Where It All Started: The Mustang 1 Concept - Ford Mustang Countdown

Ford is launching ‘Mustang Countdown,’ an online video series to throw the spotlight on the legendary sports car and the culture that has formed around it all across the globe, and to continue the celebration leading up to the 50th birthday of the car on April 17, 2014.

Kicking off the series – Where It All Started: The Mustang 1 Concept – turns the clock back to the 1962 debut of the first concept car to wear the pony badge. From there, other episodes lift the lid on Ford’s exhaustive Mustang archives, Mustang toys, custom Mustangs and more all featuring unique and often rare footage, exclusive new interviews and expert insight.

“RC Movie Magic: Filming a Chase”, takes a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of filmmaker Zach King’s recent project “The Cliché RC Action Chase.” That short film went viral earlier this year, garnering nearly 3 million views on YouTube. Just like the extensive filmography featuring Ford Mustang over the past 49 years, King’s video puts the Mustang in a prominent role. A pair of radio controlled Ford Mustangs star in an action-packed sequence that features drifting around corners, tight racing and helicopter gunships, all without any computer-generated imagery.

“Fans around the world share a passion for Mustang that embodies the freedom of the open road and the spirit of performance driving,” said Steve Ling, Ford car marketing manager. “The ‘Mustang Countdown’ series is another way in which Ford is honoring that heritage with numerous celebrations over the next year,”

Upcoming episodes will tackle video games, Mustang’s competition heritage custom restomods and more.

More than 9.2 million Ford Mustangs have been sold since the car’s 1964 debut. Mustang has made more than 3,000 appearances on film and TV – including “Bullitt” (1968), “Gone in 60 Seconds” (1974 and 2000), “I Am Legend” (2007) and Drive (2011). In 2014, a modified Mustang will be the hero car in “Need for Speed,” based on the long-running video game series from Electronic Arts.

Click here for the complete ‘Mustang Countdown’ series playlist on the Ford Mustang YouTube channel.

50 years of Mustang
The Ford Mustang is about to become the newest member of a very exclusive club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years. In its first 49 years of production, Mustang has gained a worldwide base of avid fans, including more than 5 million on Facebook, the most of any vehicle nameplate. Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability established an entirely new class of sporty cars, and it has led the segment ever since.

Over the past 49 years, of the more than 9.2 million Mustangs produced and sold, most of them have originated close to Ford’s home base in Dearborn, Mich. From the racetrack to the silver screen to the airwaves to the toy box, Mustang has become an enduring part of pop culture.