<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Chronology </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Successor </Th> <Td> Ford Mustang II </Td> </Tr> <P> The first - generation Ford Mustang was manufactured by Ford from March 1964 until 1973 . The introduction of the Mustang created a new class of automobile known as the pony car . The Mustang's styling, with its long hood and short deck, proved wildly popular and inspired a host of competition . </P> <P> It was initially introduced on April 17, 1964, as a hardtop and convertible with the fastback version put on sale in August 1964 . At the time of its introduction, the Mustang, sharing its underpinnings with the Falcon, was slotted into a compact car segment . </P>

When did the first ford mustang come out