It’s the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang – one of automotive history’s great successes.
A few years ago, during a live NARN broadcast, James Lileks and I discussed how, if the “green car” movement ever, ever wanted to catch on with mainstream America, it needed to build an electric or hybrid version of one of the great sixties muscle cars – because they weren’t just cars; they were celebrations of life, and especially of the sheer joy of the American tradition of not just mobility, but mobilitywith style.
The only car that’s come close, so far, is the Tesla Model S…:
…which is a good start, although modern safety and fuel economy regulations pretty much make sure every car on the road looks like a photoshopped Ford Taurus these days. The Feds wouldn’t allow the immortal Pony to be built today!
Here’s a look at 10 great Mustangs through history.
You know what’s funny and sad at the same time? #3, the 1993 Mustang Cobra R? A current gen Honda Accord (V6) or Nissan Maxima is quicker accelerating, handles better and could probably make its way faster around any racetrack you’d care to try. I know the Maxima now has 290 HP and I think the Accord V6 is 260-270.
The Tesla looks good, but have you ever driven an electric car? They have no soul; even if they’re fast, they don’t roar…there’s no fire, no explosions. Just the sound of a silent fart in the wind.
I’m gonna start marketing enviro-kook trading cards and stick-on pluckers (made of 100% recycled material, natch) to attach to the wheels…gotta start someplace.
I am quite surprised that Boss hasn’t showed up on this thread.
Not to worry, mnbubba! You have keen powers of observation.
I actually took the day off on the actual date.
Anyway, I have a black version of the 1968 GT that my brother and I are restoring. I bought it from my cousin in 1972 while I was in the service and sold it to my bro when I got married. Unfortunately, the original 390 engine was blown and replaced with a stout little 302. But, we wanted to get the big block back in it, so we are shoehorning in a 351 Cleveland. I’ll post pictures when it’s done.
swiftee, I’ve driven the Tesla. For those of us of a “certain age” you’re right, there’s no roar so things seem a bit off. I suspect as we die off the lack of sound won’t be a big deal to the next generation since they won’t associate the roar of the engine with performance, especially when you consider the performance you get out of all that torque.
It’s worth noting that the Tesla sportster is about as close as electric cars are going to get to the Mustang, and moreover that “as close as it gets” is still about 2-3x the cost of the ‘stang. The reason is simple; lithium batteries are incredibly hard to make. The raw material is diffuse, and the fabrication is difficult at best.
More or less, chemistry gives us the reason electric cars will never match gasoline powered; lithium’s atomic weight is six, hydrogen’s is one. Do the math.
Oh, and by the way; when you account for the 31% power added efficiency of the average coal fired power plant that’s powering the Tesla, the Mustang is actually somewhat more efficient and environmentally sound than the Tesla. To get the real mpg of the Tesla, multiply mpg-e by .31 and then divide by two to account for the higher proportion of carbon/energy in coal vs. gasoline. The Tesla comes out pretty close to another Ford product, the F150.
Ran with a Tesla S at Wings and Wheels – fast, but freaking unnatural, spooky, just plain wrong.
Heck, yeah. I’ve got an ’06 Mustang GT – bought it in Golden Valley on the night the Minneapolis 35W bridge collapsed, of all nights. It’s been a great car, and it’s in the Tungsten Grey (Gray?) color, which is the kind of color I prefer, as opposed to the neon yellows and reds, etc. Just checked out the newest version at an auto show and I’m not sure how I feel about the body style change. I think they NAILED it in 2006. I’m never getting rid of that car.
It’s been often enough remarked that the greenest car is a used car.
Hotrodders are the original recyclers.
Oh and my earlier comment got eaten:
@Boss – Cool. Hope it’s ready for Car Craft in July. in any event, we’ll look forward to the pictures.