Let’s return to a favorite polarizing topic at CC, the much beloved and maligned Mustang II. I’ve said my piece on it here, so I’m going to leave it mostly to Road and Track to clarify the MII’s development, a technical analysis and some driving impression. The relationship of the MII to the Pinto is clearly spelled out, as a direct development but with considerable changes, many of which went right back into the 1974 Pinto.
As to the driving impressions, not surprisingly, R&T was generally disappointed. They were of course expecting a genuine sporty coupe in the vein of Ford’s very successful Capri and other compact sporty coupes like the Celica and Opel Manta. The Mustang II weighed some 400-500 lbs more than these lithe and lively sporty coupes, severely blunting any genuine sporting ambitions. The reality is that Ford’s priorities were a quiet cabin and a smooth ride. That may have disappointed those looking for lively acceleration and tight handling, but it was exactly what a huge raft of Americans were looking for in 1974 in the gale of the energy crisis: a 7/8 scale Torino.
