The Ford Mustang – Still Flexing After Six Decades

Seeing as how the Ford Mustang celebrates its 60th birthday this year – and with no signs of hanging up its stirrups any time soon – we thought we’d pay homage to the perennially popular pony car by picking a muscular model from every decade of its production. From the original first gen to the current crop of V8-powered coupés and convertibles there really is a Mustang for everyone, most of which can be found within these hallowed pages.

Deeply ingrained not only in car culture but wider popular culture as a whole, most discerning petrolheads will know the Mustang’s origin story by now. Developed by Ford’s chief engineer at the time, Donald N. Frey, and championed by general manager Lee Iacocca, the Mustang was introduced as an affordable and fun car that could seat four people, birthing an entire segment – that of the pony car – in the process. But as strong as the car’s association with the V8 engine is, the original Mustang didn’t actually come with one.

That honour belongs to the ‘65 model and combined with that now iconic long hood, short deck styling and a base price of less than $2,500, the Mustang sold like the hottest of cakes. Quadrupling its projected first year sales figures Ford would go on to sell a cool million Mustangs within two years, firmly establishing the name and kick starting a rolling revolution, the effects of which continue to be felt to this day.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say, and rival manufacturers predictably would jump on the Mustang bandwagon with the likes of the Camaro from Chevrolet, the Pontiac Firebird and Dodge’s Challenger all following suit to profit on this new wave of popularity spearheaded by Ford.

But this isn’t a list of the best Ford Mustangs, however. Think of it more as a highlights reel, whether that be from a performance perspective, the influence of a certain model or simply as a talking point. The important thing to remember is the lasting legacy of this iconic car and how it has shaped the rich tapestry of the grand automotive landscape. So, with that in mind, let’s dive in and wish the mighty mule many happy returns shall we?

1960s – 1965 Ford Mustang

Of course, the importance of the original, first generation Mustang cannot be understated but the car would begin to grow almost immediately, not just in physical size but also in engine capacity and by the end of the decade you could option your Mustang with a 7.0-litre Boss V8 pushing out 375bhp. A far cry from the dinky six-pot featured in the very first 1964½ cars, as they would become known.

From Fastbacks to GTs and Shelbys to Mach 1s there are so many stand out tracks from the Mustang’s premiere decade of production to choose from but for sheer purity, simplicity and its genre-defining legacy we have to go with the original two-door hardtop as our pick of the ’60s. This is peak Mustang for many and whilst perhaps not as flashy as some of the later models it remains an incredibly important car that paved the way for all future generations.

1970s – 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Before Nic Cage’s typically over-the-top Nic Cage performance as a car thief obsessed with ‘Eleanor’, the 1967 Shelby GT500 in 2000’s car heist movie Gone in 60 Seconds, there was the original version of the film that hit cinema screens back in 1974. A true cult classic the real star of the movie was the 1973 Mustang Mach 1 that actually performed the epic 128 foot jump we see at the end of the film.

Way before the advent and proliferation of CGI, as showcased in the remake when Cage “jumps” Eleanor, writer and director H. B. Halicki climbed behind the wheel himself to perform the stunt, compressing his spine in the process as the Mustang was re-introduced to the tarmac after soaring over 30 feet above the ground. Ouch.

Testament to the ruggedness of these tough old ‘Stangs the car still ran after it’s flight and it’s scenes like this that would forever ingrain the Ford Mustang into the collective consciousness of the car buying public. It’s also why we’ve chosen it as our Mustang of the ’70s.

1980s – 1985 Ford Mustang SVO

Generally known as the ‘malaise era’ of US automotive production whereby manufacturers would be heavily influenced by more stringent efficiency and safety regulations that would ultimately negatively impact both design and performance the second generation Mustang – produced between ’73 and ’78 – was generally derided as a result.

The subsequent third gen ‘Fox body’ cars, beginning life in 1979, were seen as a bit of a return to form for Ford and the Mustang, spanning the entire ’80s and beyond. Still hampered by legislation, however, a fire-breathing V8 monster wasn’t really an option at the time so instead Ford decided to concentrate on motorsport tech for its new Mustang model, setting up its Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department in the process.

The result was the Mustang SVO. Eschewing the GT version’s 5.0-litre V8 in favour of a lighter 2.3-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder, this new Mustang for ’84 was quite the departure for Ford and its signature pony car. Haters gonna hate but despite only producing 175bhp (later increasing to 205 for the ’85 model) the limited edition SVO benefited from numerous chassis and suspension improvements making it a proper driver’s car and despite its limited power still features as one of the best performance Mustangs ever made.

1990s – 1999 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

By the ’90s the Fox body platform was getting a bit long in the tooth and so Ford needed to refresh the Mustang once more. Dubbed the SN95, the fourth generation of Ford’s iconic muscle car debuted in ’93 and although it was essentially an updated version of the Fox platform, the car was completely redesigned.

Seen as a decade of downturn for the Mustang the ’90s did still produce some significant models and our pick would have to be the top of the line ’99 SVT Cobra. Named for Ford’s Special Vehicle Team and available as an option from the beginning of the SN95’s production, the ’99 Cobra saw the culmination of years of development with 320bhp on tap from the the 4.6-litre modular V8, as well as all new independent rear suspension.

As if the name Cobra wasn’t cool enough, Ford went one step further four years later with the introduction of the Terminator Cobra: a supercharged version of the fourth-gen Mustang that featured more aggressive styling, and its a model that deserves a special mention here, if not for the nomenclature alone.

2000s – 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt

And we could quite rightly include the Terminator Cobra here as our pick of the 2000’s Mustangs but we feel it’s more pertinent to mention the fifth generation that hit the streets in 2005. A brand new design based heavily on the original first gen cars it was a true renaissance period for everyone’s favourite pony car.

Very much leaning into its penchant for special editions, Ford would offer its fifth gen Mustang model in various guises, including GT, California Special, Shelby, Bullitt and Boss 302 incarnations, the best of which, in our humble opinion, is the Bullitt, introduced for this run in 2008. And yes, it was incredibly difficult not to include the original car in the ’60s section.

Built as an homage to Steve McQueen’s legendary GT390 that tore up the streets of San Francisco in the ’68 smash hit movie Bullitt, the car was offered in Highland Green paint, complete with a beefed up, 315bhp version of the aluminium 4.6-litre V8 from the GT. It’s difficult to do such an iconic car justice but Ford absolutely nailed it with the fifth gen Bullitt Mustang, so much so that this special edition would continue on into the next generation, such was its popularity.

2010s – 2017 Shelby Super Snake

The Shelby Mustang, beginning with the GT350, was a high-performance variant of Ford’s pony car originally built by motor racing legend and engineering maestro Caroll Shelby for competition between 1965 and ’67 and later by Ford itself from 1968 to 1970. Ford would revive the Shelby name in 2005 for a spicy version of its fifth gen Mustang and would continue using the nameplate until 2020.

Seeing as this is the 2010s section then, we’re picking the 2017 50th Anniversary Shelby Super Snake, a neck snapping celebration of speed and power that pays homage to Caroll Shelby’s original high-performance Cobra Super Snake that was released back in 1967.

Available with either 670 horsepower or 750, depending on your choice of supercharger and level of insanity, only 500 of these 2017 Super Snakes were made, making it an incredibly exclusive collector’s piece, not to mention a huge shot of adrenaline right into the eyeballs.

2020s – Shelby GT500 Code Red

For pure power (and who doesn’t like a bit of that?), and following on from the GT350 mentioned above, we’re going straight for the frankly ludicrous 1,300bhp Shelby GT500 Code Red from 2022. Yep, that’s not a typo. One thousand, three hundred. Based upon the already bonkers GT500 the Code Red limited edition (just 30 were ever made) is the most powerful variant of the Mustang’s sixth outing, or any outing for that matter.

The GT500 Code red is unadulterated hooniganism at its finest but the car is very much limited to the drag strip and to take it on the roads would breach pretty much every traffic law in existence (and probably some sections of the Geneva Conventions, too). Swapping the original supercharged 5.2L V8 in the standard GT500 with a twin turbo system, alongside a whole host of other performance upgrades, the Code Red will happily relocate your face to the trunk in less time than it takes to order a Big Mac.

The absolute epitome of ‘go big or go home’ the Shelby GT500 Code Red is so American it hurts. Utterly ridiculous.

It’s certainly been a wild ride for the Mustang and one which will no doubt continue long into the future so if, dear reader, your appetite is suitably whetted, then why not start your Mustang journey right here at Car & Classic? With myriad models to choose from your new pony is just a few clicks away.