Chevy Mustang History

Since the 1960’s, there has been a constant struggle for dominance among muscle car producers. However, there is one battle in particular that has piqued the interest of buyers and fans for ages; the Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang. Now why are these two so prominently competitive? To answer this, we’ll have to look back to their roots.

In 1896, Henry Ford shed the light of a new age onto the idea of transportation with his quadricycle. It used four bicycle wheels, and a four-horsepower engine. There was no steering wheel, only a simple tiller. The vehicle had only two forward gears, and no reverse. Three years later, Ford joined the group that founded the Detroit Automobile Company, though he left within the year. In 1903, the Ford Motor company was born, with 12 investors, and 1,000 shares. Later, in 1908, Ford introduces the Model T, which he sold 15 million of

until production ended in 1927. (Official Ford Website) Three years after the Model T was introduced, Louis Chevrolet and Billy Durant, the General Motors founder, created Chevrolet.

The first Chevy created was the Series C Classic Six in 1912, which had an electric start, and electric headlamps, both of which were typically reserved for the more expensive and luxurious cars. (Official Chevrolet website) Later, Chevrolet released the Chevy Model 490, putting it in nearly direct competition with the Model T. (nwitimes.com) Then, in 1917, Ford released their first truck, the Ford Model TT. (Official Ford Website) The very next year, Chevrolet introduced their first truck as well. In 1927, Chevrolet, for the first time, overtakes Ford with more than 1 million vehicle sales. (nwitimes.com) In 1932, Ford introduced the flathead V8 engine, which even today is still popular with hot rodders. (Official Ford Website) In 1955, Chevrolet debuted their small-block V8 engine in their brand new car. (nwitimes.com) Many years later, in 1964, Ford’s first Mustang was put on the market. (Official Ford Website) Three years after that, in 1967, Chevrolet

responded to the Mustang with the Camaro. (nwitimes.com) When asked about the name Camaro, Chevrolet answered by saying “A Camaro is a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” (robbinschevy.com) Ever since then, Chevrolet and Ford have continuously duked it out amongst each other, with new Camaros and Mustangs still being built to this day.
Throughout the nearly 50 year rivalry of the Camaro and Mustang, the Mustang almost always had the higher sale. In fact, the first year that the Camaro beat the Mustang in sales was in 1977, with the return of the Z28. The only other years where Camaros outsold Mustangs were 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, 2010, 2011, and 2013. All together that is only ten years out of the 48 that they have been competing. (blog.caranddriver.com) What gave Ford the edge to keep them on top so much of the time? The more recent answer to that would be Ford’s marketing, particularly in social media, on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. (Jeffbullas.com) This, along with their deep roots in innovation and the origin of the modern car, are what keep their sales just a head above the rest. There seems to be a feeling of trust with a long lasting company such as Ford. But, with all the recalls of Ford, can the cars still truly be trusted? Just in recent years Ford has had to recall millions of vehicles, just for airbag issues alone. This is not including any of the potential fire hazards or engine issues. (Edmunds.com) Chevrolet, on the other hand, has not even been affected by the airbag issue, though they still have many other recall issues. (Edmunds.com) Still, Ford managed to avoid the bankruptcy that had afflicted both General Motors and Chrysler in 2009. They still felt a need for change though, and in 2008 had submitted a report to the Senate about their business plan, in detail. This business model of theirs was known as One Ford. Their plan, ultimately, was to unify their business globally. (smallbusiness.chron.com) Chevrolet though, is more focused on what they can make better with their vehicles. With the recent release of the Volt, their new electric car, Chevrolet is planning to test their new technology, combining gas and electric, and simply seeing how far they can push these boundaries. They want to increase productivity and lessen their brands. With a focus on advancing technology, and keeping things cheap for the consumer, Chevrolet is sure to keep up with Ford. (GM.com)
With today’s recent social issues though, there is a question as to how employees are treated by any company. Ford is currently the second largest car manufacturer in the U.S., and the company is self-insured. “The first doctor an injured employee is forced to see is the Ford plant doctor…The Ford doctor does not have the injured employee’s best interests at heart. Instead he or she places Ford’s financial interests first. This is done often times by denying treatment to an injured employee, telling the injured employee they aren’t in-fact injured, ignoring the employee’s treating doctor’s orders and denying the injured employee time-off to recuperate from their injuries.” (Chicagolegalnet.com) In addition to that, Ford also will harass, intimidate, and even threaten to fire employees who do not return to work, even after their actual doctor tells them that they need to take time off. (Chicagolegalnet.com) Chevrolet though, gives employees benefits such as extensive health plans, retirement, 3-6 weeks of vacation time and paid holidays, life insurance, disability, tuition assistance, adoption assistance, and employee and family discounts on GM vehicles. (Careers.gm.com) Most complaints about Chevrolet have been the management in specific locations and dealerships, as opposed to the company as a whole.
The issues with both production recall and employee treatment have not seemed to stop them yet though. In the most recent models, the Camaro certainly seems to be bumping up the stats. With 420 lb/ft of torque in the Camaro, and only 400 in the Mustang, Chevrolet is practically taunting Ford with how close it is. Not only that, but the Camaro has 426 HP, with the Mustang sitting just below it at 420 HP. Not to mention that Chevrolet offers two years of maintenance for the vehicle, while Ford does not. The only thing the Mustang seems to have on the Camaro is the highway mpg, though only by a single mile. And with a tank that holds three less gallons than the Camaro, it really is not saying much. Granted, the Mustang will still be popular among muscle car fans, despite its falling short with the newest Camaro. (Official Chevrolet website)
The power struggle will certainly continue to bloom, and shows no signs of withering anytime soon. They have been competing for 50 years, and will surely compete for another 50, and possibly even another 50 after that. In the end, it really all depends on how loyal people stay to each side. People will always have their opinions, and they will always have something to say about the competition. Some people want to stay traditional, others want change, and new technological advances. No one company can satisfy everyone’s need, but they are going to keep trying no matter what.