The original Ford Mustang was an instant hit in America, and Ford sought to export that success to other countries, including Germany. However, Ford’s marketing team ran into trouble when it was discovered that the Mustang name was copyrighted in Germany by the Krupp trucking company. So before Ford could sell any Mustangs in Germany, they had to eliminate any and all references to the name Mustang.

The car they came up with, while mechanically identical to the Mustang, became officially known in Germany as the Ford T-5. Today these cars are few and far between, even in Germany, and finding one in the United States is nearly impossible. Mustang Heaven found an original 1971 Ford T-5 for sale in the U.S. via CTR Motors, though it’ll cost you a pretty penny to put in your garage.

According to legend, Ford had the option of either paying Krupp $10,000 to license the Mustang trademark in Germany, or to eliminate all references to the Mustang when exporting their pony car there. Ford choose to go the latter route, and in 1971 the company exported about 277 Mustangs to Germany and converted them to the T-5 nameplate. Of those 277 Mustangs, just two were Mach 1 packages, and one of those cars has made its way back to the U.S., where it is now on sale. It packs a 351C engine backed by a C6 3-speed automatic transmission.

While the 1971 Mustang isn’t exactly a collector’s dream car, having a genuine Ford T-5 in your collection is certainly something worth bragging about. It’s weird though, seeing a Mustang but not seeing either the name or the prancing horse anywhere on the car. In spite of the fact that for the $137,000 asking price you could afford you a more recognizable collectible, there is something cool about owning this obscure piece of motoring history. So, is this Ford T-5 Mustang rare enough to justify the cost? Tell us in the comments below.