Iacocca and the latest version of his brainchild
Lee Iacocca, the former president of Ford and the man known as the ‘father of the Mustang’, has been honoured with his own Special edition of the iconic Pony Car.
The Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang (also known as the Silver Edition or the 2009 ½, presumably because it’s halfway to the 2010 model) has bespoke bodywork that includes a more sleek and sloping fastback rear end and a new nose with sunken headlights. Other, less major, cosmetic tweaks include a leather-trimmed steering wheel, Diamond Design leather seats and bespoke 20-inch wheels.
Sleek Silver Edition gets bespoke alloys
Mechanical tweaks come from Ford Racing and include a handling pack and the option of a supercharger (which boosts power to 400hp). Production will be limited to 45 units (see what they’ve done there?), and all will be sold through southern California’s Galpin Ford. You can scroll to the bottom of the article for a full list of specifications.
Meanwhile, a report from the Motor Trend website suggests that the current S197 Mustang’s most controversial weakness – its solid rear axle – was nearly a much more sophisticated set-up.
Unique bodywork gets sleek fastback shape
The 2005 Mustang was, it seems, originally engineered with an independent rear suspension in mind – a unit shared with the Australian-market Ford Falcon – but that Bill Ford Jr was convinced by a product development exec that $100 per car could be saved with a live rear axle.
Unfortunately, the suggestion came so late in the ’Stang’s product development that the solid rear axle ended up costing almost $100 more per car than an independent set-up would have. The moral of that story? Never trust a bean-counter.
Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang – Specifications
Engines
• 4.6-liter V8 with 320 HP (Ford Racing Cold Air - under WARRANTY)
• 4.6-liter V8 with 400HP Supercharger Optional (Ford Racing Supercharger - under WARRANTY)
Drivetrain
• 5-speed stick shift transmission (there might be automatics)
Suspension
• Ford Racing Handling Package (Ford Racing Package - under WARRANTY)
• 14-inch' Brakes Optional (Ford Racing Package - under WARRANTY)
Wheels & Tires
• Iacocca Design 20" Chrome wheels with "I" Design center cap
• 20''x 9 ½ " (F), 20"x 9 ½ " (R)
• Goodyear Eagle RSA 245 X 45 X R20
Interior
• Iacocca Diamond Design Leather Seats with Embroidery Stitching
• Iacocca Signature Dash Plaque with Serial Number
• Iacocca Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel with "I" badge
• Iacocca Aluminum Door Still Plates
• One-Touch Up/Down power Windows
• Two Power Outlets
• Variable-Speed Windshield Wipers
• Rear Window Defroster
• Air-Conditioning
Exterior
• Iacocca DESIGN FASTBACK
• Iacocca Design Hood Emblem
• Iacocca Design Trunk Cap "I" Emblem
• Iacocca Design Trunk Lettering
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