The Mustang is one of the most iconic and recognisable muscle cars of all time, but the 1969 Ford Mustang is one of the most revered among enthusiasts. It was normal for the Mustang to undergo incremental changes for every given model year, and the 1969 iteration is seen by many as the first Mustang that could truly claim to be a muscle car. Compared to the ‘68, the body became longer and wider, and the front-end styling became a lot more aggressive, with quad headlamps, a feature that had disappeared again by 1970. Ford also offered a range of Performance packages with more and more power, along with additional aggressive styling such as air scoops, spoilers and cable-and-pin tie-down for the bonnet.

Strengths:

Iconic looks and image
Power and noise
Among the fastest cars of the day

Weaknesses:

Expensive to buy
Requires specialist maintenance
Lacking in safety features

Is the 1969 Ford Mustang better than the 1969 Dodge Charger?

Well, it was certainly more popular. According to official sales figures (not UK ones, obviously), Ford sold almost 300,000 examples of the 1969 Mustang, while Dodge only managed around 70,000 Chargers. Chevrolet got closer with the Camaro, but sales were still some 50,000 units down on the Ford.