Why 'Pony'?

[aham23]

maybe fire up Netflix and do some learning. Ford Motor Company is more than just a car manufacture and the Mustang is more than just a Pony car. this is not fanboy stuff, but American History. later.

Sponsored

 

[Johnnybee]

That "embarrassment" had a million copies on the road before chevy even got the first one out the door.

I guess my sarcasm regarding GM didn’t come across.

 

[Bikeman315]

I guess my sarcasm regarding GM didn’t come across.

He missed the quotes on "waiting".

 

[Vlad Soare]

Thank you all for your replies.
So, if I get it right, the name was coined because of the car itself being a bit of a 'junior' by comparison to other muscle cars of the era, and not because of its name or logo. That the name happened to designate something of a caballine nature was just a coincidence? It would have been a pony car even if it had been called a Puma or a Jaguar?

maybe fire up Netflix and do some learning. Ford Motor Company is more than just a car manufacture and the Mustang is more than just a Pony car. this is not fanboy stuff, but American History. later.

Thanks for the suggestion. The only film I could find on this subject was something called A Faster Horse, which I watched on Netflix three years ago. I remember enjoying it at the time, which is why I recently bought it on DVD to watch it again (because in the meantime it has disappeared from Netflix).
Frankly, I found it quite disappointing the second time. A lot of propaganda and self-praise, just a tiny bit of history sprinkled with a lot of pride from owners of classic Mustangs congratulating each other for owning a piece of American history, and that's about it. Useful as a motivational device, to make you want to go out and buy a Mustang right now, but not much else.
So, if you happen to know of a better film about the Mustang's history, be it on Netflix or not, I'll be happy to look for that and to watch it.

 

[Norm Peterson]

You need to know that Ford already had the 'Mustang' name "corraled" (yeah, that was intentional) at least as far back as 1962, and probably a year or two earlier than that. That would have been for the Mustang I experimental mid-engine car. More about that here, including at a pretty strong hint that the name came from the WWII fighter plane.

Ford Lead Designer and Executive Stylist John Najjar favored a mid-engined configuration, cooled through two separate radiators on the sides of the car. Najjar also proposed the name "Mustang" for the concept vehicle.[9] As an aviation enthusiast, Najjar was familiar with the North American P-51 Mustang fighter.[10] He saw some design similarities in the diminutive but sleek profile of the new sports car.[11]

No matter the reason for the 'Mustang' name in the first place, given the time period the horsey link was unavoidable. Those of us who were watching TV in the late 1950's and early 1960's remember all the TV cowboy shows (Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Rawhide, Have Gun Will Travel, Maverick, the list goes on), so everything just neatly fell into place.


Norm

 

[Bear376]

The term “pony car” did derive from the Mustang name and was conceived as a starter car for young couples that would hold one or two children. It was almost called Cougar, among other names. The Plymouth Barracuda was actually the first car of the genre, but it was not introduced with much fanfare and did not catch on like the Mustang.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

Which is a shame, because the Hemi 'Cuda is one of the coolest original muscle cars.

The hemi cuda was the third generation starting in 1970. The 64 was a fastback version of the plymouth valiant. Just be glad it didn't catch on or we would be calling every car in the category fish cars.

 

[Bear376]

Yes, but how many would you want to ride on?

 

[bluebeastsrt]

Yes, but how many would you want to ride on?

Could always call them seahorses. That way you get the best of both worlds.

 

[Armageddon Turbo]

Mustang is a horse..lol

 

[DavidinDurango]

Since I have attained "geezerhood" I feel entitled to vent a little. Pony is ok since the Mustang was the big success in the class. What drives me crazy is "Stang"!!! WTF is that? My car is called "the Hoss" and shall always be so. Rant over.

 

[Bikeman315]

Since I have attained "geezerhood" I feel entitled to vent a little. Pony is ok since the Mustang was the big success in the class. What drives me crazy is "Stang"!!! WTF is that? My car is called "the Hoss" and shall always be so. Rant over.

OK geezer, get over it. We’ve been calling them Stang’s for over 50 years. It’s a nickname.

 

[DavidinDurango]

OK geezer, get over it. We’ve been calling them Stang’s for over 50 years. It’s a nickname.

I don't have anything nice to say. I was at the dealer in April of sixty four, and have been Ford fan my whole life. Call them what you wish . . . .

 

[WildHorse]

What drives me crazy is "Stang"!!! WTF is that?

Everyone calls mine the 'whip'. I always called them stangs cause I'm lazy haha.

 

[bigfoot21075]

Since I have attained "geezerhood" I feel entitled to vent a little. Pony is ok since the Mustang was the big success in the class. What drives me crazy is "Stang"!!! WTF is that? My car is called "the Hoss" and shall always be so. Rant over.

I thought Hoss was was some big dude who wore a big hat....

Sponsored