In the spring of 1964, Ford Motor Company rolled out the all-new Mustang to dealerships across the country, but not before launching a massive advertising and marketing campaign that is considered one of the greatest successes of the 21st century. From its unveiling at the 1964 World’s Fair to building a car based on what young people wanted, the original Mustang was a massive success.
With anticipation for the 50th anniversary Mustang starting to reach a fever pitch, Ford has thrown some fuel on the fire by releasing a digital version of the original Mustang’s press kit. It’s one of the most complete press kits, modern or otherwise, that we’ve ever seen.
Having traveled to many a major auto show, we’ve become used to receiving everything from cappuccino cups to detailed wooden boxes at major car unveilings. These days, almost always, all the important information is contained on a tiny USB drive, so this ‘65 Mustang press kit is a real throwback to a different area of America’s automotive history.
The 1965 Mustang press kit contained detailed information about this new sports cars, including specifications of the eight different drivetrain options. This includes the oft-forgotten 260 cubic-inch base V8 engine, often overshadowed by the much-preferred hi-po 289 V8. The Mustang’s base engine was a 170 cubic-inch inline-six, backed by a three-speed manual and rated at 101 horsepower.
But the top-end 289 V8 was rated at a healthy 271 horsepower, and it’s the engine that (arguably) made the Mustang a breakout hit. The press kit details everything that made the 289 Hi-Po special, including the extra-strength connecting rods, high-compression cylinder heads, and solid camshaft and valve lifters.
More than that, the press kit went in-depth about the rest of the Mustang as well, covering everything from styling to insulation, giving the writers of the day and plenty to talk about. When the 2015 Mustang hits the show circuit, we’re sure Ford will give us just as much or more information, though they’ll probably dribble it out a little bit at a time as they tend to do. If you want to check out the whole thing for yourself, download the 1965 Mustang press kit here.