1966 Ford Mustang
First generation · Original / classic 1964–1973
The original pony car. Launched April 1964 (the famous “1964½” cars, titled as 1965s) and produced through 1973.
Photo: “1966 Ford Mustang Convertible 3.3 front” by Rutger van der Maar / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1966 model year
Overview
A light trim and detail refresh — mechanically near-identical to 1965 — and the Mustang’s best year ever at 607,568 cars.
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 200 I6 120 hp
- 289 2-bbl 200 hp
- 289 4-bbl 225 hp
- 289 "K-code" Hi-Po 271 hp
- Transmissions
- 3-speed manual, 4-speed manual, C4 automatic
- Body styles
- Hardtop, Fastback, Convertible
- Base price
- $2,416 (base hardtop) ≈$23,400 today (inflation-adjusted) Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.
- Production
- 607,568
Year over year
What changed
- New slotted grille with a redesigned horse-and-corral emblem.
- Revised side ornamentation — three horizontal bars on the rear quarter.
- New wheel covers and fuel cap.
- The GT package continued (25,517 built).
- Mechanically a carryover year.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Same as 1965 — inspect for rust first.
- The 289 is durable.
Worth knowing
Notable
- Best-selling US convertible that year (72,119 built).
- High Country Special (333 units).
- Export "T-5" badging in Germany.
Famous variants this year
Sources
- Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (first generation)"
- Classic Industries
- MustangSpecs — per-year base MSRP
- CarGurus
Other First generation years
Explore the Original / classic generation → All First generation · Original / classic years →