Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is the car that invented the pony car in 1964, and it has never gone out of production since. Seven generations later, you can still buy one with a V8 and a manual. Pick your model year below and we’ll take you straight to the guide for that generation, with specs, recalls and safety ratings.
Ford Mustang at a Glance
Revealed 17 April 1964 New York World’s Fair
First year 400,000+ sold A runaway hit from day one
Generations 7 First-gen to today’s S650
Current car S650 On sale since 2024
Built in Flat Rock Michigan, United States
Sold in 120+ countries Global since the 2015 S550
Ford Mustang Generations
A generation runs from one full redesign to the next, so cars inside it share the same body, chassis and most parts. That’s why the Ford Mustang guides on AutoGathering are split by generation, and each one covers the facelifts, engines, recalls and safety ratings for those years. Start with the one you own or want.
1965–1973
First-generation Mustang
First-gen9 model years
The original pony car. Revealed in April 1964, it sold more than 400,000 in its first year and grew bigger and faster almost every year after.
Read the First-gen guide →
1974–1978
Mustang II
Mustang II5 model years
Smaller and Pinto-based, built for a fuel-conscious decade. Fans love to knock it, but it sold well and was Motor Trend's 1974 Car of the Year.
Read the Mustang II guide →
1979–1993
Fox-body Mustang
Fox body15 model years
Light, boxy and cheap to modify. The 5.0 GT made this the go-to budget V8 for a whole generation of drag racers.
Read the Fox body guide →
1994–2004
SN95 Mustang
SN9511 model years
Rounded 90s styling on an updated Fox platform, then a sharper New Edge look from 1999 to 2004.
Read the SN95 guide →
2005–2014
S197 Mustang
S19710 model years
Retro styling that nodded to the 60s cars, on the first platform built just for the Mustang. It still used a live rear axle.
Read the S197 guide →
2015–2023
S550 Mustang
S5509 model years
Independent rear suspension, a turbo four and right-hand drive, so the Mustang went global. Also home to the GT350 and 760-hp GT500.
Read the S550 guide →
2024–present
S650 Mustang
S6503 model years
The current car, on sale since 2024, with a screen-heavy cabin, the V8 and manual still on offer, and the track-focused Dark Horse.
Read the S650 guide →
Ford Mustang History
The Ford Mustang has been reinvented again and again, sometimes brilliantly and sometimes not. However, the basic recipe never really changed: long hood, short rear deck, rear-wheel drive and a price normal people can reach.
- 1964 Henry Ford II unveils the Mustang at the New York World’s Fair on 17 April, and it’s already in showrooms that same day. Ford sells more than 400,000 in the first year.
- 1974 The smaller, Pinto-based Mustang II arrives just as buyers want thriftier cars. Motor Trend names it Car of the Year.
- 1979 The third generation moves to Ford’s Fox platform, which it shared with the Fairmont. As a result, the car gets lighter and boxier.
- 1994 The SN95 brings the first major redesign in 15 years, with rounded styling on an updated Fox platform.
- 1999 A sharper New Edge restyle keeps the SN95 fresh until 2004.
- 2005 The S197 goes retro with first-gen styling cues, and for the first time the Mustang gets a platform built just for it.
- 2015 The S550 finally swaps the live rear axle for independent rear suspension. It also adds a turbo four and right-hand drive, so the Mustang goes global.
- 2018 A mid-cycle refresh drops the V6, adds a 10-speed automatic and pushes the GT to 460 hp.
- 2020 The Shelby GT500 lands with a 760-hp supercharged V8, making it the most powerful street-legal Ford at the time.
- 2024 The seventh-generation S650 goes on sale, while the V8 and the manual both stay in the lineup.
Which Mustang Generation Is Right for You?
Every generation has fans, so there’s no wrong answer, only a wrong fit. Here’s the short version of who each one suits, especially if you’re shopping used.
| Generation | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| First generation | 1965–1973 | Collectors and weekend cruisers who want the original shape |
| Mustang II | 1974–1978 | Oddball fans and restomod builders on a budget |
| Fox body | 1979–1993 | Cheap V8 fun and drag-strip projects with huge parts support |
| SN95 | 1994–2004 | First-time owners who want a light, simple V8 car |
| S197 | 2005–2014 | Retro looks and an affordable modern V8, with a live rear axle |
| S550 | 2015–2023 | The best all-rounder for the money: modern handling, tech and power |
| S650 | 2024–present | Buyers who want the newest tech, safety gear and a warranty |
Our take: if you want one Mustang that does everything well, look hard at a 2018–2023 S550 GT. It has the independent rear suspension, the 460-hp V8 and the 10-speed automatic, and used prices have come way down.
Mustang Owners Community
Whether you’re restoring a ’66 coupe or tuning an EcoBoost, other owners have probably been there. Soon, AutoGathering will link each Mustang generation to a community space where you can swap repair tips, share builds and plan meetups.
- Buying used
- Maintenance and repairs
- Recalls and fixes
- Classic restoration
- EcoBoost tuning
- Coyote V8 builds
- Track days
- Mustang meets
Ford Mustang FAQ
How many generations of the Ford Mustang are there?
There are seven: the first generation (1965–1973), Mustang II (1974–1978), Fox body (1979–1993), SN95 (1994–2004), S197 (2005–2014), S550 (2015–2023) and the current S650, which went on sale in 2024.
What years are the S550 Mustang?
The S550 covers the 2015 to 2023 model years. In addition, it got a mid-cycle refresh for 2018, so early and late cars differ quite a bit. Our S550 guide breaks that down.
When did the Mustang get independent rear suspension?
Every Mustang got it starting with the 2015 S550. Before that, only a few special models, such as the late-’90s and early-2000s SVT Cobra, had it, while regular cars used a live rear axle.
Is the Ford Mustang still sold with a V6?
No. The 3.7-liter V6 was dropped after the 2017 model year, so the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder became the base engine from 2018.
Where is the Ford Mustang built?
Ford builds the Mustang at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan. Because the 2015 S550 was built there for every market, even right-hand-drive cars for the UK and Australia come from Flat Rock.
Which Mustang generation is the best value used?
For most people it’s the S550. It drives like a modern car, there are plenty for sale, and parts support is huge. However, if you want simple and cheap to fix, an SN95 or Fox body is hard to beat.
Keep Exploring
Go back to the full Ford lineup, or compare the Mustang’s maker with its old pony-car rivals.
Photo credits
- Header image: WMrapids, CC0, cropped and resized.
- 1965 Ford Mustang two-door hardtop, first generation,…: Kroelleboelle, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Ford Mustang II, second generation, photographed in…: Alexandre Prévot from Nancy, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized.
- 1990 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 hatchback in…: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- 2002 Ford Mustang GT coupe in Mineral…: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2007 Ford Mustang GT coupe, S197 generation,…: hugh llewelyn, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2015 Ford Mustang GT fastback, S550 generation,…: Tobias "ToMar" Maier, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Ford Mustang GT, seventh generation, at the…: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.