The Mustang nameplate and badge reverberates throughout the automobile history ever since the model first appeared in the mid-60s, and it continues to this very day, depicting power, fierceness, and appealing design. While some will argue until they're blue in the face that the Mustang is a pony car and not a muscle car, it's still practically impossible to discuss muscle cars without someone mentioning the Mustang. The model burst into the spotlight in the mid-sixties and early seventies, dominating racing competitions worldwide.

Updated July 2021: If you're a fan of the Ford Mustang, or just have a healthy interest in pony cars in general, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this list with some of the latest special edition Mustangs as well as included more info about the older models.

Just like other car manufacturers, Ford evolved over time, updating the Mustang's design and technology while discarding unnecessary things, often with the help of Shelby. These are the greatest Mustang model years, ranked.

10 1965 Shelby GT350

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The 1965 Shelby GT350 is one of the most iconic cars of the sixties. Apart from the fact that it has a stunningly beautiful design, this model was built to be a street-legal beast that would also be able to give race cars a run for their money on the tracks.

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The 1965 Shelby GT350 is basically a Ford Mustang Fastback, albeit infused with Shelby power. What makes this car iconic is that it belongs to the first set of vehicles with a different name brand, specialized and tuned by a different company. Shelby effectively took the car from being just another street-legal car to one worthy of racing standards.

9 1967 Shelby GT500

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Following the Shelby GT 350, the release of the GT500 saw everything turned up to 11. Although the new model didn't do as well as the GT350 when it came to sales, it certainly had more in terms of performance.

RELATED: 10 Things Everyone Forgot About The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

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The engine was now a 7.0-liter V8, and the car kept the striking design from the 350 model. The 1967 Shelby GT500's biggest claim to fame is arguably that it featured as “Eleanor” in the movie Gone In 60 Seconds.

8 1968 Ford Mustang California Special

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The 1968 Ford Mustang California Special is something of a hybrid of the Mustang GT and Shelby. Ford made this version of the Mustang especially for the sunny state of California. In many ways, the car was similar to the Mustang GT, but it did feature a sportier design.

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The California Special came with a variety of engine options, ranging from 302ci to 428ci. However, most of the engines were 390ci V8 engines that produced roughly 325 horsepower. The initial plan was to build 5,000 units, but only 4,118 ever saw the light of day.

7 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

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If there ever was a Mustang that manages to exceed the Shelby GT500's design, the Boss 429 is it. Pretty much everyone will agree its styling is more aggressive! Price-wise, they're not as expensive as the most sought-after Shelby models though, but that doesn't mean they're cheap — examples in good condition can sell for as much as half a million dollars.

Via Wikipedia

The 69 Ford Mustang Boss 429 was designed to compete as a race car and features a 429ci engine that churns out 375 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.

6 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

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Before Nicolas Cage wrecked a Shelby GT500, H.B. "Toby" Halicki wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the original 1974 Gone In 60 Seconds movie, and the Mach 1 was his car of choice. The Mustang Mach 1 also featured in Fast & Furious 9. Under the hood we find a 429ci V8 engine that's coupled to a four-speed manual transmission.

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While not actually capable of mach 1 speed, this classic does scramble from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 114 mph. Not too bad for such an oldie.

RELATED: Here's Everything You Forgot About The Legendary 1967 Shelby GT500

5 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

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Only about 300 units of the Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R were ever produced, but it's the 2000 model that is particularly exceptional. The car features a more aerodynamic design plus wider fenders, Brembo brakes, and some seriously sporty looks.

Via Motorauthority

This Mustang stands is the perfect middle ground between what muscle cars used to be and how modern muscle cars are today. The Cobra R packed a serious punch. Its naturally aspirated 5.4L V8 engine produces about 385 horsepower and propels the car from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 170 mph. The quarter-mile was dealt with in about 13.2 seconds.

4 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca

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This car brought about the return of the Boss nameplate. The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca is an upgrade of the Boss 302. It features a more powerful V8 engine, and it has a lot of improved performance. Ford basically turned it into a track weapon, as most gearheads would guess when hearing its name.

Via Autoblog

Some of the upgrades to the Boss 302 Laguna Seca include the addition of Recaro seats, a limited-slip differential, and a larger rear wing. Some other upgrades include stiffer suspension and the removal of the rear seats to make it lighter. The car was, of course, fitted with performance tires and brakes.

3 2016 Shelby GT350

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The Shelby GT350's highlight is that it does an excellent job of combining a few traditional things from old 'Stangs while also boasting new technology. It feels like the soul of a 60-year-old trapped in a youthful body, with drivers reaping the best of both worlds.

RELATED: Here’s What A 2008 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR Costs Today

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The engine is a 5.2L DOHC 32-valve V8 engine, and it is coupled to a six-speed manual transmission. The engine churns out 562 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. The Mustang does a 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.1 seconds and completes a quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 117 mph. The handling is excellent.

2 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500

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The Shelby GT500 is the latest model to emerge from Shelby. Ford/Shelby excluded the live rear axle in this year's version of the Mustang GT500. The result is seen in the agility and solidity of this car.

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Only about 5000 units will ever be produced. The powerhouse is a 5.2L supercharged V8 engine that produces 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. The vehicle sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and can reach up to a top speed of 180 mph.

1 Ford Mustang Mach 1

mustang mach 1

The Shelby GT350 is now retired, and has been replaced by 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Mach 1 is somewhere in between the Shelby model and the GT model, featuring lots of GT350 and GT350R parts, along with items from other Mustangs.

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via ford

Under the hood, the Mach 1 has a revised 5.0-liter cross-plane-crank V-8 fitted with the Voodoo's intake manifold to help extract 20 more hp for a total of 480 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Strangely, even with super sticky Michelin Cup 2 tires, the Mach 1 isn't really any faster from 0 to 60 mph than the regular GT, with a time of 4.2 seconds.