1990 Ford Mustang
Third generation · Fox-body 1979–1993
The long-running Fox-body, built on Ford’s Fox platform from 1979 to 1993.
The 1990 model year
Overview
A safety and interior refresh: a driver's airbag became standard (in a new steering wheel), the dash gained a revised knee bolster, and a leather interior option arrived. Mechanically the 225-hp 5.0 carried over. The standout is the Emerald Green '7-Up' LX 5.0 convertible — 4,103 cars originally built for a canceled NCAA promotion, then released to dealers. (Horsepower figures are SAE net.)
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 2.3 I4 (fuel-injected) 90 hp
- 302 "5.0 HO" V8 (mass-air) 225 hp
- Transmissions
- 5-speed manual (T-5), AOD 4-speed automatic
- Body styles
- Coupe (notchback, LX), Hatchback (3-door), Convertible
- Base price
- $9,753 (LX coupe) ≈$23,400 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
- 115,230
Year over year
What changed
- A standard driver's-side airbag (new steering wheel) and a revised knee bolster.
- A leather interior option was introduced.
- Map pockets deleted from the door panels.
- The 25th-anniversary dash emblem continued through the end of this model year.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Mechanically unchanged from 1989 — the proven 225-hp mass-air 5.0.
- Convertible-specific: inspect top mechanism, structure, and rust.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The Deep Emerald Green '7-Up' LX 5.0 convertible — 4,103 built (2,743 AOD automatic, 1,360 T-5 manual), every car the same metallic green with a white power top and white (Oxford White) leather interior, white 16-inch 10-hole 'Pony' wheels, and a color-keyed rear spoiler. Originally built for a canceled 7-Up / NCAA Final Four giveaway, then sold through dealers; a recognized collector edition (and frequently confused with the later 1993 white/yellow Feature convertibles — they are different cars).
Sources
- Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (third generation)"
- FoxStang — 5.0 Fox-body engine specs
- LMR (Late Model Restoration)
- MustangSpecs — per-year base MSRP
Other Third generation years
Explore the Fox-body generation → All Third generation · Fox-body years →