Hot Wheels 2017 Ford Mustang GT Convertible, 1965 Ford Mustang convertible, and Greenlight 2009 Ford Mustang GT coupe

The Pony Car was credited by the Ford Mustang, the car that started it all, and since then there's been plenty of Mustang replica's.  The newest is from Hot Wheels as they drop the top on the 2015 Ford Mustang GT coupe to create the new convertible, which is a long-time coming.  While at Greenlight one of the original early castings is brought back to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Mustang.

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Hot Wheels 2017 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

Hot Wheels released the new 2015 Ford Mustang GT coupe casting in 2014 and it's done good so far but thanks to the competition dumping a bunch of these 2015 GT coupes the cars have been pegwarmers.  However the Hot Wheels version has fared better and even released the Shelby GT350R last year.  For this year it's the long-overdue convertible.  How overdue?: the last new Mustang convertible casting was 1996 with the Mustang GT and that car was discontinued after 2003; altogether it was the 1969 Shelby GT500 in 2011.  Not only does the GT coupe drop its top but it also fixes the problem area's of the coupe.  For starters the missing exterior mirrors appear on the body along with a new windshield that has the proper angle of the real car.  Another nice touch is the hard tonneau cover that eliminates the messy vinyl cover of older Mustang convertibles.  Other minor adjustments is the width of the body between the wheels are adjusted for a more normal look and the front upslope chin has been reduced just a smidge.

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Offered in red or metallic blue the convertible looks good and carries the good details of the 2014 release.  The front has detailed headlights that are more clearly detailed than the coupe with the detailed grille area that is part of the base and features the prancing pony in the center.  Turn signal and foglights reside at the bottom.  With the top down and the mirrors added the sides look much better and have some character the coupe lacked with lower side sills and PR5 wheels.  The rear has the louvered tri-taillights along a black decklid and GT logo while the dual exhausts are at the bottom.  The base shows off the same drivetrain as the coupe that consist of all-independent suspension, rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission to the 5.0L DOHC V8 producing 435 horsepower.  The handling is still excellent as are the acceleration and braking, though I believe the convertible feels much better than the coupe but far behind the wild GT350R.  Inside the interior now shines out with seating for four and the twin-pod dashboard with detailed gauges, central controls, shifter, and 3-spoke steering wheel.  This Mustang Convertible is a long-overdue model in the Mustang lineup that outshines the coupe and still looks great...well at least until the wild graphics start in.

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Greenlight 2009 Ford Mustang GT coupe

In 2009 it was the last model year for the Mustang before the all-new model arrived in 2010, and that 2010 went on sale in the spring of 2009 so the 2009 models were a very limited run so to celebrate Ford offered special badges on the 2009 Mustang's.  On the front fenders the prancing pony is surrounded by a horseshoe that says 45 years with the years on the shoe.  This Greenlight casting was part of the Anniversary series so hence the 45th logo's.  The Grabber Orange paint looks awesome with Mustang stripes along the bottom of the doors and those awesome 5-spoke mag wheels.  The front has detailed headlights, foglights, and the prancing pony in the grille; the headlight detailing is flat and is a common problem with this generation of Mustang's in 1:64 scale.  As an older casting it lacks the exterior mirrors on the sides and since the tool plays a role as a convertible the roof is a clear plastic section that is painted over.  It is not a bad effect except for the visible mounting pins behind the rear seat.

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At the rear you get a  rear spoiler, detailed taillights, and dual exhast tips.  The metal base shows off the engine and drivetrain details with an old-school look.  Same goes for the performance that doesn't feel as button down as the newer Greenlight castings do.  Inside the interior features seating for four with the twin-pod dashboard, dual gauge pod, 3-spoke steering wheel, and shifter on the center console.  While the casting is getting old with some weak spots, not to mention the side fender badges are rather small, this Mustang still looks good with the Grabber orange paint and those awesome mag wheels.

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Hot Wheels 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible

Finally we take a look at the first Mustang convertible in the Hot Wheels line and an instant classic, the 1965 Mustang Convertible.  Hot Wheels was introduced in 1968 and while it has a Mustang casting in the first release Hot Wheels focused more on the fastback than the standard Mustang coupe and convertibles.  That was fixed in 1983 when the convertible arrived in an attractive red paint with tan interior and white wall tires on basic wheels.  It was an instant classic: the right size, the right stance, the right look, it was all there!  The front has round headlights with a mesh grille that is part of the metal base and features the prancing pony logo in the center.  The lower bumper is part of the base and features signal lights.  The sides show a clean look with the lower white Mustang stripe and the prancing pony on the front fenders.  The door handle and side scallops are there but seem to get lost in the paint.  The rear has tri-taillights that are part of the base along with the reverse lamps and bumper.  Oddly the gas cap is the missing piece in the rear.  Another oddity is the visible support tabs just below the tonneau cover and ahead of the trunk.

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The metal base is still there and continues today even if its hanging by a wire (the 50th Mustang 5-pack last year showed a transitional piece that has a plastic base and no opening hood).  The interior shows off the four-person layout with twin-pod dashboard, 3-spoke steering wheel, and a center console that flows to the shifter, and even the pedals are detailed.  The windshield can have mixed reviews as some can have the windshield pushed too far forward.  Another problem area that needs to be fixed is that when the new wheels were released in 1995 they had a flange that allowed the wheels to stick out further than the basic wheels.  On the Mustang it is clear that the modern wheels do not look right on this casting as they stick out from the body.  The magical part is under the hood where the metal hood opens to reveal the 290 CID V8 with individual throttle openings for an estimated 320 horsepower through a 4-speed manual transmission.  There were other nice colors offered for the Mustang including a turquoise color (i'm pursuing that one at the moment) and the dark blue color still hanging on to the whitewall tires.  When the new wheels came out the whitewalls were gone and then there was some wacky graphic models, but even in 1999 the original mustang side graphics still continue on this dark blue with white interior.  My version has an added bonus: fully painted engine bay!  Then in 2005 the coupe version finally appeared with the same details and looks as the convertible (including the wheels that stick out of the body) along with a roof and a rear gas cap.

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These are some excellent pony cars and it is nice to see Hot Wheels finally back in the game with a modern Mustang droptop.

Update 1/18/20:  In 2015 the 1965 Ford Mustang convertible got an update by Hot Wheels and for 2020 it shows up for the first time in the mainline.  The opening hood and metal base are gone (though the original casting is likely retained for premium series use), the grille now part of the metal body, details are sharpened, and a few areas fixed like the mysterious slots behind the tonneau cover and the wheels now tuck in flush with the body.  The light blue and 205 front plate is based on the Mustang used in the James Bond movie "Goldfinger" and with the disc wheels introduced in 2018 it looks very good and despite the cost-cutting it still has that flair of the original model.