The Ford Mustang is celebrating twin milestones, with production of the classic American car entering its 50th year, and the production of the one-millionth Pony model at its current Flat Rock assembly plant.
Forty-nine years after its 1964 New York debut, the Ford Mustang is this year beginning its 50th year of continuous production.
And nine years after production of one of America's favourite sports cars shifted to Ford's Flat Rock assembly plant in Michigan in 2004, the factory has rolled its one-millionth Mustang out of its doors.
Group vice president for global product development Raj Nair said he expects the Flat Rock assembly plant's outstanding reputation for quality to continue for many years to come.
"Mustang is one of the most beloved nameplates in the industry, with fans around the world and throughout Ford Motor Company," Nair said.
"We've invested US$555 million ($539 million) including a state-of-the-art, fully flexible body shop and an upgraded paint shop to make sure we're continuing to build the best of the best for the next one million Mustangs," Flat Rock plant manager Tim Young said.
Ford will be adding 1400 jobs and a second shift at the Flat Rock plant as part of a support plan for the production the new EcoBoost-powered Ford Fusion, due to be released in the US later in the year before reaching Australia in 2014 badged as the Ford Mondeo.
The American manufacturer has produced and sold more than 8.5 million Mustangs to date.
