Mustang GT Blue Angels earns $400.000 for Young Eagles organisation

It’s fairly common practice in the USA for a domestic manufacturer to auction off the first example of a new model for charity. Ford, however, takes the whole business a step further. Every year, Ford bolts together a new and unique Mustang with an aeronautical theme to auction at the EAA AirVenture: the self-proclaimed ‘world’s greatest aviation celebration’.

The money raised from the auction is donated to EAA’s Young Eagles organisation, which promotes hard work and developed scientific skill whilst providing teenagers with free introductory aeroplane flights. Ford gives the scheme its full support, and has donated $1.3 million from sales of the special Mustangs since 2006.

This year’s car takes its inspiration from the ‘Blue Angels’ fighter group and their F-18 Hornet aircraft, this being most clearly displayed by the yellow ‘Blue Angels’ script and crest on each door, complemented by the ‘screaming yellow’ stripes down the bonnet, roof and flanks.

The theme continues on the inside with another bundle of yellow accents and leather Recaro front seats. Meanwhile, the car features unique chromed blue paint and equally distinctive vertical rear-spoiler end-planes inspired by the F-18 Hornet.

Things get even more interesting under the bonnet as, while the ‘Blue Angels’ Mustang is based off the 412bhp, naturally-aspirated GT model, the car packs a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 producing a not insubstantial 624bhp. Despite the much more powerful powerplant, the ‘Blue Angels’ retains the standard six-speed manual gearbox.

Elsewhere, however, the Ford Racing engineers were far more fastidious in ensuring that the car’s other oily bits were up to the task in hand. To this end, the car sports a part-rollcage behind the seats, a handling package, ‘racetrack ready’ brakes and a performance exhaust – the latter seemingly to make the best of that marvellous motor.

The ‘Blue Angels’ Mustang was auctioned on the 28th July, eventually raising $400,000 when the hammer fell. Whilst the successful bidder remains anonymous, we do know that he hails from California and received a ‘Blue Angels’ flight helmet signed by the pilots and crew of the precision flying team as part of his winning lot.