Turning Heads Since Day One
This blog post is exclusive to The Mystichrome Cobra Authority.
On this day twenty years ago, the Ford Motor Company proudly unveiled at the New York International Auto Show the upcoming special editions to commemorate the Pony’s 40th anniversary, which officially kicked off a yearlong birthday party and culminated with the debut of the next-generation Mustang.
April 16, 2003, was the day that the world was officially introduced to the most stunning and strikingly beautiful Mustang to date, and quite possibly ever, the 2004 Mystichrome Cobra, which debuted alongside the 40th Anniversary Mustang V6 and GT models. And immediately, it was love at first sight for enthusiasts and the automotive press alike.
The official debut took place on the show’s press day (one day before the show opened to the public) at Ford’s specially-branded Mustang 40th anniversary exhibit, and the prototype 2005 Mustang was shown alongside. The context of this exhibit is significant as Ford was taking a victory lap since General Motors had bid farewell to its Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird in 2002, and the Chrysler Corporation hadn’t produced a contender in the pony/muscle car segment in decades.
Hence the need for a celebration, and Ford decided to celebrate this Mustang milestone anniversary for an entire year, which finished off with the official debut of the retro-styled S197 Mustang for 2005. At the time, this signaled to the automotive world that the pony/muscle car segment was still alive and well with the first, original, and now only entry, the Ford Mustang. For the first time in its life, the Pony was the sole contender, until GM and Chrysler decided to get back in the game with the 2004 Pontiac GTO (and eventual ’10 Chevy Camaro) and the Hemi-powered 2006 Dodge Charger (and eventual ’08 Challenger), respectively. However, on this day twenty years ago, there was no sign of new competition. Only a clear-cut victor celebrating 40 years and a strong future.
The Mystichrome Cobra and the rest of its 40th anniversary special-edition brethren debuted one day before the Mustang turned 39 years old. Fast-forward to today, our beloved, color-changing Cobras are nearly 20 years old, and the Ford Mustang will celebrate 59 years tomorrow with a different victory, as GM has pulled the plug on its Camaro once again, Dodge is saying goodbye to its Challenger, and Dodge’s Charger will continue as an electric car for 2024. The Ford Mustang claims victory as the only gas-powered muscle car on the market.
As a reminder of the fanfare of the Mystichrome Cobra’s debut, read the original press release from SVT (dated 20 years today) and the official Ford press release (dated 20 years tomorrow) for your enjoyment.
