FANS SADDLE UP WITH 2005 FORD MUSTANG TOUR

The Great American Pony Drive II is crossing the country to celebrate Mustang's 40th anniversary. Next generation Mustang to visit 40 U.S. and Canadian cities this spring and summer. Mustang enthusiasts, club members and consumers to join along the way. Some 50 classic Ford Mustangs will serve as the grass-roots entourage as Ford Motor Company takes the all-new 2005 Mustang GT on tour to 40 North American cities this spring and summer to celebrate the sports car's 40th anniversary and generate excitement for the new model.

The Mustang enthusiasts are crossing the United States and Canada under the banner of "The Great American Pony Drive II" and are meeting up with the 2005 Mustang Tour in 14 cities. The Pony Drive plans 50 stops in all. "Our first goal is to have fun. The second is to promote the entire Mustang industry," says Pony Drive leader Dave Turnbull, 54, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The troupe will stop at various national landmarks that reflect Mustang's pop-culture heritage such as the Buddy Holly Museum in Lubbock, Texas; a stretch of the fabled Route 66; and the site of the 1964 New York World's Fair, where Mustang officially debuted in 1964.

"The Beatles had their fan clubs and Britney Spears has hers," says Turnbull. "Our favorite pop star just happens to be made of sheet metal."

"The passion and dedication of the 40,000 card-carrying Mustang club enthusiasts around the globe make us extremely proud," says Jim Padilla, Ford Motor Company executive vice president and president of the Americas. "One thing Mustang owners and club members have made clear is this: As long as Mustang retains its integrity, they'll keep us king of the hill."

Pony Drive II consists of drivers from most of the 50 United States. The fleet is largely composed of 1964 to 1970 vintage Mustangs.

"The back-to-the-future design of the 2005 model has us really excited," Turnbull says. "It's like Ford is taking us home."

Turnbull, a member of the 11,000-member Mustang Club of America since 1989, often has six vintage Mustangs parked on his front lawn. Three are his personal Ponies: a '65 GT convertible, '66 hardtop and the '64 ½ convertible he's taking on the tour. His son Garrett has a '69 Mach 1 and an '89 GT, and daughter Jennifer has a 2001 Mustang coupe.

This year's tour is inspired by the original Pony Drive in 1989, which celebrated Mustang's 25th anniversary. Turnbull gave up his telecommunications job to plot routes, book hotels and exchange e-mails with his core group and eager Mustang enthusiasts all over the United States. Many Mustang fans are expected to ride a leg or two of the tour when it comes to the their towns.

Mustangs are a lifestyle, not just a hobby, for most of the Pony Drive enthusiasts. They decorate their homes in Mustang wallpaper, send their kids to school in Mustang-logo jackets and sneakers and spend their weekends swapping parts and stories with other Pony-car fanatics.