By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

Moki, the incredibly peaceful and potato-like shop dog at NorthWest Auto Salon, now has this luxurious custom Mercedes dog bed to lounge in when cruising in Blake’s CL. Blake had the piece made to his specs by TopStitch Upholstery in Los Angeles. Nice!

By Mark Gearhart

powerTV Media

In 1963, planning for the Mustang begin in earnest. To be built on the Ford Falcon’s unibody platform, the Mustang was discussed at length before a single sketch was ever drawn. The all-consuming goal was to make a car that looked like no other. With a sweeping hood, sculptured flanks and short rear deck. With those design cues, the Mustang would be set apart from all competition.

According to some, the Mustang was established as a response to GM’s Corvair Monza and the defining ideas for it were committed to paper beginning in late 1961. Reportedly, it was Lee Iacocca – not Henry Ford II – who determined that the car would be a four-seater, because of the economic failure of the two-seat Thunderbird in 1955.

However, the commercial success of the Ford Falcon contributed significantly to the Mustang plan, as it became evident that smaller cars had become more acceptable to the American public. Through forty-six years of tough competition from Chrysler and General Motors, the Mustang remained in continuous production while the others came and went and came again…

For fun, we look at some of the advertising that supported the launch and early years of the most successful and enduring North American automotive nameplate ever produced.

For the complete story, check out StangTV.com

Image: Ford Motor Company