It’s worth noting that Ford’s first Mustang was indeed available with V8 power from the jump. There were three options available on the 1965 Ford Mustang, often referred to as the 1964-½ Mustang because of its unusual April release date. The engine lineup consisted of the 170 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder that is the subject of our discussion today, and both 260 cubic-inch and 289 cubic-inch V8 engines. So, just to be clear here, V8 Mustangs were always an option.
The 170 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder engine was described as “exciting as a dish of baby food” by Car and Driver, and it’s pretty easy to see why once you dig into the specs. This lowly powerplant only developed 101 horsepower and 156 lb-ft. of torque. It’s not an entirely fair comparison, but for the record, that’s about ⅓ the horsepower of an entry-level four-cylinder 2024 Mustang.
While they may not be all that impressive in terms of power output, drivers describe 1964-½ six-cylinder Mustangs as tough and quite reliable. The 1964-½ Mustang, even the comparatively milquetoast base model, is a classic piece of muscle car history, whatever V8 diehards might think.
