1969 Ford Mustang Grande

Consider the Mustang Grande the “fancy hardtop” Mustang. The Grande, was a hardtop with special trim and a deluxe interior similar to the Mach 1’s interior. It also got a vinyl roof and a more luxurious interior, upgraded two-spoke steering wheel, new wheel covers, color keyed racing mirrors, an electric clock, bright exterior moldings, dual outside paint stripes and luxury foam bucket seats.

By 1969 Ford was trying everything in its arsenal to get Mustang sales back to growth. Sales had dropped for years and the team at Ford was launching new variants all the time to revive Pony car fortunes. One attempt to target a different consumer was the Mustang Grande, trying to help Ford find a more affluent client who appreciated some more luxury and creature comforts.

Thus the Mustang Grande was born in 1969 with its luxurious Comfortweave interior to set it apart from other cars on the market. It was available in only the hardtop body style. The original Mustang Grande featured an upgraded interior with imitation wood trim, a smoother, more refined ride and additional sound-deadening materials. More than twice the usual amount of insulation (55 pounds) helped soak up noise and vibrations.

Available with any engine and transmission combination, the Grande was popular enough that it continued to be offered throughout the duration of the first-gen pony car’s run. The Grande could have any Mustang engine, starting with the 200- or 250-cid six, on up through any of half a dozen V-8s (all the way to the Cobra Jet). Decorated by narrow two-tone stripes, racing mirrors, and wire-style wheel covers, Grandes had a manual three-speed or optional SelectShift, with T-bar gearshift lever. Black and white vinyl roofs were available.

The Grande was actually quite popular with buyers at the time, selling over 22,000 units in the first year it was offered.