The first pony car is arguably the Plymouth Barracuda – people will often contend it was the Ford Mustang, and there is a lot of credence to the claim. Afterall, Ford had been teasing the public with a sportscar since the late 1950s with a Thunderbird-style car based on the inexpensive Ford Falcon, an idea that was rejected by the brass.
Taking the concept in another direction, engineers and designers created the two-seater, mid-engine Mustang I concept, which stunned the press and public alike. Mustang I left the inexpensive idea at the door, as this was a sportscar for sure, one to compete directly with the likes of the more expensive Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 356, and Jaguar E-Type. Wanting to serve a larger market, the Mustang I evolved into the Mustang II concept, a more traditional four-seater, front-engine car with a sporty body. This would be very close to the actual Mustang released on April 17, 1964 at the New York World’s Fair, but the bottom line was simple – Ford was making no secrets about its intention to build a compact, lightweight, sporty car, something that especially the youth market would appreciate. Plymouth’s thinking was similar, and they introduced the Barracuda on April 1, 1964, predating the Mustang by 16 days. But, with all the hype and hoopla, the Barracuda was vastly overlooked. More people had Mustang fever and were near dying to get a firsthand look at one, which of course generated record-breaking sales.
Plymouth Barracuda
Introduced in mid-1964, the Barracuda was a sight to behold. A massive, wraparound window in the back dominated the overall look giving exceptional visibility and creating a hard to miss visual. Engineered by Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and Plymouth, the wraparound glass was a polarizing point of design for the new car – people loved it or hated it, it seemed. That said, it made the Barracuda instantly recognizable anywhere it went, and thanks to a new selection of vibrant colors inside and out, Barracuda was playing to the youth market very nicely.
Ford Mustang
Introduced hot on the heels of the Plymouth Barracuda, the Ford Mustang proved to be one of the most popular names ever produced in automotive history. It not only set numerous sales records, but also speed and endurance records as well. The first generation was unveiled in April of 1964, making it a mid-year release. While many enthusiasts refer to these as “sixty-four-and-a-half” Mustangs, Ford never recognized that nomenclature, VIN’ing even the earliest cars as 1965s.
