(November 20, 2013) Ford will take the cover off the all-new Mustang Dec. 5, the sixth generation of the iconic pony car that will celebrate 50 years in production next year.

To count down to this highly anticipated moment, over the next 15 days Ford is teaming up with Facebook and Instagram to showcase what Mustang has meant to its millions of fans the last 50 years and how it continues to inspire people around the world.

“Mustang has come to be much more than just a car for its legions of fans spanning the globe from New Zealand to Iceland and Shanghai to Berlin,” said Jim Farley, executive vice president of Ford global marketing, sales and service and Lincoln. “When you experience Mustang, it ignites a sense of optimism and independence that inspires us all.

“Today, we kick off the countdown to the all-new Ford Mustang,” added Farley, on hand for an event leading up to the Los Angeles International Auto Show. “With a new design and greater refinement, world-class power and performance plus innovative new technologies, Mustang is ready for the next 50 years.”

Ford is counting down to the next chapter in the Mustang story by inviting people to share their photographic stories of inspiration using the #MustangInspires hashtag on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms. The tagged photos and videos will appear here. 

“Everybody has a Mustang story, and the emergence of social media has helped the Mustang community share and connect these personal moments in not just words, but photography and video,” said Farley. “Mustang is the most ‘Liked’ car of all time on Facebook, with more than 5.5 million fans. There is no better way to build excitement for what’s next than by encouraging even more sharing of the Mustang story through these very personal, emotional mediums.”

To build even more anticipation for the all-new Mustang, Ford is using Instagram  to release the first image of the new car, giving fans a tease of what to expect on Dec. 5.

Fan-submitted photos will provide inspiration to 15 of the top Instagram video creators from around the world to develop an online short film series.

Ford will share an original #MustangInspires video each day of the countdown film series, culminating in the worldwide reveal of the all-new Mustang.

Click here to view the first video in the series.

“In April 1964, Ford conducted its first-ever simultaneous international product reveal when the original Mustang was unveiled to media in New York and 11 European capitals,” said Farley. “Since then, Mustang has become embedded in popular culture, with thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games – and more than 600 owner clubs around the world.”

On Dec. 5, the all-new Ford Mustang will make its debut in six cities on four continents. The reveal events will take place in Dearborn, Mich.; New York; Los Angeles; Barcelona; Shanghai and Sydney.