This is an oversized soft-cover book that covers the Ford Mustang’s history through the 2011 model year. The Complete Book places an emphasis on large, mostly color pictures accompanied by product specifications. However, author Mike Mueller also includes a discussion about corporate strategy that is liberally spiced with interesting pictures of prototypes.
The Mustang’s historical ups and downs are covered with admirable objectivity, but don’t look here for in-depth explorations of questions such as who really “invented” the Mustang.
Mueller also doesn’t stray far from industry groupthink. As a case in point, he does not point out that the 2005 Mustang, which was the nameplate’s most significant redesign in a quarter century, out-bloated the widely maligned 1971-73 Mustang (we talk about it here and here).
The original edition of the The Complete Book came out in 2010; an updated edition was published in 2015 (go here).
The Complete Book of Mustang: Every Model Since 1964 1/2
- Mike Mueller; 2010
- Motorbooks, Minneapolis, MN
“It was Oros’ Mustang that Iacocca took to Henry Ford II’s office for approval on September 10, 1962. He then came away from what he called the toughest selling job of his career with a thumbs-up from the boss and a meager $40 million to develop and tool up the Mustang. In reality, he spent $65 million. Dearborn’s top decision-makers also gave him a very tight deadline: ‘Job One,’ the first production Mustang, was slated to leave the assembly line on March 9, 1964.” (p. 28)
“Reviews among the automotive press were mixed concerning the 1971 Mustang, although all agreed the car was considerably tail heavy in appearance — in actuality, most of the weight rested on the front wheels. Just as it did back then, the restyled 1971 Mustang still represents a love/hate relationship; there never has been a muddle ground. Purists then and now who prefer their pony cars to be of the polite, perky variety originally envisioned by Iacocca never have warmed up to Bunkie’s big baby.” (p. 146)
“To get the next-generation (2005) Mustang off the ground, Thai-Tang’s engineers relied on a foundation that qualified as new despite reports to the contrary. Early prognostications claimed it would be a modified version of the DEW98 platform used by the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type, but Thai-Tang was among the loudest at Ford to say not so. Though the McPherson strut layout in front resembled that used by the Lincoln LS, that was the closest comparison between the two. Known internally as the S197 platform, the new Mustang’s architecture did share some 30 percent of its makeup with other corporate products, but these family ties were minor.” (p. 314)
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