The History of the Pony Car

The Pony Car had a huge impact on the 1960s, much as the muscle cars did. While many people consider Pony Cars and Muscle Cars to be in the same genre, Pony Cars were actually smaller cars with large engines, while muscle cars ranged from small to large and had large engines. Pony Cars that made quite an impact on their generation include the Ford Mustang, from which the Pony Car actually got its name, Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin and the Dodge Challenger.

1968 Pontiac Firebird

Pony Cars got their start when Ford changed its Thunderbird from having two seats to having four seats in the late 1950s. Until that time, the Ford Thunderbird was considered to be more of a sports car. After it was redesigned, the Thunderbird was considered to be a luxury car and dealers began to want back the old body style that gave them more leeway with the younger generation. The Ford Company agreed that the younger generation wanted a car that was sportier than the current body style of the Thunderbird and decided to create the Mustang, which would appeal to younger crowds.

This began the legendary Pony Car history. Once the Ford Mustang hit showroom floors, the legend had begun. The Mustang is still being designed today and during its first year alone, saw nearly 700,000 cars sold. Although the name Pony Car actually came from the Mustang, or more specifically from the pony that adorns the hood of the Ford Mustang, the actual first pony car was the Barracuda built and designed by Plymouth. This car hit showroom floors two weeks before the first Mustang was introduced by Ford, although the Mustang saw much more success when it arrived.

1967 Camaro

Not to be outdone, Chevrolet came up with its own answer to the Mustang when it introduced the Corvair in 1965. Still, the Mustang gained in popularity and Chevrolet designed and introduced the Camaro late in 1967. The Chevrolet Camaro held its ground much better against the Mustang than the Corvair and was produced until 2002 when it was retired. Dodge came into the picture as well bringing the Dodge Charger and the Dodge Challenger to the table to keep up with the mass popularity of Ford’s Mustang and thus the battle to design and produce the most popular Pony Car had begun.

Pony Cars held their reins until high insurance premiums and new emission standards caused a drop in popularity. Producing heavier cars and those with more and more space also helped to end the Pony Car era. Eventually, Pony Cars were close in size to their larger and yet just as powerful cousins, Muscle Cars. During the end of the 1970s, car buyers tended to prefer larger, more luxurious models or smaller and more compact cars that were more gasoline efficient. The Ford Mustang eventually became a luxury compact car and thus the Pony Car era had ended. Pony Cars from the past are popular collector’s items today, with some reaching prices of more than $50,000.