2015

6th Gen Mustang

To help celebrate the upcoming landmark year Ford has announced a complete redesign and is introducing its turbo-4 engine to the American market. Then new model is 1.5 inches wider and 1.4 inches lower. The fastback roof design, shark-nosed trapezoidal grille, and lower, wider body are examples of fresh styling intended to spark desire in anyone who sees the 2015 Ford Mustang. The passenger volume has also been increased to 84.5 cubic feet.

Three engines are available a 2.3 Liter 300+ HorsePower EcoBoost four-cylinder, 3.7 Liter 305 HorsePower V6, or 5.0 Liter 440+ HorsePower Coyote V8, with either a Getrag six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The 2015 Mustang will also feature a new specifically developed independent rear suspension (IRS) system. The total weight of the vehicle has been reduced by approximately 200 lbs due to the use of aluminum for the hood and front fenders.

The cabin has been redesigned with a mind towards appealing to a modern and discerning driver. Ford took inspiration from fighter plane cockpits and sought to strike a balance between analog dials and digital feedback via a dual-cowl dashboard design, aluminum trim panels, round gauges, and a thick-rimmed, 3-spoke, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.

2005 - 2014

5th Gen Mustang

The fifth generation of Mustang can be subdivided into two sub generation from 2005-2009 and 2010-2014. The 2005 model year featured a complete redesign ending the 25 year dominance of the Ford Fairlaine Fox-body platform that had begun in the 3rd generation.

We are counting 2005-2014 as one generation as the core Mustang remained mostly the same beast and the 2010 model year simply brought more modern styling, a higher-quality cabin, improved handling, standard stability control and new features such as Sync, an available glass roof and a rearview camera, however it did not differ extensively from the rest of the 5th generation for most other consumer buying concerns.

Several new features have been added such as Intelligent Access with push-button start feature that allows the doors and trunk to be unlocked without reaching for a key, and the engine is started with a push-button on the center stack. Up to three different key fobs can be programmed with memory positions for mirrors and available power seats so that if the vehicle is shared among multiple drivers of different height/weight dimensions no one has to get annoyed by manually re-adjusting their seats and mirrors.

Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert is a system drivers appreciate as it alerts the driver when changing lanes or exiting a parking space if there is a possibility for collision. It has been upgraded with Doppler Effect radar sensors to provide both improved sensitivity at longer distances and better resistance to false alerts.

The instrument cluster display now shows the tire pressure for every wheel so owners don't have to waste time trying to guess which wheel needs to be pumped up when the tire alert is triggered. The Mustang features adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support. The car is designed to automatically adjust vehicle speed to maintain a safe following distance. When the system detects a collision may be imminent, it pre-charges the brakes and increases the sensitivity of brake assist so ensure that the driver is kept in maximum control of the vehicle.

1994 - 2004

4th Gen Mustang

The fourth generation Mustang built upon the successes of the past borrowing design elements from many of the most popular Mustang models of the previous 30 years. The galloping horse icon positioned in the grille, the side scallop reappeared and the taillights were split into three segments although horizontally instead of the original vertical cut. Later, popular demand switched this back to a vertical separation as of 1996.

The cockpit featured a twin-pod dashboard. Only two body styles were offered, a two-door coupe with a semi-fastback roof and a convertible which was the first Mustang convertible since the '73 that was actually conceived as a convertible and not a conversion. In 1994, for the first time, the Mustang was chosen to pace the Indianapolis 500, which it did in style with a new specially designed Cobra model.

Collectors should note that all 1999 Mustangs received a special 35th anniversary badges on their front fenders and to celebrate the Mustang's 40th birthday, Ford kept with tradition and also stuck a 40th anniversary badge on each 2004 Mustang.

1979 - 1993

3rd Gen Mustang

Ford dropped the II at the end and did not adopt a III to mark the beginning of the third generation in 1979. Removing the second generation's Pinto parts, the 1979 Mustang was instead built atop the shortened chassis of the Ford Fairmont "Fox" body that had been introduced for the 1978 model year. The new front suspension used a modified MacPherson strut system which mounted a spring separate from the strut itself, and had a new link and coil spring rear suspension which held up the rear of the car. This suspension system would become a staple and remain in use on Mustangs until at least the 2003 model year.

Sold as either a coupe or fastback hatchback, this Mustangs rode on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and measured 179.1 inches long. The '79 Mustang was significantly roomier inside than any previous Mustang thanks to a more upright-oriented cockpit and flatter doors which provided more shoulder and hip room.

By the end of the third generation 15 years in production, Ford managed to sell 114,228 Fox-based Mustangs during the '93 model year.

1974 - 1978

2nd Gen Mustang

Popularly known as the Mustang II Ford switched from the earlier oversized body models which shared components with the Ford Falcon to a body structure borrowed from the sub-compact Pinto. It is good to note that the Pinto was smaller than the Falcon, but in most particulars similar. Both used unibody design, where the front suspension used a double wishbone design, and rear suspension bolted the solid rear axle to a pair of leaf springs. The main advance is that the Pinto base had a rack-and-pinion steering gear rather than the Falcon's recirculating ball, and front disc brakes were standard.

Minor design changes including spoilers and racing stripe adaptations defined the various model years for the Mustang II and its Shelby modified Cobra II twin most fondly remembered as Farrah Fawcett-Majors' car on Charlie's Angels.

1964 - 1973

1st Gen Mustang

Some Mustang Historians actually divide the first generation into four separate generations due to the number of body changes which occurred during this time period. The original Mustangs didn't actually appear until halfway through the 1964 Model year, so although 2014 is 50 years from 1964, 2015 is considered the real 50th Anniversary because there is no 2014.5 model year to celebrate the 1964.5 real debut.

For Mustang buffs interested in the alternate timeline view first generation is sometimes recorded as 1964.5-1966. With a total of 559,451 Mustangs sold for the '65 model year and 607,568 sold in '66, this is a number which is still recognized as the most Mustangs ever sold during a single model year.

The alternate second generation is recorded as '67-68, with the third generation considered 69-70 and fourth 71-73. For our purposes though, going into the extreme minutiae of the differences between the very early sub generations would be wasted effort as buyers looking for a used Mustang today are unlikely to locate anything earlier than the 3rd generation mentioned above in this article outside of a collector's garage on display or at a classic car show.