The Ford Mustang is a car that needs little introduction. Few cars have captured the zeitgeist quite as well as the original, which was launched all the way back in 1964. It became such an instant hit that one Manhattan diner was rumoured to have hung a sign in its window that read “Our hot cakes are selling like Mustangs!” It was powerful, it was handsome, and it was affordable.
It’s never been out of production since, with successive updates keeping the Mustang fresh, and it’s stayed true to that original recipe, although some generations have done so with greater success than others. It's been a worthy rival for other top muscle cars, like the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger.
But it wasn't until 2015 that the Mustang was officially imported into the UK, in sixth-generation form.
However, many earlier models have been privately imported by enthusiasts, with the result that you can buy any age of Mustang you want in the UK, from classic 1960s models right through the boxier “Fox body” cars of the 1980s and the retro-styled fifth-generation introduced in 2005.
While it’s never been able to match its European or Japanese rivals in terms of dynamic prowess, that hasn’t mattered to Mustang buyers. At heart, this is a muscle car, after all; easy, affordable power is what the Mustang’s all about. That, and looking good.
Ford Mustang Generations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ford Mustang Pros and Cons
- Ford Mustang mk7 (S650) (2024-present)
- Ford Mustang mk6 (S550) (2015-2024)
- Ford Mustang mk5 (S197) (2005-2014)
- Ford Mustang mk4 (SN95) (1994-2005)
- Ford Mustang mk3 (“Fox Body”) (1979-1993)
- Ford Mustang mk2 (“Mustang II”) (1974-1978)
- Ford Mustang mk1 (1964-1973)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ford Mustang years are the best?
With most cars, you usually find that each generation is an improvement on the last, and so by that logic, the most modern version is therefore automatically the best. However, the Ford Mustang isn't most cars. And while the latest Mk7 is undoubtedly the most technologically advanced Mustang there is, this version simply won't do it for many dyed-in-the-wool Mustang fanatics, those who prefer analogue sensation and the smell of petrol fumes to touchscreen infotainment and low CO2 emissions. If you love Mustangs enough to remotely justify buying one, the chances are that you already know which version butters your crumpets the most. You don't need our help choosing. Just make sure the example you buy has been looked after.
Which Ford Mustang years are the worst?
The Mk2 Mustang, sold between 1974 and 1979, is arguably the least loved by enthusiasts, but that's not to say that it doesn't have its place as a super-cool classic. Any that have made it to these shores, and survived this long, are likely to have been meticulously cared for, but there are no guarantees, so insist on lots of paperwork if you plan to buy one.
Is a used Ford Mustang a good deal?
It can be. It likely won't be a cheap undertaking, with the newest ones still very new, the oldest ones having nailed-on classic-car status, and those in between having a rarity that makes them desirable, and relatively expensive as a result. Running costs will likely be fairly bonkers, too. However, pick a good one that suits you taste, and make sure it's been looked after, and it'll be a joyful thing to behold.
Ford Mustang Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Effortlessly cool, with true icon status
- Most have huge power and an intoxicating noise
- Every outing is an event
Cons:
- Not always brilliant to drive
- Can be pricey to buy, always pricey to run
- Interior quality can be a little below-par
Ford Mustang mk7 (S650) (2024-present)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door coupe
- Two-door convertible
Notable features:
- A last hurrah for the Mustang as we know it
- GT has a 5.0-litre V8 and costs from £55,585 at launch
- Track-focused Dark Horse variant costs a full £10,000 more
With the switch to total electrification looming, the seventh-generation Ford Mustang will most probably be the last Mustang as we know it. V8 petrol engines, manual and automatic gearboxes: all could soon be consigned to the annals of history.
For its last hurrah, the Mustang continues with retro-inspired looks that are at the same time modern and muscular, with both coupe and convertible variants offered, while the on-board tech has also become more advanced. Inside, you’ll find a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a 13.2-inch central infotainment screen running Ford's Sync 4 software, both sitting together under the same piece of glass (as is the fashion these days).
More important to Mustang fans, though, will be what’s under the hood. There’s no room for a four-cylinder model on the Mustang’s farewell tour, so the standard GT model gets a 5.0-litre petrol V8 chucking out 440bhp. Buyers choose between a six-speed manual gearbox with automatic rev-matching, or a 10-speed automatic. A limited-slip differential and active exhaust are standard, while adaptive suspension is optional. At launch, prices began at a shade over £55,000, although as is the norm, that's now crept up to more than £58,000.
Ford has made lots of noise about the Dark Horse version, though. This is a track-focused Mustang with unique engine tuning (although that only gives you an extra 7bhp), a different six-speed manual gearbox (although you can also have the 10-speed auto), revised chassis tuning, uniquely tuned adaptive suspension, bigger brakes and a host of other performance-enhancing upgrades. That’s quite a lot, but it wants to be when it costs over £10,000 more than the standard car.
We’ve not driven the seventh-generation Mustang yet, either in standard or Dark Horse form, but we’ll update this article as soon as we have.
Ford Mustang mk6 (S550) (2015-2024)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door coupe
- Two-door convertible
Notable features:
- First Mustang to be officially imported into Britain
- Independent rear suspension replaced old-fashioned live axle
- Four-cylinder turbo engine fitted to entry-level model
- Most powerful production Mustang – the Shelby GT500 – produced 760bhp
Where revolution (or rather, revisitation) had been the hallmark of the fifth-generation Mustang, its replacement favoured evolution instead, taking the same retro-inspired looks and updating them to keep them fresh.
Beneath the skin, though, it was all change, as the Mustang finally got a more modern independent rear suspension setup, which vastly improved its handling. The entry-level V6 was gone, too, replaced by the first four-cylinder engine to power a Mustang since 1993; although given the 2.3-litre Ecoboost engine was the same one that featured in the Focus RS hot hatchback, it was a good deal more powerful.
However, as good as the Mustang Ecoboost is, the high-performance 5.0-litre V8 engine is still the powertrain to have; in the Mustang GT models it produced more than 400bhp. Ford released ever-more bonkers upgrades, which topped out with the ballistic supercharged Shelby GT500, which has 760bhp and big Brembo brakes. Other special editions included the Mustang Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT350R.
Old-school fans will prefer the Mustang's six-speed manual transmission, although in 2018, Ford introduced a much more modern 10-speed automatic. Couple that with modern features like a Sync 3 infotainment system, complete with Apple CarPlay, and you've got a retro-inspired Mustang that's full of modern features.
Ford Mustang mk6 review
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Ford Mustang mk5 (S197) (2005-2014)
Bodystyles:
- Two-door coupe
- Two-door convertible
Notable features:
- All-new retro styling harked back to 1964 original
- Upgraded V6 engine for entry-level model
- Retro-inspired special editions added power and equipment
- Updated in 2010 with slimmer headlights and taillights
A new 2005 model brought a huge shift for the Mustang. Until then, its design had evolved with each new iteration; for the fifth-generation model though, Ford went back to the start, aping Mustangs of old with the backward-raked nose, fastback profile and stubby tail.
Who can blame them when the result looked this good? The Mustang, which had started to feel rather staid, suddenly had a new lease of life. It was met with widespread approval, though many felt the old-fashioned suspension setup was unbecoming of a modern sports car.
Buyers didn’t seem to mind, though, and lapped up special edition after special edition, many of which harked back to the Mustang’s heyday, boasting more horsepower, shouty graphics and lurid paint schemes. These special editions included the Boss, the Ford Mustang Bullitt, the Ford Mustang Mach 1 and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
