Stagnant Stallion: Ford Mustang II

In 1964, Ford released the Ford Mustang, which helped shine the light on the “pony car”, a car class consisting of affordable coupés with long hoods and short decks. Sales skyrocketed, with sales going up to 20,000 units in just the first day. With an affordable list price of just $2,368, more than 300,000 cars had been sold in just the first year of production.

Over the following years, Ford released new variants of their new juggernaut, boosting the already impressive number of sales. However, by the turn of the decade, Ford had started changing the looks of the Mustang. With each passing year, the Mustang continuously developed a more bulky design.

In a desperate search to save their dying giant, Ford eventually decided to design a new generation for the Mustang. For inspiration, Ford looked at the success of the small, economy cars from the Japanese market. For the design, Ford looked at the 1971 sketches of designer D!ck Nesbitt. Using Nesbitt’s early sketches, Ford crafted the Mustang II, putting on the assembly line in late 1973.

Sharing the same platform as the infamous Pinto, the Mustang was available as both a coupe or three-door hatchback, as well as the luxurious Ghia. Using a 2.3L 4-cylinder engine, the Mustang II showcased a measly 88 horsepower, powered by a 4-speed manual transmission or the optional 3-speed automatic. Ford also offered a 2.8L V6 — an enlarged variant of the Capri’s own V6 — for the Mach I, capable of producing 105 horsepower.

Despite the dreadful power output, the 1974 Mustang was a hit with the general public. Because of the oil crisis starting in late 1973, the fuel-efficient Mustang was the just the right fit. Not only that, the Mustang II offered one thing past models didn’t: storage. With its hatchback design, the Ford presented buyers with plenty of practicality.

With efficiency and function acting as the main ingredients in the new formula, the Mustang found success once again. After just one year, about 386,000 cars sold for roughly $3,500 each, challenging the numbers once achieved by the first-generation Mustang. The Mustang even caught the attention of Motor Trend, who gave it their 1974 Car of the Year award.

Although the 1974 model had been well received by the public, the Mustang had one major problem, specifically in the engine department; the nagging lack of a V8. The public had fallen in love with hearing the rich sound of the V8 engine, and was certainly waiting for the sound return next to the Mustang identity.

With that in mind, 1975 brought a 4.9L (although marketed as a 5.0L) V8 engine, with the Mustang body structure upgraded to welcome the engine. Unfortunately, this option was only available with an Automatic transmission. The disappointment continued with the horsepower, a limited 122 produced. However, the 1975 model did see a performance upgrade with a 0-60 time of 10.5 seconds, an improvement over the 1974 Mustang’s 0-60 time of just over 11 seconds).

Other than the inclusion of the V8, the 1975 Mustang didn’t see much notable change. The only exception to this was small chances to the Ghia, including new opera windows and a new vinyl-covered roof. Mid-way through the model year however, a “MPG” model was added to appeal to the fuel-efficient branding. Once again, 1975 proved to be a successful year for the Mustang, with almost 200,000 cars finding their way into customer homes.

For the 1976 model year, Ford kicked the year off with the “Stallion”, a more stylish version of the Mustang II. The Stallion featured options of a cream-yellow paint, as well as a polar white and silver. The Stallion was equipped with new wheels, a black grill and new body moldings.

Besides the Stallion, Ford also premiered the “Cobra II”, an attempt to bring the nostalgia of the original Cobra. With all production engines as options, the Cobra II displayed a new design package. This included a hood scoop, stripes, and front and rear spoilers, completed by the Cobra emblem printed on the front fenders.

For 1977, little changes were once again made. One of the most notable changes was that Mustang models unfortunately saw a small decline in power, with numbers ranging from 90 to 140 horsepower. If anything, however, the most notable difference was the new T-top option. With sales dropping, the heads of Ford came to a decision that the following year would end the reign the second-generation Mustang.

With this in mind, Ford would attempt to send off the Mustang II the best way possible. To do this, the Mustang was altered mid-way through 1977; these changes would go in effect for the 1978 model year. These changes included slightly upgraded aerodynamics, blacked-out windows, and new decals for the Cobra II. When the calendar changed to 1978, the Mustang was once again revised for the 1978 model year. With the Cobra II being mostly a success, Ford decided to introduce the “King Cobra”.

For this new special, the heads of the American giant made the car a limited edition, with only 4,313 units made. To justify the limited title, Ford equipped the Cobra with a single option of a 302 V8 complete with power steering, and added a unique look consisting of a front air dam, stylish stripes, and a large emblem located on the hood. All in all, after seeing almost 200,000 cars in 1977, the following year would receive a completely new look, marking the ultimate end of the Mustang II.

The Mustang II was in fact the perfect car for its time — a small, fuel-efficient, sports car. The public asked for a certain type of car, and Ford answered. Although today the Mustang II is scorned for taking away what made the original great, the car was caught in a time of crisis; where people were more concerned how they would get gas rather than how to look good. In the end, the Mustang II was a perfect mix of strategy and style.