The Generation Game: Ford Mustang

[Liquid]

The Generation Game: Ford Mustang

From the Golden Age of the Cool Wall comes a GTP Classic.

All Cobras.
All Bosses.
All SVOs.
All SVTs.

One poll. One.

1964-1966 Ford Mustang (MY 64)

Bodystyles: 2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 2-door fastback
Engines: 2.8 - 3.3L I6; 4.3 - 4.7L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,270kg / 2,794kg

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1967-1968 Ford Mustang (MY 67)

Bodystyles: 2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 2-door fastback
Engines: 3.3L I6; 4.7 - 7.0L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,470kg / 3,234kg

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1969-1970 Ford Mustang (MY 69)

Bodystyles: 2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 2-door fastback
Engines: 3.3 - 4.1L I6; 4.9 - 7.0L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,520kg / 3,334kg

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1971-1973 Ford Mustang (MY 71)

Bodystyles: 2-door hardtop, 2-door convertible, 2-door fastback
Engines: 4.1L I6; 4.9 - 7.0L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,650kg / 3,630kg

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1974-1978 Ford Mustang (Mustang II)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 3-door hatchback
Engines: 2.3L I4; 2.8L I6; 4.9L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,300kg / 2,860kg

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1979-1993 Ford Mustang (Foxbody)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible, 3-door hatchback
Engines: 2.3L I4; 2.3L turbocharged I4; 3.3L I6; 2.8 - 3.8L V6; 4.2 - 4.9L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,275kg / 2,805kg

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1994-2004 Ford Mustang (SN95)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible
Engines: 3.8 - 3.9L V6; 4.6 - 5.4L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,475kg / 3,245kg

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2005-2014 Ford Mustang (S197)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible
Engines: 3.7 - 4.0L V6; 4.6 - 5.0L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,650kg / 3,630kg

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2015-2023 Ford Mustang (S550)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible
Engines: 2.3L turbocharged I4; 3.7L V6; 5.0 - 5.2L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,800kg / 3,960kg

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2024-present Ford Mustang (S650)

Bodystyles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible
Engines: 2.3L I4; 5.0 - 5.2L V8
Drivetrain: FR
Weight: ~1,700kg / 3,740kg

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I consulted for this thread and the first generation has been split into the appropriate model years. The rest have their differences but take them for their entire generations as they are, facelifts and all.

If the specs are wrong, I won't reply to @s. Just tell us about the cars.

Previous Results & Nominations Thread

 

[05XR8]

As much as I would love to pick a 1971 for reasons, it would be really be a '69 V8 fastback, Foxbody LX 5.0 or SVO w/headlight covers.

I chose Foxbody because, it may not look like a classic Mustang, but it has all the pedigree of its lineage.

 

[NotThePrez]

There's a lot of goodness all across the Mustangs lifespan, but I'd personally go with the S550. Imo that gen (and the post-2011 S197) laid the major ground work towards the Mustang being (re-)established as modern global fighter that can genuinely compete with some of the best performance cars from Europe and Japan.

Now, if I had endless funds, I would turn every stone I could to get my hands on a Boss 302 or 429, no questions asked.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

The CX727.

 

[Joey D]

1969-70 Mustang is easily the coolest. I also like the Foxbody and the SN95. The absolute worst of them is the S197, it looks awful and has not aged very well. It was the hideous retro styling that plagued the 00's.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Foxbody was peak Mustang. I’ll live and die with that vote believe me.

 

[wfooshee]

The Foxbody was such a revelation after the Pinto - I mean Mustang II. I also can't see it without thinking of the TV show, Spencer for Hire.

It was the first Mustang that had muscle after the II, as well. Too bad for those folks that got the metric TRX wheels. The TRX wheel/tire system was pretty effective, but you HAD to get TRX tires or replace the wheels.

 

[FPV MIC]

Easily the 69-70 for me, but not too far back is the S550 series (the one model that I'm thinking of selling my FPV GT-P to buy).


From another thread... and yes, that model still sits in front of me on my desk.

I was always a bit car crazy but the one that tipped me over the edge was this one.

View attachment 1169609


Fifty years later and it's sitting in front of me on my desk... and it still looks like it's going fast while standing still

View attachment 1169610

 

[TumeK5]

The CX727.

Next generation game: Ford Capri

 

[-Fred-]

Last time I checked, Vanilla Ice never made it as cool, so why are people voting for the Fox? Slow ass 200hp pile of junk that could barely make it out of its own way... Granted it was an improvement over Mustang II, but so was walking.

S550 for me. First Mustang that could actually annoy an M3/M4, and we're not even talking about the GT350R. I was going to go New Edge Terminator at first but the SN95 sadly exists, so...

 

[ScottPuss20]

The 69 Mustang is the best. It gets my attention every time. I mean just look at it.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I'm going to go with the S550. It was pretty impressive when it came out, though steering feel seems to be the weak point.

67 would be my close 2nd.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Foxbody was peak Mustang. I’ll live and die with that vote believe me.

Until you own one of them....

I will say the Fox mustangs can look cool and they are definitely back in fashion, but honestly they are utter garbage. There's a reason so few are left, because they are built very poorly with very poor metallurgy on basically every component, hapless body construction, interior pieces break if you look at them wrong, door handles that don't work...etc. The axle is secured laterally not with some well engineered device like a watts link (80s RX-7s had these) or even a panhard bar (contemporary Camaros had these) but with rear links so severely angled that they bind up during suspension compression. It's just a terrible design. The chassis is so weak that most of the cars out there probably have stress fractures in the pillars at this point...mine did. Easily the lowest quality car I've ever owned.

If I were to pick one, it would be a '70 Boss 302 followed closely by a '68 Fastback with a 390.