”All eyes are on him, no matter where we gowith Jonathan. People want to see it, they want to ride in it.“

This sympathy towards the Ford Mustang is explained. “He is an icon, he left his mark on the collective consciousness“, says Christophe Drahé, co-founder of the American car garage Fast’n Classic, in Noves. The expert sees several reasons for the success of this V8 car in our region.First of all, there is its size. It is 4.7 meters long, while other American cars of the time were six meters long. He was European size. And then, it was a stylish car. Johnny Hallyday had one, it also appeared in the film A man and a woman. Someone who doesn’t know much about American cars buys a Mustang. It’s like a Rolex for a watch.“In art, Mustang also inspired Serge Gainsbourg’s song, on the album “Initials BB”.

Cheap to maintain and easy to repair, the Ford Mustang is the preferred model to start in collector cars, according to him. “Among the old ones, the least expensive models are those produced from 1971 to 1974. Later, everything is a question of the condition of the car, the engine, the version. The price can vary from one to five times.“Jonathan chose an article to rewrite.”It is very easy to insert your hands. Now, I am completely done. I restored the engine and gearbox, only the cosmetic part remains.“

The story is expensive today in France

Recently launched in the United States for the seventh generation, and also available in an electric SUV version, the Mustang is now reaching a turning point in its career. Will its big V8 defy anti-pollution standards? “They killed the story“, laments Gilles Saint-Germain.For me, there will always be V8s, or at least hot enginespredicts Philippe Thomann. I don’t see a bright future for all electricity.“

Victim of the €60,000 ecological penalty, a new Mustang today costs over €100,000 in France. Although in the Atlantic, €40,000 is enough to afford the latest model. Christophe Drahé says he appealed to Louis-Carl Vignon, the boss of Ford’s French branch, to be one of the first garages to sell it in France. “He told me that he would probably have three, by the end of December, for all of France“, he says. Even if the Mustang will make business sense, Mr. Vignon, on social networks, celebrated the car’s 60th anniversary by describing it as “symbol of freedom“He’s worthless.