The Ford Mustang is a car that needs no introduction. It’s popularity has pretty much been on track since 1964, but it wasn’t until 1965 that things started to get interesting for the muscle car. However, it wasn’t until 1968 that everyone could own one of these beauties.
1965 Mustang Fastback FTE
Mustang is a Hot Wheels favorite
Even though the 1965 Mustang Fastback wasn’t on the pegs until 2008, the Mustang was one of the original 16 cars debuted by Mattel in 1968 along with other classics like the Corvette, Camaro, and Firebird. Since then there have been 29 other Mustangs variations released into the wild. Several can be found and raced in our own Hot Wheels racing Fantasy League, including the Fastback and Fastback FTE.
Everyone’s favorite pony
In the real world, the Fastback changed the game in 1965. This was the first year the variation was offered to consumers. Not only did the Fastback package look slick, it would be the start of one of the most popular cars models in history, the Shelby. The 1965 Fastback was the form of what would become the Shelby GT-350. And after Shelby changed Fastback into an awesome powerhouse, we never looked back.
A winning combination
On the diecast track, the 1965 Mustang Fastback is a proven winner. You can find both the Faster Than Ever and normal mainline versions in the Fantasy League. The Fastback’s wheelbase is just about perfect for racing. With wheels positioned in the corners, it will fly down the track with minimal wobble and little rumble. The Fastback isn’t a heavy car, but its balance seems spot on. And when you combine that with the FTE package, you have a solid winner…maybe not on the drop, but it’ll make up for that on the drag.
Right now the Fastback FTE is the top rated car, however, it hasn’t raced much. Yes, it’s 3-0 but other cars in the top five are running 5-0 and 4-0. I’m not convinced that the Fastback FTE is the fastest car on The Lot, but it’s no slouch.
Information from the Hot Wheels Wiki and Classic Pony Cars was used in this article.
