ABSTRACT
While strongly influenced by the two-seater classics of the 1950s, the Corvette and Ford's own Thunderbird, the Mustang quickly acquired its own niche as the greatest single automotive success story of the 1960s. The Mustang maintained comparable sales figures through 1966, the last year in which it had the muscle car field to itself. According to Richard Nichols, the real secret of the Mustang's appeal was hidden in the option boxes on the dealer order blanks. In addition, the basic model bore a sticker price of $2500-a bargain even before one considered its sporty good looks and performance capabilities. In 1967, the Mustang's totals dipped below one-half million units as competitors rushed out their own versions, most notably General Motors' Camaro/Firebird models and the Mercury Cougar. While sales had fallen below 200,000 in 1970, the Mustang continued to pace the muscle car division.
