Lee Iacocca

The original Ford Mustang was a product of the Fairlane Group, a committee of Ford managers and executives led by Vice-president and General Manager Lee Iacocca. The Fairlane Group worked on new product needs and, in the summer of 1962, laid out the specifications of a new sports car, the genesis of the mid-engined Mustang I concept car.

Ford Mustang I A total of two cars were completed; a detailed, but non-running fiberglass mock-up, and a fully functional car that debuted at the United States Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York on October 7, 1962.

For the next two years, both Mustang Is appeared at automotive events garnering enthusiastic reactions, especially from a youth demographic at colleges. Reactions from potential customers and focus groups, however, demonstrated that the original concept of the Mustang I had limited appeal to the general public. Ford executives also worried that the mid-engined sports car "... was too complex for regular production."

Was offered with a 120HP I-6, 200HP V-8, 225HP V-8, and a 271HP V-8.

The second-generation Ford Mustang is a pony car that was manufactured by Ford from 1973 until 1978. It was introduced in showrooms during September 1973, in coupe and hatchback versions for the 1974 model year, in time for the 1973 oil crisis. The Mustang II had no common components with the preceding models and shared its platform with the subcompact-sized Ford Pinto.

The first generation Mustangs grew in size; the 1973 model had become markedly larger than the original model. The pony car market segment saw decreasing sales in the early-1970s "with many buyers turning to lower-priced, fuel-efficient compacts like Ford's own Maverick - a huge first-year success itself." The Mustang was growing to become an intermediate-sized sedan, "too big and alienated many in its customer base." The allure of the original Mustang was its trim size and concept. The automakers in Detroit had "begun to receive vibrations from the only source it really listens to — new-car buyers... The message: Build smaller cars" as customers stopped buying and the inventory of unsold new cars climbed during the summer of 1973, and there were already positive market expectations for the new downsized Mustang. Automakers were "scrambling" by December 1973 as "the trend toward smaller, less extravagant cars to surge ahead faster than anyone had expected." 

Subsequent to becoming president of Ford Motor Company on December 10, 1970, Lee Iacocca ordered the development of a smaller Mustang for 1974 introduction. Initial plans called for a downsized Mustang based on the compact Ford Maverick, similar in size and power to the Falcon, the basis for original Mustang. Those plans were later scrapped in favor of a smaller Mustang based on the subcompact Ford Pinto. The original pony car was based on the compact Falcon and for its second-generation, the Mustang evolved from an even smaller platform, the Pinto that was rolled out in 1971. The final Mustang II production design was set in 1971 by Dick Nesbitt, but the new model was "less of a Pinto than the '64½ had been a Falcon."

The Ford Bronco is a utility vehicle that was produced by Ford from 1966 to 1996, with five distinct generations. All these vehicles are currently classified as sport utility vehicles (SUV). Broncos can be divided into two categories: early Broncos (1966–77) and full-size, or "Big" Broncos (1978–96). 

The Bronco was introduced in 1966 as a competitor to the small four-wheel-drive compact SUVs that included the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout, and it was built on its own platform. A major redesign in 1978 moved the Bronco to a larger size, using a shortened Ford F-Series truck chassis to compete with the similarly adapted Dodge Ramcharger. 

The full-size Broncos and the successor Expedition were produced at Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan.

The original Bronco was an ORV (Off-Road Vehicle), intended to compete with Jeep CJ models and the International Harvester Scout. The Bronco's small size riding on a 92-inch wheelbase made it maneuverable for some uses, but impractical as a tow vehicle. The Bronco was Ford's first compact SUV.

The idea behind the Bronco began with Ford product manager Donald N. Frey, who also conceived the Ford Mustang; and similarly, Lee Iacocca pushed the idea through into production. In many ways, the Bronco was a more original concept than the Mustang; whereas the Mustang was based upon the Ford Falcon, the Bronco had a frame, suspension, and a body that were not shared with any other vehicle. 

The Bronco was designed under engineer Paul G. Axelrad.

In 1965, racecar builder Bill Stroppe assembled a team of Broncos for long-distance off-road competition for Ford. Partnering with Holman-Moody, the Stroppe/Holman/Moody (SHM) Broncos competed in the Mint 400, Baja 500, and Mexican 1000 (later named the Baja 1000). In 1969, SHM again entered a team of six Broncos in the Baja 1000. In 1971, a "Baja Bronco" package was marketed through Ford dealers, featuring quick-ratio power steering, automatic transmission, fender flares covering Gates Commando tires, a roll bar, reinforced bumpers, a padded steering wheel, and distinctive red, white, blue, and black paint. Priced at US$5,566, versus the standard V-8 Bronco price of $3,665, only 650 were sold over the next four years.

In 1966, a Bronco "funny car" built by Doug Nash for the quarter mile dragstrip ran "erratic" with a few low 8-second times, but sidelined by sanctioning organizations when pickups and aluminum frames were outlawed.

The redesign of the Bronco in October 1977 was based on a shortened full sized F-100 pickup, with which it shared many chassis, drivetrain, and body components. The entire front clip is indistinguishable from Ford's full-sized trucks for these years. It had a removable top and forward folding rear bench seat. For 1978, Broncos were equipped with round headlights, with the exception of the Ranger XLT trim model. For 1979, all Broncos came standard with square sealed beam headlights.

In mid-to late 1996, Ford announced the discontinuation of the Bronco. On September 30, 1996, the last Bronco rolled off the assembly line at Michigan's Ford Truck Plant. The last Bronco was escorted by Jeff Trapp's 1970 Ford Bronco during a Drive-Off Ceremony. Its replacement, the Ford Expedition, offered four-doors, as well.

Available as a 2 door sedan, 3 'door' hatchback, & station wagon. Originally was only equipped with a 4 cylinder engine, a V-6 engine was offered later. There were 2 transmission choices, 4 speed manual & 3 speed automatic. The hatchback model is pictured here. It was added in during the second model year.