If you want to start a gearhead war, go to a muscle car forum and type that the Mustang is better than the Camaro. Over 5 decades of history and battles between these two major nameplates will be rained down on you like hellfire. But starting a war is not the reason why we’re writing this piece.
The duel between the Mustang and the Camaro needs five million pages of paper and enough ink to fill a bathtub just to explain. But the top ten Ford Mustang models of all time just need one blog post. And that is what this piece is for.
From the 1964 ½ Convertible to the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1, a lot of wild Ford Mustang models have been launched by the automaker that once ruled Detroit. These 10 model years in particular have blown the minds of many.
10 1964 1/2 Convertible
This is how the Mustang was introduced to the world in 1964. When it was launched, it was shorter than the Ford Galaxie, rode on the Ford Falcon’s platform, and had its transmission borrowed from the Ford Fairlane.
Yes, an example still exists today and it is one of the earliest known Mustangs in the world. Also, it has fancy looks that sell it well as a convertible. Under the hood, the 1964 ½ Convertible packed a 260ci V8 engine mated to an automatic transmission. The model also came equipped with power steering.
9 1971
1971 saw the launch of the iconic Ford Mustang Mach 1. This car gained notoriety in the Hollywood circles after H.B “Toby” Halicki drove it in the 1974 thriller, “Gone in 60 seconds”. The Mach 1 would later make a comeback in the petrolhead favorite Fast and Furious 9.
Under the hood, the Mach 1 packed a 429ci V8 engine that was mated to a four-speed manual transmission. That mad power unit could scramble the Mach 1 from 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 114mph.
8 1969
To many petrolheads, the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 is the only Mustang to have ever exceeded the design flare of the Ford Shelby GT500. This marque looks very aggressive. However, they are not quite as expensive as the most sought-after Shelby models. But that doesn’t mean that they’re cheap. A 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 in good condition can pick up as much as half a million dollars.
This marque was designed to be a race car and compete as one. Under the hood sits a 429ci V8 that delivers 375hp and 450lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.
7 1985
The 1985 Ford Mustang received a nose job that changed its horizontally-slated front fascia from the previous year into an open-mouth grille. The V8 under the hood was bumped from 175hp to 210 horses. Finally, Ford discontinued the low-end L-Trim. The SVO then became the only forced-induction Mustang in the market after the Turbo GT was canceled.
Halfway through the year, the SVO was taken back to the factory for a major performance boost. On premium fuel, the 2.3L four-cylinder power unit could deliver 200hp. Ford also fitted flush composite headlamps that replaced the sealed beam headlights the car was launched with.
6 1986
The 1986 Ford Mustang represented the best mix of performance and products of the decade, for the Mustang. This was the final model year for the SVO. It carried over its mid-year improvements which included a more powerful turbo-four engine.
For the Mustang GT, the V8 was switched from a four-barrel carburetor to an electronic fuel injection. Yes, the power output dropped slightly. However, the 200 horses it could produce were still plenty enough. For all the ’86 Mustangs, there were also subtle differences in the exterior details that made each look unique.
5 1998
The 1998 Ford Mustang did not receive a ton of updates. That’s because Ford was still basking in the glory of the Mustang becoming the best-selling muscle car in America. The base Mustang was fitted with a 3.8L OHV V6 engine that could produce 150hp. The GT variant was blessed with the 4.6L V8 engine that produced 225hp and 290lb-ft of torque. Finally, the Cobra was given Ford’s modular 4.6L DOHC V8 that could produce 305hp and 300lb-ft of torque.
Apart from the slightly improved power unit, the ’98 Mustangs also got air conditioning, improved sound, and power window and door locks.
4 2000
The 2000 SVT Cobra R will forever remain in the heart of petrolheads. Released in 2000, this wild machine was labeled the fastest factory Mustang ever produced. The SVT in the name should tell the whole story. Everything about this wild machine started and ended under the hood.
Tucked under the bodywork was a naturally aspirated 5.4L V8 that was sourced from Ford’s high-performance division. It could develop up to 385hp of grunt which could launch the SVT from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds. The marque would go on to break the quarter-mile in 13.2 seconds.
3 2017
The 2017 Shelby GT350 was a masterpiece. To date, many refer to it as one of the best Ford Mustangs ever produced. That is not just because the 2017 Shelby GT350 was a wild combination of feel, design, technology, and performance. Rather, the true value of this car lies in the fact that it broke the limit that had been imposed on muscle cars and shook the fabric of fully-fledged sports cars.
For the first time in history, a Ford Shelby could lap a track faster than a Porsche 911 and a Ferrari 458 Italia. It could even butcher the BMW M3 in a drag race.
2 2020
Ford Mustang’s piece de resistance for 2020 was the wild, ground-breaking Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. It is one of the latest and wildest models to emerge from Shelby. For 2020, Ford excluded the live rear axle. The result is a car that is more agile and solid.
Only 5,000 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500s will make it out of the factory. Each of these rides will pack a 5.2L supercharged V8 that develops 760hp and 625lb-ft of torque. That allows this wild machine to sprint from 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds before maxing the speedo at 180mph.
1 2021
Ford’s latest and greatest creation is the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1. This is the nameplate that has been reintroduced to replace the 2020 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. The Mach 1 sits in between the Shelby and the GT model. It packs a lot of components from the GT350 and GT350R along with other parts sourced from other Mustangs.
Under the hood, a revised 5.0L cross-plane crank V8 powers the Mach 1. That Voodoo motor comes with a massive intake manifold that adds 20 more horses on the tap. The final figure at the crank stands at a ridiculous 480hp and 420lb-ft of torque.