Lee Iacocca, father of the Mustang, introduces the very limited Iacocca Edition 2009 1/2 Mustang at Galpin Ford in Los Angeles.
It has been 45 years since former Ford President, Lee Iacocca, introduced Mustang at the 1964 New York World's Fair. There has never been an introduction like it before or since. Ford sold a whopping one million units in the car's first two years of production, with two million under its belt by 1968 and some three million by 1973. In 2010, Ford Mustang is well on its way to seven million units and still going strong. Lee Iacocca was the imagination and rocket fuel behind Ford's sporty Mustang because he had excellent marketing savvy. He knew what people wanted and has followed that logic all of his life. One secret to his success is baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. Lee Iacocca has always followed baby boomer trends, first with safety and performance features in 1956-57 Fords, then, Mustang in 1964, Maverick in 1970, and the mini-van at Chrysler in 1984. All were products baby boomers wanted and needed with affordable pricing.
Iacocca's valuable insight thrust Ford into the lime light with both the Total Performance Fords in 1963 and the Mustang a year later in 1964. His knowledge of the auto industry also saved Chrysler in the 1980s. Son of Italian immigrants, Iacocca can also be credited with saving the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island through a very memorable campaign few of us will ever forget. Both stand solid today thanks to Lee Iacocca's perseverance and contributions from Americans of all walks.
On August 5th, Iacocca unveiled his own tribute to the Mustang - the Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang. He did this right across the street from the most successful Ford dealer on the planet - Galpin Ford in Southern California's San Fernando Valley with a gala celebration some 250 invited guests attended. Taking nearly two years to accomplish, the Iacocca Edition Mustang is a collective effort by Iacocca himself and designer, Michael Leone, along with the Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters, which is building these Mustangs. This new business venture is called I Legacy in concert with Galpin Ford in Southern California. Galpin is the exclusive dealer for these Iacocca Edition Mustangs. This means you won't find them anywhere else.
"Once in a while, a car comes along that changes everything and that was the original Mustang," Iacocca comments. The Iacocca Edition Mustang begins as a 2009 Mustang that gets a custom coach treatment by Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters designed to make it unlike any other Mustang out there. Two engines will be available - a 320-horse 4.6L SOHC V-8 or a 400-horse version of this engine with a Ford Racing supercharger. Both engines are covered by a Ford factory warranty. Underneath is a Ford Racing handling package that enables you to keep pace with power. Big 14-inch Ford Racing binders are optional.
If you would like to know more about the Iacocca Edition Mustang, log on to www.ilegacy.com or call Galpin's own Brandon Boeckmann at 800/829-0744.