A mini-me Mustang pedal car for Christmas

1965 Ford Mustang

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 20 – Just as the 1965 Mustang was a runaway hit, so was its counterpart pedal car, selling over 93,000 units by Christmas of its first year in production. Four decades later, the pedal car with the Mustang logo is back, and demand extends beyond kids, to their parents and grandparents as well “some of whom may have owned an original.”

“Mustang is an icon that appeals to kids of all ages. The pedal car gives our youngest fans a chance to get behind the wheel of their very first Mustang a bond that we hope continues for a lifetime,” said Mark Bentley, Ford licensing manager.

To start youngsters off right, Ford is donating 100 of the iconic Mustang pedal cars to the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Toys for Tot’s goal is to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of our nation’s most valuable resource “ our children.

AMF Corporation sold the original pedal car tooling to a Mexican company in the early 70s and production ended in the early 80s when the business closed. The original equipment was left in a warehouse, where it remained untouched for nearly 20 years.

Enter Mark Luzaich in 2004.

As the owner of Warehouse 36, a small company in Windsor California, Luzaich started importing and producing pedal cars as collectibles. Hearing about the original equipment, he flew to Mexico, bought it, and prepared to build the original Mustang Pedal Car once again.

With the exception of a few modifications to meet modern safety standards, the new models are nearly identical to the originals, with all-steel construction, adjustable rubber pedals, and authentic Mustang markings.

The biggest difference from the original pedal car is the price. While Ford dealerships sold them at a discount, in stores, they retailed for $25. But just as the cost of the Mustang has increased ten-fold over the last 40-years, so too has the price of the pedal car which now retails for around $250.

“The Mustang became one of the hottest pedal cars of all time,” said Bentley. “We hope the new one continues to offer nostalgia to kids of all ages.”