cars news 10: 1965/2015 Ford Mustang Mashup Shows 50 Years of Automotive Advancement

A new display fusing an original 1965 Ford Mustang with a 2015 Ford Mustang in a new side-by-side cut-away showcases 50 years of automotive advancements. The display is part of the new Intellectual Property Power Exhibit at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum (NIHF).

The new exhibit, which includes other displays, highlights the importance of trademarks, patents, and other forms of intellectual property and the advancement of innovation, progress, and culture in the U.S. The Mustang display showcases various patents used in the original model as well as the current model.

Ford notes that no specific styling patents were pursued with the original Mustang until it proved to be a sales success. The automaker sold more than 1 million cars during the first 18 months on sale.

“Everything moved so fast in the design and run-up to production of the original Mustang that there were no styling patents issued back then,” says Chris Danowski, Ford director of technology commercialization and intellectual property licensing, in a release. “Now look at the current car; 2015 Mustang Convertible alone was granted 36 styling patents, which ensure the unique look stays with the car. It also has many unique functional patents for things like the airbag structures, 911 Assist and so many other technologies baked right in.”

Although Ford was slow to patent the original car’s design, it did feature more than 100 of the automaker’s existing patents. Highlights include a rear seat speaker, power convertible top, and self-canceling turn signal. Today, the 2015 Mustang features the first glove box-mounted passenger knee airbag, electronic line-lock, standard launch control, and more.

The new Mustang display was built for Ford by aftermarket supplier Classic Design Concepts. Highlights of the display include the 1965 Ford Mustang’s left-hand-drive driver’s compartment and center console placed side-by-side with a 2015 Ford Mustang’s export right-hand-drive driver’s compartment and center console. The display includes roughly 60 percent of each model split lengthwise from the hood to the rear of the passenger compartment.

With the arrangement, visitors will be able to have a hands-on experience with the advancements from the original pony car to the current model and get to sit on each side to check out the controls from the window cranks and seatbelts to the audio systems and climate controls. Most importantly, visitors will be able to experience the sounds of the original car’s V-8 engine and the current car’s V-8 engine at idle.

The NIHF also has a display highlighting Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford. Ford was chosen as a partner for the project because of the Mustang’s contribution to American innovation as well as the automaker’s 20-year involvement with the museum’s Camp Invention. The program is a summer enrichment program that offers hands-on activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The museum is located on the United States Patent and Trademark Office Campus in Alexandria, Va.

Source: Ford