6 Of Our Favorite Classic Mustang Colors

Few cars have made such an impact as the Ford Mustang. When this muscle car roared onto the scene in the mid 1960s, it became an instant phenomenon and set industry sales records that far exceeded initial expectations. Often credited as being a pioneer in the pony car category, competitors would follow in the Mustang's trailblazing tire tracks with their own highly stylized coupes in the years that followed, from the Pontiac Firebird to the Chevy Camaro. But few could claim the unique place in automobile history that the Mustang proudly holds. The many Mustangs generations continue to leave their mark, with the brand currently reigning as the longest-continuously produced nameplate under Ford. 

While the evolution of its shape and range of functions has been key to helping keep the Mustang relevant all these decades, part of its appeal from the very start has been its range of bright, bold color options. Indeed, it only seems fitting that a car as radical as the Mustang would also possess an eye-catching color palette to truly stand out. The many colors that adorned the Mustang throughout its early years are just as dazzling today as they were back then, with many continuing to appear on current models. It's time we take a dive into the world of classic Mustangs and celebrate the vibrant colors that helped make this car such an iconic ride. 

In between the 1964 and 1965 model years, a brief line of Mustangs would be released known as the 1964.5 models. Along with some changes to the shape of the hood, headlights, and hardtop, the 1964.5 Mustang also featured a unique variety of colors such as Phoenician Yellow, Honey Gold, and Guardsman Blue. Among these was the stunning Pagoda Green, which remains a highly sought-after Mustang to this day.

It's not hard to see what makes this car color such an attention-grabber. Calling it green might be a stretch for some, as it appears to be more of a teal color than anything. But in a way it adds an extra surprise factor to your ride. Regardless of if you see this as truly green or not, it's a color that simply pops and perfectly contrasts with its light beige roof and its many silver details. It remains among the most rare 1964.5 model colors you'll find, making it incredibly valuable. According to a report from Hagerty, it's the most sought after color within this lineup, with only one in 700 coming in this color and is worth over 60% more than other classic Mustangs.

At first glance, the Emberglo Ford Mustang may seem somewhat dour compared to the brand's more flashy options. And yet, is another highly valued car that represents a specific era in Mustang history. Released only in the 1966 model year, this color contains the special updates from this era including the new and improved wheel covers, gas cap, side ornamentation, and grille.

The Emberglo may appear closer to a burgundy color, but among studying it for some time, it becomes apparent that the car actually sports a unique orange hue. The coloration even manages to find its way into parts of the interior, further contrasting from the lighter colors. The beauty of the Emberglo Mustang ultimately comes down to its balance of being both striking and sleek while remaining easier on the eyes compared to some of the more abrasive Mustang color options. The word "rustic" isn't a term you'll commonly hear thrown around when describing the Mustang, but this certainly comes closest to fitting that description. It's easy to envision someone stepping out of this vehicle donning a brown 60's era coat on a crisp fall day. If you're lucky enough to come across this rare ride nowadays, you'll be hard-pressed to not stop for a minute and take in its distinctly rich quality. 

Call us predictable, but there's no talk about classic Ford Mustang colors without mentioning the red varieties. To this day, red remains the most popular Ford color on the market, and we can likely thank the ever-popular Mustang for aiding in how beloved it is. Over the decades, there's been no shortage of red Mustangs to choose from including Aspen, Rio, Ruby, Calypso, Laser, Torch, and Lava to name a few. But if we're talking classic Mustangs, then we have to give it up to the one and only Poppy Red. 

While red has been a color associated with the Mustang for decades now, it might come as a surprise to some that Poppy Red only exists on 1964.5 and 1965 models. It's a shame, as this color truly compliments the dynamic, aggressive styling that made the Mustang such a game-changer. Just like the flower it's named after, this car color is as vibrant as they come, with an orange hue that only adds to its saturation levels. It's no wonder this was such a popular color choice in its heyday and it's hard to say that its lost any of its appeal.

As Ford's famous nameplate transitioned to the 1970s, a new color would be introduced to the lineup that would go on to be another iconic addition to the Mustang's vibrant palette. This would go on to become Grabber Blue which, as its name implies, is a car that doesn't need to do much to grab your attention.

Grabber Blue would be introduced during the 1969 model year of the first generation Mustang. It's not entirely known how the color came about, although some suggest that it was devised by mixing blue and white paints with one another to save on costs rather than using one color to paint the entire vehicle. Whatever the case, Grabber Blue found its way on to Shelby Mustangs in 1969 and became an instant success. It was such a hit with buyers that Ford would go on to use the color on its other pony cars along with select trucks and the Ford Falcon into the early 1970s. The name itself also became influential, with the Grabber Yellow, Lime, and Green going on to be made by Ford .

Another blue variation would take the place of Grabber Blue in 1973, but the color would make a comeback for the fifth and sixth generation Mustangs in the 2010s. While it's undeniably great to see Grabber Blue live on with modern vehicles, its presence on the sporty physique of a classic Mustang is truly unmatched.

Turquoise isn't the hottest car color out there and that notion seems to have translated to the Mustang, as Twilight Turquoise would only exist on the 1965 Mustang model. And while turquoise may not be the first color that comes to mind when conjuring up your dream car, you might think twice after seeing it wrapped around a classic Mustang.

It's not fully known why the Twilight Turquoise didn't catch on, but it appears to have had lower than average sales when debuted. Even today, classic car enthusiasts don't appear to have the same eagerness to hunt this down as some other colors. However, those who do own this car seem to recognize its value. According to a report from Hagerty, turquoise Mustangs are among the least likely to be painted a different color, with only Poppy and Rangoon red having a higher success rate. 

Twilight Turquoise manages to be both simple yet striking at the same time. It's a friendly, calming color, contrasting from the more aggressive build of a Mustang but never clashing with it. While not as immediately attention-grabbing as some of the more bold Mustang colors, this is one that keeps your attention for longer oddly enough. Perhaps it's because we don't see enough turquoise cars, although it's also just as likely that this is simply a pleasing Mustang color that's easy to love.

As we stated at the top of this article, the Ford Mustang was a massive success almost as soon as it hit the market. And while different colors have taken the top spot over the years, one of the first to truly make its mark was the Wimbledon White. In the Mustang's earliest years, this was the most popular color choice. 

It gained special notoriety after appearing in the third James Bond film "Goldfinger" and went on to be the color chosen for the first Shelby Mustang in 1965. The car color would continue to be sold until the end of first generation run of the Mustang, but it hasn't been forgotten by Ford. It's made appearances throughout the years to celebrate many notable Ford milestones, including more recently with the 60th anniversary limited edition Mustang even including Wimbledon White among its color options as a nod to its place within the brand's history.

Putting its iconic status aside, this is truly a stunning car color to behold. The creamy eggshell color is stunning enough, but the double dark blue streak that lines up across its roof and hood gives it an extra level of appeal. Whether you're into a car for pure aesthetic or want a casual ride that looks like it came hot off the race tracks, it's hard to go wrong with the Wimbledon White Mustang.