Not to be confused with the Hyundai Pony car.
Pony car is an American class of automobile launched and inspired by the Ford Mustang
in 1964. The term describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or
performance-oriented image.
Origins of the class The pony car had its origins in the late 1950s
demise of the original two-seat Ford Thunderbird. While the model's 1958 transformation into
a larger, four-seat personal luxury car proved to be a sales success, Ford dealers and consumers
alike lamented the loss of the sporty halo car. For several years Ford explored various
plans for a similar showroom traffic-builder to attract buyers who would ultimately purchase
more mundane automobiles.
An added impetus came from the 1960 introduction of the popular Chevrolet Corvair. Initially
positioned as an economy car, the Corvair's plusher-trimmed and sportier Monza model sold
around 144,000 units by 1961, serving as the catalyst for Ford to create the now instantly
recognizable Mustang. The Monza's bucket seats and floor-mounted
transmission shifter started a trend toward sportier cars equipped with both in all sizes
from compacts to full-size cars. Ford initially responded with Futura and Futura Sprint versions
of its Ford Falcon, Chrysler with the Plymouth Valiant Signet and Dodge Dart GT, American
Motors with the 440-H and Rogue versions of the Rambler American, and Studebaker with
the sporty Daytona version of its compact Lark. Other sporty bucket-seat compact cars
that appeared during the early 1960s included the Mercury Comet S-22, Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass,
Buick Special Skylark, and Pontiac Tempest LeMans. Most of these sporty compacts came
with the same economical six-cylinder engines as their more mundane counterparts, but in
some cases more powerful V8 engines were at least optional along with four-speed manual
transmissions and center consoles between the front bucket seats.
Some technical developments that debuted in early sporty compact cars in the U.S. included
a turbocharged six-cylinder in the rear-engine Corvair Monza Spyder/Corsa, turbocharged aluminum
V8 on the 1962–63 Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire, and a standard 194 cu in four-cylinder engine/rear
transaxle combination on the 1961–63 Pontiac Tempest LeMans. In 1963, the LeMans introduced
a 326 cu in V8 option producing up to 280 hp. Although these sporty versions of mundane
compact cars were a commercial success for most automakers, some auto executives—led
by Ford's Lee Iacocca—believed they only scratched the surface of the potential market.
During this period there was a strong influx of young buyers with discretionary income
and a taste for vehicles with a younger image than a standard sedan. Iacocca's marketing
studies revealed that if a unique-looking sporty car could be offered at an affordable
price, it would find many buyers. Ford's response was the Mustang, an enormous success right
from its April 17, 1964 launch. Year 1 sales forecasts of 100,000 units were shattered
on the first day, when Ford dealers took orders for 22,000 vehicles, forcing the company to
shift production mid-year. The extended model year sales totaled 618,812 Mustangs.
Defining the class The 1964 Mustang provided the template for
the new class of automobiles. The term "Pony car" to describe members of its ranks was
coined by Car Life magazine editor Dennis Shattuck.
Although the Mustang was based on the Falcon platform, its "long hood, short deck" look
was unique. Offered as a two-door coupé and convertible, it was nevertheless mechanically
mundane in its basic form, with a 170 cu in six-cylinder engine coupled to a three-speed
manual transmission. Its attractive US$2,368 base price included bucket seats, carpeting,
floor shifter, sport steering wheel, and full wheel covers. Importantly, it had an extensive
list of options that featured V8 engines, Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission or four-speed
manual gearbox, radios, air conditioning, power steering, and other accessories. A fully
dressed V8 Mustang could increase sticker price by up to 60%, which generated excellent
profits for Ford. As a result, the basic two-door, four passenger
Pony Car characteristics were set: Stylish and sporty long hood, short deck,
and "open mouth" styling Affordable base price
"Off-the-shelf" mass production components Wide range of often lucrative options to individualize
each car Youth-oriented marketing and advertising
Tellingly, while most pony cars were available with more powerful engines and performance
packages—enough to propel some into the muscle car realm—the vast majority were
sold with six-cylinder engines or ordinary V8s. For the most part, the high-performance
models saw limited sales and were largely limited to drag racing, road racing, or racing
homologation purposes. Pony car competitors
Despite the immediate success of the Mustang, many feared that the bubble would soon burst.
Even though an early competitor, the Plymouth Barracuda, had actually gone on sale two weeks
earlier, other manufacturers were generally relatively slow to respond.
Well aware of the Mustang's upcoming debut, Chrysler had sought a low-cost way to expand
the appeal of its mainstream compact Valiant. The company's precarious financial situation
meant the resulting Barracuda was compromised, with insufficient distinction from the Valiant
and styling that drew mixed reactions. As a result its sales were a fraction of the
Mustang's. Initially, General Motors believed that the
restyled 1965 Corvair would be an adequate challenger for the Mustang. However, when
it became clear that the Corvair itself was doomed, the more conventional Chevrolet Camaro
was introduced. It appeared in 1967, at the time the Mustang received its first major
redesign, and was joined by the Camaro-based Pontiac Firebird and the Mustang-based Mercury
Cougar. American Motors made its entry late in 1967 with the Javelin. It was described
by race driver Gordon Johncock "as a roomy, comfortable, peppy and handsome example of
a so-called pony car, the type of automobile that's showing up more and more on US highways."
Although U.S. showrooms were awash in pony cars a final contender appeared in 1970, Dodge's
Challenger, essentially an enlarged Barracuda. The term pony car applied to all versions
of these nameplates, from base models through high-performance "muscle car" extremes, developed
in league with factory supported racing to gain a marketing edge. The competition between
the manufacturers was so fierce the Trans-Am Series from 1966 to 1972 is described as "The
Pony Car Wars". While sales were strong throughout the end
of the 1960s, pony cars' greater value was in generating brand loyalty, particularly
among the crucial youth market. In 1970 Car and Driver reported that while very few pony
car drivers bought a second, around 50% purchased another model from the same manufacturer.
Even so, by as early as 1969 sales were beginning to slide, dropping to 9% of the total market
from a peak of 13% in 1967. The success Ford experienced with the Mustang
also inspired Japanese car maker Toyota to introduce the Celica in 1970. Parroting Ford,
Toyota built the first Celica on their compact economy Carina platform. Though the smaller
Celica had a generally similar appearance to the Mustang, no Japanese automaker came
forward with a V8-powered, rear-drive sporty coupe. Instead they largely stayed with 4-
and 6-cylinder models that accentuated practicality at the expense of personality, from the Celica
to the Datsun 240Z. The "4-cylinder Honda Preludes of 1978–2001, had no trace of the
daring, danger and aggression that appeal to fans of powerful American muscle cars,"
reflecting heavy taxes imposed by Japanese Government regulations on engines over 2,000 cc.
In Europe, Ford began production of the Lotus Cortina, followed by the European Ford Capri,
while GM of Europe introduced the Vauxhall Firenza. In April 1970, Ford began selling
the Capri in North America as the Mercury Capri, as well as in South Africa and Australia.
Expansion and decline
As with most automobile redesigns, each subsequent generation of the pony cars grew somewhat
larger, heavier, costlier, and more plush. Big-block engines joined the option list,
and both performance and comfort options proliferated. The 1973 Mustang, for example, was 8.5 inches
longer, 5.9 inches wider, and over 600 pounds heavier than the original edition. The Dodge
Challenger, meanwhile, was only slightly smaller and lighter than Dodge's intermediate cars.
The added bulk left the standard six and V8 engines sorely pressed, while the introduction
of powerful big-blocks underscored the limitations of the pony cars' suspension, brakes, and
tires. By 1970 buyers were moving away from the pony
cars, either toward smaller compact cars or toward larger, more luxurious models. Performance
of the hottest pony cars began to erode as a result of emissions controls and the added
weight of required safety features. The 1973 oil crisis left the bulky pony cars out of
step with the marketplace. The Challenger, Barracuda, and Javelin were
cancelled after 1974, and the Camaro and Firebird nearly died at the same time, although they
received last-minute stays of execution. The Cougar became an upscale personal luxury twin
to the Ford Thunderbird, while the Mustang was reinvented as the Mustang II and marketed
as fuel efficient compact with luxury or sporting trim packages.
Later developments
Popularity was culturally promoted by such examples as the Firebird Trans Am in popular
movies such as Smokey and the Bandit, and TV programs such as The Rockford Files and
Knight Rider, the GM pony cars experienced resurgence in popularity in the late 1970s
that helped ensure their continuation. The Mustang was redesigned with a renewed sporty
image in 1979, prompting Mercury to reenter the pony car market with a Mercury Capri twin
based on the new Mustang. Chrysler, beset by financial problems, did not revive the
pony car, although it did offer other front-wheel drive performance models with a similar spirit.
American Motors brought back its AMX model name to the performance-oriented I6 or V8
powered rear-drive Spirit, a similar car to the Mustang hatchback of that era. Advertising
with the line "don't horse around" compared the value of AMC's model in relation to the
1979 Ford Mustang. In 1982, the "Spirit GT became America's first pony car available
with a 5-speed gearbox." Sales of the Mustang remained strong, although
in the 1980s Ford gave serious consideration to replacing it with a front-drive model.
Emissions and fuel economy concerns led many of the latter-day pony cars to offer four-cylinder
engines, although they were never as popular as six-cylinder and V8 models.
By the mid-1980s, the pony car survivors enjoyed a period of renewed popularity as progressively
more and more powerful V8 engines were offered in performance-oriented versions of these
vehicles. However, declining sales and the growing popularity of rear-wheel drive light
trucks and sport utility vehicles ultimately led to the demise of the Camaro and Firebird
after the 2002 model year. 21st-century revival
The dilemma facing automakers in offering pony cars going forward is developing a suitable
platform that is affordable and capable enough to be viable. Unlike the mid-1960s, the large
majority of modern compact cars are front-wheel drive, with four- and six-cylinder engines,
and the widespread use of unibody construction makes engineering a specialized body an expensive
proposition. In 2005, Ford introduced a new Mustang based
on a dedicated platform. The success of this model inspired Dodge to reintroduce the Challenger
in 2008 and Chevrolet to reintroduce the Camaro for 2010, which unlike previous pony cars,
were based off a full-size car architecture. NASCAR brought pony cars to its second-tier
Nationwide Series at the Subway Jalepeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona,
Florida, on Friday, July 2, 2010. Dodge raced its Challenger, and Ford raced the iconic
Mustang. The new cars are seen as a move by NASCAR to re-establish brand identity with
fans and the cars on the track. The pony cars are expected to make their way to NASCAR's
premier Sprint Cup Series in the 2014 season. Also, silhouettes of the Chevrolet Camaro
have competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series, whereas production-based versions of the Camaro,
Challenger and Mustang have raced in the SCCA World Challenge and Continental Tire Sports
Car Challenge, as well as SCCA and NASA amateur competitions. The Camaro and Mustang have
been adapted to GT3 regulations, although not by Chevrolet or Ford themselves.
References
External links Media related to Pony car at Wikimedia Commons