April 17, 1964 is a day most Mustang fans are familiar with. That’s when Ford showed its new pony car to the world for the first time at the New York World’s Fair, and basic math tells us 2024 is the 60th anniversary of that event. Ford doesn’t really need a reason to create a special Mustang package, but as far as reasons go, a 60th birthday is a pretty good one.
That’s why Ford is hanging out at this year’s New York Auto Show. No, the package isn’t officially revealed—that will come on April 17. But the official announcement and teaser images are coming to us from the show floor to keep the retro New York vibe rolling along. Speaking of which, the teaser images only show retro-themed badges right now, and yes, we enhanced them in Photoshop before posting just to make sure. We have 5.0 and GT badges set on a striped red background, along with a rendering of a chevron-styled 60 Years badge that will presumably adorn the special cars.
For now, that’s all Ford is willing to share. This is specifically called an appearance package though, so it’s safe to assume the GT’s 480-horsepower (486 with the exhaust upgrade) 5.0-liter V-8 will remain the same. Details will come during a special event hosted by Ford at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, where Mustang owners and fans can register to partake in the tomfoolery. Ford promises track experiences, drift ridealongs, a host of special Mustangs and Ford Performance racing drivers on hand, and a special first look at the 60th Anniversary Appearance Package.
The announcement comes as Ford reveals the Mustang retained its title as the best-selling sports car in the world for 2023.
“As we get set to celebrate Mustang’s 60th anniversary, that same passion and excitement continues with our seventh-generation Mustang, now headed to customers in 85 markets around the world,” said Jeff Marentic, Ford general manager for truck, family, and enthusiast vehicles.