The most American American car – The Ford Mustang #3

Third Generation (1979-1993)

As the oil crisis was over consumers longed for the experience that the 1st gen Mustang provided them. High performance, good handling, and a relative good fuel efficiency. Using the new „fox platform” the 3rd gen (Fox-body) Mustang became shorter, about 50 kgs lighter then its predecessor. It debuted with a 2,3 L inline 4 engine making 90 horsepowers, however since 1982 it was also available with the 5 L V8 that was capable of making 157 horsepowers. This period of engine upgrades truly increased the Fox-Body’s power and performance.

Just as the power, its driving experience also went under many upgrades and improvements. This generation of Mustangs was praised for its suspension, handling and also braking power. In 1987 Ford introduced revised shock absorbers, and fresh front suspension geometry. Larger rotors, improved calipers helped in stopping the vehicle, boosted handling. With a wider stance, the Fox-body’s stability and cornering performance was much more superior compared to previous generations.

The Fox Body Mustang was incredibly loved, initially by a broad range of customers for its affordability and performance selling over 2.6 million units.Recently it’s a searched version by enthusiasts and collectors for its iconic status.

Fourth Generation (1994-2004)

The 1994 Mustang SN–95 brought sweeping changes between the generations of Mustangs, that felt like the winning combination of melding classic Mustang styling with contemporary build quality. Under its hood, the iconic 5.0‑liter V8 returned alongside a refined chassis, new suspension geometry, four‑wheel disc brakes, and improved NVH control that meant not only less noice in the cockpit but also refined and smoother drivers experience. Despite packing approximately 200 extra pounds over its predecessor, the stiffer frame and upgraded control arms gave it a genuinely fun handling, even surprising purists with its on‑track composure. The GT badge delivered a smooth 215 hp performance, while for those looking for more might the Cobra heated things up with a 240 hp track‑ready setup and better braking grip.

In 1999 a facelift version was introduced called the „New Edge” which offered mostly a newer look the engine options remaind similar. However since 2001 the SVT (Special Vehicle Team, Ford’s inside team responsible for the high performance models till 2014) Cobra received a 32-valve DOHC V8 producing an earth-shaking 320 hp and 429 NM.

All told, MotorTrend crowned it Car of the Year in 1994 thanks to its smart blend of nostalgia, modern drivability, and pony‑car promise.

Fourth Generation (2005-2014)

After 4 years of speculation and fine-tuning the 5th gen Mustang (also called S197) was introduced in 2005 and the world was shocked again. This newer version showcased a host of classic attributes, that mostly were directly inspired by 1st gen however even more impressive was the fact that this release signaled a return to muscle car-esque level performance. The production started at Ford’s new Flat Rock Assembly Plant, which was finished in September 2005. This Mustang served as a working testament to the continued success of Ford’s modular engine platform offering multiple powerplants including the 4.0 L V6 and a 4.6 L V8. Later the company’s vice president announced the arrival of new “Shelby-Ford” models, representing co-production with Carrol Shelby again. In 2005, they unveiled the 2007 Shelby GT500 Mustang at the New York Auto Show that offered a supercharged 5.4 L V8 which probably was the desirable version for the petrolheads and customers. (Written by: Áron Kecskeméti)