Until January 2019, the Foxbody Mustangs rarely made front line news in the car world and were basically out of mainstream enthusiasts' focus. But then, the world of collector's cars was shocked when mint 1993 Cobra R was sold for an astonishing $132,000. On the same auction, a practically brand new, 16-mile 1990 Mustang GT Convertible sold for an insane $82,000, and recently, somebody paid a cool $37,000 for a very nice, but ordinary, 1992 LX 5.0 Notchback.

For most car guys, the Foxbody was the cheapest V8 powered Mustang you could get, and nobody expected that this '80s icon was worth more than a couple of thousand dollars. However, practically overnight, the 1979 to 1993 Mustangs have become hot items in the muscle car world. More and more people are willing to pay significant amounts of money to get perfect and unmolested examples of this forgotten Detroit's stallion.

Although we don't think that Foxbody Mustang will ever be as valuable as the original 1964 to 1973 generation of the Ford Mustang, we believe that the values will go even higher. Here is why:

10 Unique Look

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The 1979 to 1993 Ford Mustang, colloquially known as the Foxbody, was an enormous step for Ford. Not only was it a thoroughly modern car by late '70s standards, but it was also the first aerodynamically efficient, European-styled, and sleek Mustang.

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It didn't have any retro cues, and with a sloped front end and hatchback design, it looked very different than the generic Mustang we all know (and love). This made it a quite unique car in the Mustang's long history and one of the most recognizable '80s coupes.

9 Light, Nimble, And Fast

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Although the performance of the stock Foxbody Mustangs is silly compared to today's 480 hp Mustang GT, back in the late '80s, this was a performance benchmark. With 225 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque coming from its 5.0-liter V8 engine and 6.5 seconds to 60 mph, the Foxbody 5.0 was fast. Even today, it can provide you with driving excitement.

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Also, with just over 3000 pounds of weight, precise steering, and a quadra-shock rear suspension set up, it had composed handling. The only downside was the brakes, and although the Foxbody came with a front disc, most models had rear drums, which were inadequate.

8 Perfectly Suitable For Everyday Use

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In comparison to some other bona fide classic Mustangs, the Foxbody is quire capable of being a daily driver. Most examples have a working A/C, comfortable seats, performance that can handle the modern traffic conditions, substantial trunk space, and usable rear seats.

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If you get a well-optioned later model, you will probably have power windows, power mirrors, driver's side airbags, audio system, and cruise control. The manual-equipped Foxbody Mustangs can return decent highway mileage, so there is no reason why this '80s renegade shouldn't be used frequently.

related: Ranking The 10 Best Saleen Mustangs

7 Generation X '80s Nostalgia

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One of the main reasons for the rise in the prices of certain models is nostalgia. Guys that lusted over some car back in the high school are now successful businessmen, lawyers, and doctors and desperate to recreate that teenage excitement. For the generation that grew up in the late '80s, the Foxbody is that car.

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Remember the audio cassettes, high top Jordans, MTV videos, stone-washed jeans, and Vanilla Ice rapping "Rolling in My 5.0"? Well, all those things are coming back, and Foxbody Mustangs is the automotive personification of the period.

6 Foxbody Saved the Mustang

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Besides being an integral part of the Mustang legend, not many people know that the Foxbody saved the Mustang as a breed. In the late '80s, Ford wanted to kill the V8-powered and rear-wheel-drive model and replace it with a front-wheel-drive coupe based on Mazda 626.

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When the news spread, Mustang fans worldwide reacted and wrote letters demanding that the Ford keep the Mustang as a muscle car. With a bump in power for the 1987 model year, more features and redesign, Mustang sales were up, and it continued to be the best selling muscle car of the period.

5 Availability

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Over the course of 14 years (1979 – 1993), Ford sold around 2.6 million Foxbody Mustangs, which is an enormous number. This means that you shouldn't have a problem finding a car for you, right? Well, yes and no. The majority of those 2.6 million cars were earlier models with four and six-cylinder models. The later (1987 to 93) models with V8 are rarer and in demand since they are more powerful.

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Let's not forget that we are talking about 30-odd-year-old vehicles that were prone to rust and were the favorite basis for street racing hot rods, and you will realize why the well-kept, rust-free, and original cars command high prices. Simply put, mint examples are rare and valuable.

related: Dodge Demon Takes On Turbocharged Foxbody Mustang For Drag Race Supremacy

4 Aftermarket Support

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The aftermarket support for Foxbody Mustangs is legendary, and this is probably the only car in the world for which you can buy literarily everything. Whether you want NOS stuff, OEM parts, brand name performance components, or custom kits… everything is available and shipped overnight.

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Compared to some other models, prices are very affordable, which is good to know. That is why you see so many modified Foxbody Mustangs. And owners who can resist the temptation are very rare.

3 Investment Factor

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If you bought a nice Foxbody 5.0 in 2017 for $5000, that same car would now be worth $15,000. Low mileage, manual-equipped Notchbacks command hefty premiums, and well-kept 1993 Cobras are going for over $35k at the moment.

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The market favors entirely original and stock examples. If you are looking to cash in on the Foxbody craze, the V8-powered cars are the only way to go. Nobody is interested in rusted, 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 90 hp and sluggish automatic gearbox.

2 Easy To Modify

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With a wealth of available parts, affordable prices, and straight-forward mechanics, Foxbody Mustangs are very easy to modify and improve in every way. With basic mechanical knowledge, standard tools, and few YouTube tutorials, you can upgrade their performance, handling, and braking… all in your driveway.

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However, that is just the beginning, and with more advanced components, twin-turbo setups, and so on, you can make Ferrari owners really nervous.

1 Street Racing Credentials

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Despite being common décor of MTV videos and high school parking lots, the Foxbody Mustang is one of the biggest street racing icons and cars that dominated drag strips in the last few decades.

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The combination of low weight, immense aftermarket support, and dependable mechanics allowed ambitious drag racers to extract incredible power from that old-school 5.0. If you are looking to start drag racing, this is the perfect platform to do it.

next: Watch Foxbody Mustang Pull Massive Wheelie In Father Vs. Son Drag Race