There is no way Ford planners could have foreseen conditions that would prevail at introduction time when the Mustang II program was initiated, but it's doubtful if they could have formulated a more timely car if they somehow could have gazed into a magic crystal ball. The realities of 1974 promise to bring down the curtain on the traditional domestic car as we have known it - certainly for the masses. Such cars were feasible with unlimited supply of cheap fuel, lots of wide open spaces and smaller populations, but those conditions no longer existed.
The Mustang II arrived -- re-emerging as a "small car." Reduced in size and weight, it was a serious attempt to recapture the verve and spirit of a previous era. Ford management had recognized the problems of the oversized Mustang and with several years lead time, again sponsored a design competition to create a 1974 Mustang that would have to be one thing. It would have to be a "little jewel."
1974
Answering the call for a lighter, more nimble Mustang, Ford's Lee Iacocca, dictated that the new Mustang, officially called the Mustang II, which debuted in 1974 would be light, sporty, and more European. Iacocca wanted it to be "a little jewel" and this direction drove every aspect of the new design. More>>
1975
The biggest boost for the Mustang II's image was the introduction of the 302 cubic inch V8 back to the Mustang option list. Available in any Mustang II, but only with an automatictransmission, the V8 was topped by a two-barrel Autolite carburettor and was rated at 134 bhp. More>>
1978
1978 saw the introduction of the King Cobra Mustang II. The King Cobra package was offered only with the four-speed manual transmission and featured a better suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars, the 302 V8 with a Variable Venturi Carburettor, Goodyear P195/70R13 radial tyres, and a wild paint and graphics appearance package. More>>