As part of our Mustang Month celebration, we remember the second-generation model. It was slow, ugly, and grossly underpowered, but it became a commercial success that helped keep both Ford and the Mustang brand alive during the 1973 oil crisis and the difficult years that followed.
Its story started in the early seventies when sales of the preceding model and the whole pony car segment began to drop. Customers were abandoning these gas-guzzlers in favor of smaller, cheaper, and more fuel-efficient cars like the Datsun 240Z, Toyota Celica, or Ford’s own Maverick.
To capitalize on this trend, newly appointed Ford Motor Co. president Lee Iacocca, one of the men responsible for the birth of the original model, ordered the development of a completely new, downsized version of the Mustang.
Available as either a two-door notchback coupe or a sportier three-door fastback, its styling was influenced by coachbuilder Ghia of Italy, which had recently been acquired by Ford. The car's base engine was a 2.3-liter (140-cu in) Lima four-cylinder that only produced 89 hp (66 kW) and 118 lb-ft (160 Nm) of torque. There was also an optional 2.8-liter (171-cu in) Cologne V6, which was equally unimpressive since its output was rated at 105 hp (78 kW) and 140 lb-ft (190 Nm) of torque.
Despite these modest figures, the Mustang II was smaller, lighter, and came with a power-assisted rack and pinion steering, making it easier to handle. Additionally, it was cheap and fuel-efficient, so as gas prices almost quadrupled that year, it quickly became very popular.
With the oil crisis ending and the U.S. economy slowly getting back on track, Ford reintroduced a V8 option in 1975 to make the car even more appealing. Thus, the engine bay, hood, and header panel were redesigned to make room for the 4.9-liter (302-cu in) unit. Mainly due to the new emission standards that were in place at the time, it only made 140 hp (104 kW). That's little by today's standards, but it was more than adequate for the Malaise era.
Apart from the addition of the eight-cylinder, all 1975 Mustangs were fitted with catalytic converters, while the Ghia model received opera windows and a padded vinyl half-top.
The second-generation Mustang was produced until 1978, and Ford introduced the limited-edition King Cobra so that the series could go out with a bang. It featured a deep air-dam, stripes, and a cobra snake decal on the hood. It was only available with the V8, but the engine didn’t receive any performance-enhancing upgrades.
While it has few fans among current enthusiasts, the small, cheap, and underpowered Mustang II was a successful model that kept the legendary nameplate alive during an era when fuel consumption was far more important than horsepower. For that, it deserves our respect and admiration.