Ford Motor Company has unveiled a new way to experience one of America’s most iconic cars.
The automaker on Saturday opened “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience,” a limited-time installation in Los Angeles that features visual effects and Hollywood vehicles to celebrate six decades of the Mustang.
Inspired by popular immersive art exhibits, the experience takes visitors through a sensory journey of the Mustang’s history and cultural impact, according to Ian Cohen, head of creative and content for global communications at Ford Motor Company.
“It kind of became this beautiful experiment almost to say, ‘Hey, can we do an immersive experience and use a vehicle as a centerpiece of the story?'” Cohen told FOX Business.
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Located at Los Angeles’ Ace Mission Studios, the exhibit begins in a recreation of a garage, where a video is shown about the Mustang’s origins.
A garage door then opens to reveal a vintage blue Mustang, according to Cohen.
From there, the room transforms into a full-scale visual experience.
“One minute you’re like on the beach and waves are hitting you. Next, you’re on the assembly line,” Cohen said.
In another room, visitors encounter a Mustang Dark Horse, surrounded by a driving simulation along California highways.
“We had to put seats in because, during testing, people were getting so nauseous … because it felt like they were in a car moving on the highway,” Cohen said. “You’re at eye level with the car on the turntable, and it takes you on the roads of California.”
The experience also features Mustangs from Hollywood, including those from the movies “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “Transformers” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
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“We partnered with the Peterson Museum, and we’ve got cars on loan from Hollywood movies,” Cohen said.
The experience concludes with a sensory ride narrated by Marvel star Anthony Mackie.
“The seats shake, rattle, roll, and you smell gas, snow and rubber,” Cohen said. “You hit a puddle — water hits you.”
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“I’ve been a Mustang fan since I was a kid, so I’m hyped to be part of ‘American Icon,'” Mackie said in an Instagram post. “From a daring origin story, to famous movie Mustangs, to a heart-pounding 4D thrill ride — you’ve never experienced America’s most popular sports car like this!”
Some of the early reactions to the exhibit have been emotional, Cohen added.
“Nearly everyone has a Mustang story,” he said.
Tickets for “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience” cost $35. The exhibit runs through February 2026.
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