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The Ford Mustang has a long and glorious history. Debuting in 1964, Ford Motor Company never knew that the Mustang would still be one of their best selling models over 40 years later. The Mustang has been such a popular car to modify over the years, many companies have based their business around it... Saleen, Roush and Steeda only to name a few.
Here in the MustangForums.com Timeline, revisit the past and get a glimpse into the future of the Ford Mustang.
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MUSTANG TIMELINE - all mustangs that have ever been produced!
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| Classic Mustangs - 1964 - 1973 |
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Starting with the original release in 1964, the Mustang was an instant success. Although the body style (especially the front end) changed over the first 9 years of the models existence, the lines of this legend remained relatively untouched through the 1973 model year, and the engines offerings helped to bolster the "pony car" image. The entry level Mustangs offered lower performance inline 6 cylinder engines, and the Mustang GT from 1964.5 to 1973 received a variety of special trim lines like the Boss Mustang, and the engine sizes ranged from 289 cubic inches all the way up to the mighty 429.
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The mid 1970s brought about an impending fuel crisis, so American automakers scrambled to build more efficient cars, and the Mustang was no different. The Mustang II was much smaller than the classic Mustangs, and the engine offerings followed suit, with the base engine being a low performance 4 cylinder, and the "high performance engine" offered in the King Cobra packing only 140 horsepower at its best.
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| Fox Body Mustangs - 1979 1993 |
The Mustang II was unpopular enough that Ford Motor Company knew that something must be done, and the introduction of the Fox Body Mustang was just the change that FMC needed to put the Mustang back atop the pony car market. While there were still fuel efficient 4 cylinder engines, including a high performance turbocharged 4 cylinder, and there was also a low performance V6 offered to those who wanted the styling of the Mustang without the performance, but for those who were more interested in show than go, the 5.0L engine gradually increased from the balmy 140 horsepower of the Mustang II, to 235 horsepower in the later model Cobra R. the horsepower of the 5.0L varied over this long generation of the Mustang, but typically it remained at or above the 200 horsepower mark, giving this generation quite a bit of bite to back up the bark.
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| SN95/Fox4 Mustangs - 1994 - 1998 |
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The boxy lines of the prior generation were discarded for a far smoother, aerodynamic body with the introduction of the SN95 style, and the 4 cylinder engine option was dropped. The 5.0L would be used for the first two years of this style, and packed 215 horsepower in the Mustang GT, with 240 horsepower in the Cobra, and a 5.8L engine packed 300 horsepower in the powerful Cobra R. In 1996, the Mustang no longer came equipped with the 5.0L as the 4.6L modular motor was introduced, offering 215 horsepower in the Mustang GT, and 305 horsepower in the Cobra. There would be few changes for the duration of this generation of the Mustang aside from the addition of 10 extra ponies in the 1998 Mustang GT.
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| New Edge Ford Mustang - 1999 - 2004 |
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While the body change from 1998 to 1999 wasn't a dramatic one, it was obviously a new generation of the Mustang. Subtle touches added a slight retro look and trim lines such as the Mach1 and the Bullitt saw a rebirth. The base model engine was a 3.8L V6, and the 4.6L modular motor was back with separate variations for the Mustang GT and the Cobra in 1999, offering 260 and 32 horsepower respectively. The power ratings would remain stable for the GT and the Cobra until 2003 with the release of the SVT Cobra, commonly referred to as the Terminator, for their supercharged 4.6L engine, pushing out an under rated 390 horsepower.
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| S197 Ford Mustangs - 2005+ |
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While the New Edge Mustang was popular, when Ford Motor Company debuted the 2005 Mustang concept at the Detroit Auto Show, there had not been such frenzy over a car, possibly since the original release of the Mustang. A true retro model, combining the look of the classics with cutting edge aerodynamics, this generation Mustang was an instant success. While the 4.6L modular motor returned, a new cylinder head design, featuring 3 valves per cylinder, offering 300 horsepower in the Mustang GT, and the base model received a new 4.0L which makes 210 horsepower. The new high end Mustang is to be a rebirth of the GT500, offering a speculated horsepower of around 475 coming from a 5.4L supercharged engine, with a planned release of the 2007 model year.
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