1980 Ford Mustang
Third generation · Fox-body 1979–1993
The long-running Fox-body, built on Ford’s Fox platform from 1979 to 1993.
Photo: “1980 Ford Mustang Ghia Hatchback (14386562021)” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1980 model year
Overview
A lean year for power. The 302 V8 was dropped in favor of a smaller, downsized 255 (4.2 L) V8 — essentially a de-bored 302 and the weakest V8 a Mustang ever offered — as Ford chased fuel economy. The turbo four soldiered on, and a Cobra package topped the lineup. (Horsepower figures are SAE net.)
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 2.3 I4 88 hp
- 2.3 Turbo I4 (carbureted) 131 hp
- 255 (4.2) V8 (2-bbl) 119 hp
- Transmissions
- 4-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
- Body styles
- Coupe (notchback), Hatchback (3-door)
- Base price
- $5,338 (base coupe) ≈$20,300 today (inflation-adjusted) Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.
- Production
- 271,322
Year over year
What changed
- The 302 V8 was replaced by the smaller 255 (4.2) V8 — the lowest-output V8 in Mustang history.
- The 2.3 Turbo continued for one more year in its carbureted form.
- The Cobra package was offered with the turbo four or the 4.2 V8 (5,550 built).
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- The 255 V8 is gutless but otherwise a conventional small-block Windsor.
- The carbureted 2.3 Turbo remained fragile in this, its final year before the 1981 hiatus.
- Inspect for Fox-body rust (floors, torque boxes, strut towers).
Worth knowing
Notable
- The 1980 Cobra (turbo or 4.2 V8) with hood graphics is the period performance trim.
- A low point for Mustang V8 output, reflecting the malaise era.
Sources
Other Third generation years
Explore the Fox-body generation → All Third generation · Fox-body years →