This Day in History: Ford Mustang officially debuts

On April 17, 1964, the Ford Mustang made its official debut at the World’s Fair in Flushing, Queens, New York. Almost 22,000 Mustangs were immediately snapped up by buyers. Named for a World War II fighter plane, the Mustang quickly came to be synonymous with the performance segment, giving rise to the name “pony car.” Ford sold more than 400,000 Mustangs within its first year of production, far exceeding sales expectations.