Sunday 05 / January / 2025
We started early for the rendezvous point – the parking next to Burj Al Sahwa roundabout. The meeting time was 0900 hrs, and we (the photographer and I) still had a good few minutes on our hands. We decided to go for a quick morning snack and as we munched the crunchy creamy Rakhal amidst frothy cappuccino sips, our ears almost shattered by the thunderous bellowings suddenly gripping the otherwise silent Friday morning environs.
They had arrived; one after the other, some 30 cars drove in and filled up the entire section. Soon the place was brimming with much enthusiasm and camaraderie. The cars, parked next to each other in linear formation, had one thing in common; they all flashed the wild pony logo on the front grille. It were the MuscatStangs, Muscat’s biggest bunch of Ford Mustang zealots.
The world’s love affair with the iconic pony car is nothing new; the timeless automotive marvel that has always offered an appealing blend of style, performance and practicality, and it is the very same passion that drives the MuscatStangs.
The club holds mix and mingle session, or as they like to call, ‘show and shine’, every month — social activities and gatherings where Mustangs are the general topic. The members show-up at a pre-decided location in Muscat, with
their Mustangs, for the get-together, before setting out on a long drive to some far away destination.
Our own ride became the hot topic of discussion at the meet this time. Given to us by the Ford dealership, the 2016 Ford Mustang sporting the new 2.3 litre Eco Boost engine, instantly grabbed the members’ attention, as they flocked the car to check it up close.
Some revved it hard while others opened up the hood, to check the engine; curious what magic could turbo do with the tiny engine.
A commotion ensued; while some believed the car was another wonderful extension of the Mustang, others maintained the legendary pony car was only meant to have a powerful V8. “Though a pony is meant to be having a V8, still the smaller capacity gives an option to those who find the big engine too much for themselves. With the smaller, yet powerful 2.3ltr version, they too can enjoy riding one of the world’s most famous cars,” noted Jamal Al Toubi, owner of a 2005 Mustang GT convertible, and second in command of the MuscatStangs.
But for Mohammed Al Ghilani latest entrant to the club, there was only one option. “If it is Mustang, it’s got to be a V8. If you want smaller engine, go for some other model. The pride of the Mustang is its power and the remarkable grunt. No other engine has it except the V8,” boasted Ghilani, proud owner of 2015 5.0ltr Mustang GT.
In the midst of it all, we were greeted warmly by the group leader, 31-year-old Sami Al Habsi, who started it all five years ago. “In the 50 plus years since its unveiling, the Mustang has come to represent something timeless. It is not just a car; it’s an embodiment of the symbol of free spirit, inspiring passion like no other. The aim of the club is to celebrate the existence of the iconic car we all share the love for, and encourage social activity between the club members,” said Al Habsi.
The highlight of the monthly gatherings, are the long drives, where the cars cruise through some of the most scenic routes; be it along the breathtaking coastlines or majestic inland country routes. This time the pack was driving to Sinaw, where a club member, Abdul Rahman Al Rashidi, was hosting the pack to a traditional retreat, at his grand farmhouse. The group started from Mabelah along the Nizwa road, heading for Izki– the pit-stop junction of the drive. On the road, the MuscatStangers demonstrated exemplary traffic discipline, strictly keeping in line and maintaining the lane.
“One of the primary goals of MuscatStangs is to promote safe driving culture and strict abidance to the traffic and road safety laws and regulations. All our members are responsible drivers, and we aim to inculcate traffic discipline among drivers,” said Jamal Adoubi.
Having started in 2011, with just four members, the club has blossomed into a strong 50 plus member club. It is also the only Ford Mustang club to be registered with the OAA (Oman Automobile Association) and approved by ROP. “All our rides are approved and accompanied by the ROP,” Adoubi added. Famous drifters Zahar and Abdullah Bahrani are also members of the MuscatStangs.
Stressing on the need to be sensible on the road, Sami said, motoring action should only be practised in safe and regulated environment. “Roads are for commuting and not to seek thrill. We organise many high performance action events like drifting and drag racing but only in controlled environment, like at the OAA”.
Among the various activities, the club also organises car shows and national events celebrations. Every National Day, the club organises the American muscle car show, in collaboration with the ROP, where events are held in different categories including overall best car, best modified car, and the best classic car, among others. The first ever burnout event in Oman was also hosted by the Muscat-Stangs at the 2016 Muscat Festival.
Continuing from Izki to Sinaw, the group finally arrived at the destination: Abdul Rehman’s big posh villa located right in the heart of the town; just in time for lunch. Mats were laid in the splendorous Majlis occupied by big platters of scrumptious mandi heaped with chunks of roasted lamb and whole chicken. Hunger took the better of us all, as we pounced upon it desperately, gorging by the mouthfuls. Post lunch, and a short afternoon siesta, the group headed out to the nearby farmhouse, where the rest of the fun was planned; music, kahwa, pool-party, and barbecue. The fiesta went long into the night and we only started back for Muscat, at almost midnight. By the time the ride came to conclude, I had many new friends – buddies of a lifetime to catch up and cherish with. A quality day had passed by, in the blink of the eye.
The legend of a car that sold over 22,000 units on its very first day – April 17, 1964; and over a million in the first two years, Ford Mustang became one of the most successful product launches in automotive history. Almost 10 million Mustangs have been sold ever since.
An interesting tale goes over how the pony car came to be christened as Mustang. Some say it was the wild horse, others: the American World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane.
Ford credits executive stylist John Najjar who co-designed the first Mustang prototype, to have suggested the name. However, contention exists over Najjar’s inspiration behind the name Mustang, as no conclusive documentation exists for this at Ford.
As a result, there are various interpretations, the most well-known and accepted being that Najjar was a fan of the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane, and the same was the inspiration behind. However, in his book Mustang Genesis, author Bob Fria quotes Najjar to be saying that he suggested the name Mustang after the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane, and was rejected for sounding too “airplaney”. He pitched the name again as a type of horse, and everyone loved it.
In the end, the name blended beautifully with the galloping horse logo that Najjar’s fellow Ford stylist Philip T. Clark had already been experimenting with for years.
Whatever be the reason, the name makes sense to the car in every manner. Compact, quick, agile and sleek, the Mustang shares the creed of both the horse and the plane. —[email protected]
Wanna be MuscatStanger?
Classic to modern; stock or modified, If you own any Mustang, and love to be in the company of people sharing the same passion, the club would be more than happy to have you on board. If you own the Mustang Shelby GT, the club has a subsidiary group exclusively for the Shelby GT owners. Membership fee: OMR20 (annual). You get the club logo, t-shirt and cap as freebies.
+968 9803 3533; +968 9808 5479
[email protected]
muscatstangs.com
