5 Best Mustang Special Editions
Ford's Mustang wouldn't be what it is today without the many special editions we've seen over the years. These five are the best ever built.
1. Mach 1
The Mach 1 was easily one of the most popular Mustang special editions of all time, and it enjoyed a rather long production life between 1969 and 1978. It was then reborn for yet another run, this time from 2003-2004. Though a variety of engines were available in the Mach 1, the 428 Super Cobra Jet was king of them all. The lowlight of the Mach 1's life came in 1975, when it came with a V6. Regardless of that little glitch, the Mach is still one of the greatest monikers ever attached to a Mustang.
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2. Boss 302/351/429
The Boss name came along as a result of Ford's desire to go racing, in essence. The Boss 302 was designed to meet homologation rules for Trans Am, and the street going cars were basically street going race cars themselves. Upgraded suspension and brakes, along with an underrated 290hp 302 made for one fun ride. The Boss 302 was revived in 2012 as a limited production, track focused car.
Likewise, the Boss 429 was produced as Ford attempted to rival Chrysler's Hemi 426 in NASCAR racing. The street going version is quite rare (and expensive) these days, as few were produced. Vastly underrated, the 429 is said to produce somewhere north of 500 horsepower in stock guise.
The Boss 351, produced in 1971 only, is widely considered to be the fastest of any Mustang in the quarter mile. With the high revving nature of the 302 and the torque of a big block, the 351 was a real beast in it's day.
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3. Cobra/Cobra R
Between 1993 and 2004, if you wanted the fastest Mustang out there, you bought a Cobra. Cobra models had not only more powerful engines than their GT counterparts, but improved handling and braking capabilities. The Terminator Cobra of 2003-2004 is considered to be the best of all of them, with a 390 hp, supercharged 4.6 liter V8. But Ford also produced track focused versions of the Cobra, dubbed the Cobra R, in 1993, 1995, and 2000.
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4. SVO
Turbocharged four cylinder performance cars are everywhere today, but they were also everywhere in the 1980's. The SVO began life in 1984 with a mere 175 horsepower, but midway through 1995 it was over 200 hp, with 248 lb-ft of torque. The lighter weight of the smaller engine improved weight distribution, and handling was further improved with suspension upgrades. The SVO also featured four wheel disc brakes and a limited slip differential.
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5. Shelby GT350/GT500
The name Shelby is synonymous with Mustang performance, and Carroll helped create what might be the ultimate special edition Mustang of all time. The GT350 bowed in 1965, providing a high performance and low frills version of the basically brand new, stock Mustang. It was track focused and raw, with a 306 hp version of the 289 V8. It would live on until 1970, but the name was brought back for 2016.
The GT500 debuted in 1967, with a 428 under the hood. The GT500KR featured the even more powerful 428 Super Cobra Jet. Ford brought back the legendary moniker in 2005, with a supercharged, 500 hp 5.4 liter V8 that was a real world beater at the time. That is, until 2013, when Ford upped the ante with a 5.8 liter, 662 hp replacement.
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