'american Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience' Is An Entertaining, Occasionally Cringey Look Back At Pony Car History

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A photograph of nan powder bluish '64.5 Mustang pinch a projection of nan World's Fair down it

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

The Ford Mustang is nan sole remaining accepted American musculus car, since Chevrolet discontinued its Camaro again, and the Dodge Charger has gone each woke pinch an electrical powertrain aliases pansy six-cylinder engine. Ford's has moreover doubled down connected nan Mustang arsenic of late, taking nan not-so-humble musculus car to caller heights pinch nan preamble of nan $300,000 Mustang GTD, truthful there's plentifulness going connected pinch nan original pony car to celebrate. Ford is doing conscionable that pinch "American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience," which blends a fewer museum-style humanities and method exhibits pinch a 4D video acquisition and 2 projection rooms.

From an original 1964.5 Mustang GT to nan cutting-edge GTD, guests get an entertaining history instruction connected nan Mustang's taste effect passim its 50 years successful production. The acquisition takes spot successful a storage successful Downtown Los Angeles that's located successful beforehand of nan drainage ditch that hosted nan iconic "Gone In 60 Seconds" movie pursuit scene. The acquisition was designed by nan squad that produced "Bodies: The Exhibition" and nan seemingly redundant Titanic Immersive experience, truthful it's beautiful good orchestrated, if a spot cringey astatine times.

Immersive acquisition explained

A photograph from nan 2nd immersive room showing a achromatic Dark Horse connected a rotating level pinch a roadworthy projected successful beforehand of it

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

When you first locomotion into nan warehouse, you participate a waiting area that has a museum-style grounds astir nan Mustang's inception. It includes photos of nan 3 different creation studies that were successful nan moving of becoming nan original Mustang, but nan existent excitement originates erstwhile you participate nan first immersive room. I recovered nan wording utilized to picture nan arena to beryllium supremely vague, truthful I'll do my champion to overgarment a clear image of what to expect.

In nan first immersive experience, guests participate a white-walled, ceiling-less room, pinch only a powder bluish 1964.5 Mustang GT astatine nan front. The full room acts arsenic a projection screen, pinch animations moving crossed nan level and each 4 walls taking you done a little timeline of nan Mustang's history, arsenic good arsenic its taste significance. From nan rotating level astatine nan 1964 World's Fair to nan modern streets of Hollywood, complete pinch a philharmonic retrospective and a patient dose of Ford verbally autofellating.

A photograph of nan first immersive acquisition and nan powder bluish Mustang driving down a projection of Sunset Blvd astatine duskLogan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

After that, guests are herded done halls to nan adjacent immersive room that only has stools and a modern Mustang Dark Horse surrounded by achromatic walls. This projection begins, and you quickly study that this Mustang is connected a rotating level that moves pinch nan projections. The projection successful this room takes you done a virtual joyride that starts connected a seaside upland roadworthy and ends successful an entertaining GTA-style pursuit scene.

Traditional exhibits, and a very non-traditional movie experience

A photograph of nan GTD grounds showing a golden DTD connected a level pinch group down it and displays connected nan walls

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

After nan 2 immersion rooms, location are 2 much accepted exhibits. The first showcases immoderate of nan astir celebrated Ford Mustangs to grace nan metallic screen, from Eleanor, nan 1967 Mustang of "Gone In 60 Seconds" fame, to nan 2005 Mustang Saleen S281 from nan first "Transformers" movie, to nan 1973 Ford Mustang Convertible from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

The adjacent grounds is dedicated to nan bonkers Mustang GTD. There's a golden illustration connected display, and for nerds for illustration me, location are disassembled chassis components connected show to show really nan instrumentality inboard Multimatic rear suspension works, arsenic good arsenic nan monolithic rear spoiler's progressive aerodynamics and nan artful beforehand suspension.

A photograph of nan movie Mustangs grounds showing nan achromatic Saleen Mustang utilized successful nan original Transformers movie and a reddish Mustang utilized successful nan movie Kick AssLogan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

The last room is simply a doozy; it's a 4D movie. You locomotion successful and spot 4 rows of theater-style seats, put connected nan provided over-ear headphones, and nan show begins. You're taken done a thrilling imagined world-saving mission, each while nan seats rumble and move, you get blown by fans successful nan armrest that besides merchandise scents, and there's an occasional squirt of h2o erstwhile it aligns pinch what's happening connected nan screen. I was not warned astir immoderate of this anterior to experiencing it truthful it was very surprising. If you spell please beryllium alert of what to expect, and usage a waterproof finishing spray connected immoderate constitution you wear.

Overall, nan Mustang Immersive Experience is simply a nosy measurement to walk astir 45 minutes of your time. It will stay successful Downtown LA done February of adjacent year, pinch tickets costing a steep $35, not including parking adjacent door, which will costs $10. And yes, location is simply a gift shop wherever you tin walk moreover much money connected Mustang-branded goodies.

A photograph of nan Mustang GTD's rear suspension connected show astatine nan exhibitLogan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

Though it has cringey moments, nan acquisition is beautiful neat and makes anyone pinch Mustang-related memories consciousness each nostalgic and lukewarm and fuzzy, which is simply a invited break from nan changeless onslaught of chaos that happens astir america astatine each times.

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