The Ford Mustang is among the first iconic cars that come to mind when you think of American cars. Launched in April 1964, it has spawned all sorts of models and trims through its six generations. The Ford Mustang debuted as an affordable, yet sporty pony car, and over time, it evolved into a powerful muscle car that has dominated racing competitions worldwide.
This was made possible by the help of the chicken farmer turned mechanic, Carroll Shelby. The Ford Motor Company had expectations of selling around 100,000 units, but surpassed 400,000 units during the first year. This indicated that the Ford Mustang was on the right track to becoming America's favorite sports car.
Here are some of the coolest Ford Mustangs that the brand has offered over the years.
10 1965 Shelby GT350
Arguably one of the most iconic sixties cars, the 1965 GT350 is an absolute beauty built to be a street-legal beast. The Mustang features a fiberglass hood that makes it lighter than its steel counterparts. Although its exterior wasn't significantly different from the regular Ford Mustang, the special stripes set it apart.
Depicted as a Fastback, the 1965 Shelby GT350 comes from the first set of cars with a different name brand, tuned by an outside company. Shelby amped the power-up from the standard 271 hp to a monstrous 306 hp with a 4.7-liter V-8 engine.
9 1967 Shelby GT500 "Eleanor"
The custom 1967 Shelby GT500 Eleanor from the 2000 re-make of Gone in 60 Seconds is one of the few iconic vehicles in modern film. Steve Stanford, a hot rod designer, came up with the sketched design of the Eleanor, which Chip Foose later refined. With only 2,048 GT500 models launched in 1967, the Eleanor is one of the rarer classics.
Chrome Cars are parting ways, for some reason, with this well-established Eleanor. With its replicas already selling at around mid-low six digits, it's likely to fetch exorbitant prices.
8 1967 Shelby GT500
The recipe that created the 760 hp monster witnessed today came from this 1967 Ford Shelby GT500. Under the hood of this beast is a 7.0-liter V-8 engine that produced a whopping 355 hp. This GT500 instantly became a big brother of the GT350 with its 420 lb-ft torque boost.
The Shelby GT500 came with plenty of comfort features compared to the GT350, which was more of a no-nonsense track-ready vehicle. While the GT500 lived on until 1969, it resurfaced in the modern era on the fifth and sixth-generation models.
7 1969 Boss 429
One of the respected and most important Mustang variants is the 1969 Mustang Boss 429. Built to meet the Trans-Am rules, Ford Motor Company introduced the Boss 302 in the late 60s'. The Boss 429, on the other hand, was rolled out to homologate a new engine that was used in the NASCAR variant.
The 1969 Boss 429 featured a more aggressive styling than the Shelby GT500. It came with vents in the rear fenders, a massive scoop in the hood, and a big splitter below its front bumper.
6 2000 SVT Cobra R
This was the fastest factory Mustang the automaker ever produced when this vehicle launched in 2000. The name 'SVT' should tell the whole story. Ford made sure to remove any "expendable" equipment in the interior to ensure the 2000 SVT Cobra R was as light as possible for flat-out track performance.
With only 300 units produced, the Cobra R was beefed up with a 5.4-liter V8, rated at an impressive 385 hp and 385-ft-lb of torque and a more aerodynamic body with finder fenders.
5 2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake
This tire-ripping monstrous machine boasted 800 hp and was the most powerful GT500 Super snake Ford Motor Company ever launched. With all that power, Ford still trusted the rear-wheel-drive system, so the rear-end spotted a final 3.73 drive ratio and the transmission was still a six-speed manual.
The 2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake was the track-focused version of the GT500. It featured a Ford Racing Kit with aerodynamic dampers, lowering springs, a front strut tower brace, and tuned anti-roll bars.
4 2012 Boss 302 Laguna Seca
The fifth-generation Mustang brought the Boss 302 badge back to life in 2002. It was fitted with a more powerful V-8 engine and various updates for improved performance.
Ford then added Recaro seats, stiffer suspension, a limited-slip differential, and a large rear wing. All these parts further moved the 302 Laguna Seca even closer to being race car. The removal of the rear seats also resulted in an X-brace to increase structural rigidity.
3 2013 Shelby GT500
Under the hood of the 2013 Shelby GT500, we find a 5.8-liter supercharged V-8 engine. These radical steps in terms of power taken forward by the GT500 was good for a monstrous 662 hp.
This beast can get from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.5 seconds, and has a top speed of a whopping 200 mph, a milestone few thought the Ford Mustang would never achieve. The optional performance package offers a Torsen limited-slip rear and adds adjustable dampers.
2 2018 Roush GT Jackhammer
Jack Roush, the company's founder, took a regular Ford Mustang GT and fitted a supercharger to the 5.0-liter V-8 engine that the standard GT comes with. This monstrous beast was the only Roush Mustang to sport gloss-black wheels. And this made it not only a unique build but also an aggressive one.
From a block that only delivered 460 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque as stock, the 2018 Ford Mustang Roush GT Jackhammer boasts of 710 Hp and 620 lb-ft of torque. This made the Roush GT rather a special car from the two decades of Ford Mustang's modification business.
1 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 has replaced the retired Shelby GT350. The Mach 1 boasts of a revised 5.0-liter cross-plane-crank V8 engine with a total of 480 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. However, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.2 seconds, this model isn't actually faster than a regular GT.
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is an outstanding choice for track-focused enthusiasts, especially If your track car also needs to be a daily driver.