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Mustang: a colourful history


Today is World Mustang Day, the anniversary of the first Mustang1 making its debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and a chance for fans the world over to celebrate our iconic sports car.

This World Mustang Day, we’re celebrating how colour has played a huge part in its impact and style.

Since the launch of the first generation there have been 867 colour choices for Mustang, solid and metallic, vibrant and subtle.

From classic shades such as Highland Green and Wimbledon White to the attention-grabbing tones of Phoenician Yellow, Eastertime Coral and Beatnik Blue, a rainbow of Mustang colour choices has only added to its legendary status.

Working three years ahead of production, Ford’s colour and design team draw inspiration from the world around them, talking to trend forecasters and working closely with technical paint suppliers to focus on what works best on the Mustang, from bonnet to boot.

Carrie Kennerly is part of the team responsible for colour and material design at Ford.

“Inspiration can come from all sorts of places. I have always wanted to use a ‘highlighter’ yellow for Mustang, the influence being a simple pen on my desk. Mischievous Purple, a colour we’ve recently used, came from a backpack I had which seemed to catch the light and shift through different shades from true blue to something more red-based.

I can be walking along the street and see something in a colour that catches my eye, so I’m always taking photos and logging them. We also refer to the history of Mustang and revisit the palettes used in the past. There’s a lot to work with!”

Carrie Kennerly,
Senior Colour & Material Designer



With every colour comes subtle shifts in tone – there have even been 67 whites and 57 blacks over the years. Different paints, from sparkling to solid finishes, lend their own distinctive style.

What will set the tone for the future of Mustang? Neutrals are making their mark, with red the classic colour-pop of choice. ‘Technology’ silvers and whites are proving popular colour options for Mustang Mach-E 2 models and subtle, flecked finishes and ‘mood ring’, shade-shifting darks are on the horizon.

“It’s such a perfect car to work with. When the sun hits those Mustang curves just right, each colour looks incredible."

Carrie Kennerly,
Senior Colour & Material Designer

What would you choose? You can see just how colourful the Mustang and Mustang Mach-E can be in on our Twitter and Instagram, or even customise and colour your dream Mustang.

1 Ford Mustang homologated CO2 emissions 256-284 g/km WLTP and homologated fuel efficiency 11.2-12.4 l/100 km WLTP.

2 Ford Mustang Mach-E delivers up to 610 km WLTP homologated pure-electric driving range in rear-wheel drive, extended-range battery configuration.

The declared WLTP fuel/energy consumptions, CO2-emissions and electric range are determined according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EU) 2017/1151 as last amended. The applied standard test procedures enable comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers.


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