There Was a Four-Wheel-Drive Mustang in the ’60s

A four-wheel-drive system might be an appealing draw for a new generation of pony car fans.

It appears that Dodge really isn’t breaking new ground when it comes to applying an all-wheel-drive system to a pony car.

Yep, despite all of the hoopla over the new all-wheel-drive Dodge Challenger, Ford actually tested the idea some 52 years ago on a Mustang. Well, actually, former race drivers Fred Dixon and Tony Rolt came up with the idea, along with a company called Ferguson Research, credited with developing the first four-wheel-drive system for passenger cars.

Dubbed as Ferguson Formula, the all-wheel-drive system made its first test run in a racecar in 1961. Apparently, someone at Ford took notice of the Ferguson team’s work, which eventually landed the research group a Mustang (in December of 1964) to test their 4WD system.

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That all-wheel-drive Mustang and the official papers that verify the prototype’s 4WD system now reside in a museum in Tampa Bay, owned by Alain Cerf. It’s unclear whether or not Cerf’s Mustang is the only ‘60s model that was converted into an all-wheel-drive pony car. But it does raise speculation about whether or not Ford might pursue a more modern take on the idea. It would certainly appeal to the growing number of consumers interested in the technology.

It would also make sense since practically every other sports car nameplate now offers an all-wheel-drive system as an option. Well, except for a few American brands still holding onto the rear-wheel-drive “only” tradition.

Via [Fox News]