When Introduced in Europe, the Ford Mustang was very popular. Unfortunately in the 1950's, Germany introduced a line of general purpose trucks called the Krupp Mustang. Instead of simply buying the rights to the name for approximately $10,000, Ford chose to change to name of the German model Ford Mustang to the Ford T5, which was the original project name for the pony car in the early 1960's.
Besides the name change, several differences could be found on the German version, including modified hub caps with a plain black center on the 1965 model, while the word “Mustang” was deleted on both the 1965 and 1966 models and while the galloping pony was retained, the Eventually a T5 emblem was created and placed on the fender badges, rear gas cap and steering wheel branding until 1979. Besides alterations to the lighting system, to meet European standards, and suspension tuning modifications and installation of the shock tower brace from the Shelby GT350 to better accommodate international roads, mechanical changes to the T5 were limited.
To many who were unaware of the T5 name change, it is strange to imagine calling this American classic anything but a Mustang since at least some of the car's mystic and allure is found in its name, which often evokes images of a group of wild horses turning up dust on an open plain or a single stallion racing toward the finish line in a race. However, were the pretzel, a German invention, instead be called a PZ3, would it not still taste as delicious and be as popular as it is in sports arenas in America?
As the Ford Mustang continues to captivate and inspire new and younger generations, it becomes more important to recall all the facts and fables that made it what it is today so that the history of this car can be appreciated by all wish to know more about it. This is one reason the In Search of Mustangs registry was created; so that Mustang enthusiasts everywhere could share in the joy and pride that comes with owning the iconic car in this age of globally shared information and technology.