Fox-body Mustang (third generation)
1979–1993
The long-running Fox-body, built on Ford's lighter Fox platform from 1979 to 1993 — the longest single Mustang generation. It opened with crisp, angular styling and a thrifty lineup (a 2.3-liter four, a turbo four, a V6, and a 302 V8) before the GT and the "5.0" High Output V8 revived performance in 1982. The convertible returned for 1983 after a nine-year absence, the SVO brought a sophisticated intercooled turbo four (1984–1986), and a 1987 "aero" facelift gave the car its definitive late-Fox look with the 225-hp 5.0. The generation closed in 1993 with the first SVT Cobra and the race-ready Cobra R, and the Fox-body remains a cornerstone of the V8 tuning scene.
Photo: “Ford Mustang Fastback 83-PN-HS” by AlfvanBeem / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1979–1993
Overview
The long-running Fox-body, built on Ford's lighter Fox platform from 1979 to 1993 — the longest single Mustang generation. It opened with crisp, angular styling and a thrifty lineup (a 2.3-liter four, a turbo four, a V6, and a 302 V8) before the GT and the "5.0" High Output V8 revived performance in 1982. The convertible returned for 1983 after a nine-year absence, the SVO brought a sophisticated intercooled turbo four (1984–1986), and a 1987 "aero" facelift gave the car its definitive late-Fox look with the 225-hp 5.0. The generation closed in 1993 with the first SVT Cobra and the race-ready Cobra R, and the Fox-body remains a cornerstone of the V8 tuning scene.
Milestones
Highlights
- Built on the Fox platform 1979–1993 — the longest-running Mustang generation.
- Performance rebound: the GT returned and the "5.0" High Output V8 arrived for 1982; the 5.0 reached its definitive 225 hp with the 1987 aero facelift.
- The convertible returned for 1983 after disappearing in 1974.
- The SVO (1984–1986) offered an intercooled, fuel-injected turbo four and four-wheel disc brakes.
- Sent off in 1993 by the first SVT Cobra (235 hp) and the 107-built SVT Cobra R; the last Fox-body was built August 26, 1993.
Model years in this generation
Browse scale models for this generation. Check each listing for its actual year, trim and scale.