The Pick of the Day is a 2009 Ford Mustang Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition listed by a California dealership on ClassicCars.com.
Many people know Lee Iacocca as the man who saved Chrysler in the 1980s, but long before that, he was the vice president of Ford and a major force behind one of its most legendary vehicles. In a 2021 post about about the Mustang on its media site, Ford said, “The world’s first ‘pony’ car, the child of Lee Iacocca and Don Frey, was conceived as an affordable car combining luxury and performance in a compact, sporty design.” More than 30 years after being fired from Ford in 1978, Iacocca got back into the Mustang business with a 45-unit production run of specially modified “2019 1/2” Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Mustangs, such as the one you see here.
As part of a business called I Legacy, Iacocca collaborated with designer Michael Leone and Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters of Fountain Valley, California to create the commemorative model. Achieving the Iacocca model’s unique looks required several alterations. According to Motor Trend, a reshaped and extended front fascia, “new fog lights, reshaped front fenders and a re-skinned and lengthened hood” were installed at the front. The distinctive fastback styling required extending the rear of the car eight inches and pushing the taillights, trunk lid, and rear fascia back. Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters fabricated a new rear clip and placed it over the existing body structure and added an all-new rear window, new rear fenders, and a trunk lid that serves as the end point of the fastback roofline. Other unique design elements include faux scoops over the quarter windows, 20-inch chrome wheels, and a quartet of rectangular exhaust outlets.
Inside, the Iacocca Mustang received unique door sill plates, a Bullitt Mustang steering wheel with a special “I” center badge, black leather seats with embroidered headrests and quilted inserts, and an individually numbered plaque on the dashboard.
In its standard state, the 4.6-liter V8 generated 300 horsepower and channeled its output through a five-speed manual gearbox. However, like the exterior, the engine could be significantly modified. An optional Ford Racing cold-air intake boosted that horsepower number to 320. There were two available levels for cars equipped with a supercharger: 400 or 550 horsepower. A Ford Racing Handling Package kept the Iacocca Mustang’s shiny side facing up.
This particular one has been driven as much as you’d expect a rare car to be driven: very little. The odometer only shows this 550-horsepower silver-skinned beast has only been let loose for 169 miles. One of the people to blame for that? Lee Iacocca himself. The selling dealer reports he originally owned this car. Now’s your chance to do the same. The price tag on this piece of automotive history? $149,950.
Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
