Pony InteriorOfficially, Ford called it the Interior Decor Group, but Mustang owners quickly labeled the fancy interior with running horses embossed across the seatbacks "the Pony Interior." Introduced on the Mustang's first anniversary along with the GT Equipment Group on April 17, 1965, the Pony Interior remains one of the most coveted options for '65-'66 Mustangs. In fact, many non-Mustangers believe the embossed Ponies were part of every early Mustang's interior.
Steve SaleenWhat Carroll Shelby was to the early Mustangs, Steve Saleen is to late-model Mustangs. In 1985, Saleen was among the first to recognize the potential of the Fox-body 5.0 Mustang, but instead of producing just parts, Saleen created his own car. Beginning in 1984 by adding his Racecraft Suspension, the Saleen Mustang evolved into an all-around performance vehicle with power to match the handling and looks. Available through selected Ford dealers, the Saleen Mustang has been offered in a variety of iterations, from the V-6 Sport, to the supercharged S281, to the S351 with a transplanted, supercharged 351ci engine. Saleens also competed in SCCA Showroom Stock and Trans-Am, plus the World Challenge with the Saleen/Allen RRR Speedlab team in conjunction with actor Tim Allen.
SVT CobrasIn 1991, Ford created the Special Vehicle Team to create and market limited-edition, high-performance vehicles. SVT's first product was the '93 Cobra with unique looks and a more powerful 5.0 engine. For 1994-'95, the Cobra returned on the SN-95 platform, once again with a Cobra 5.0. But in 1996, the Cobra got its own engine-the four-valve 4.6-a powerplant that lives on with a supercharged 390 hp in the '03 Cobra. SVT also produced Cobra R versions, essentially stripped-down race cars, in 1993, 1995, and 2000.
Best Four-Banger: SVOBetween the fuel crunch of the late-'70s and the launch of the EFI musclecar craze in 1987, the Mustang SVO (Special Vehicle Operations) spanned the two extremes with turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder power. First offered in 1984, the SVO boasted 175 hp from its intercooled four-cylinder, along with unique SVO items like a functional hoodscoop, bi-wing rear spoiler, Koni shocks, and many other unique items. In mid-'85, the Mustang SVO received several modifications to up the power to 205. The combination of light weight and performance suspension made the SVO one of the best handling Mustangs of all time.
Best Engine (technology): Supercharged four-valve 4.6With 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, the supercharged four-valve 4.6 in the '03 Cobra is easily the most powerful engine ever offered in a production Mustang. With today's computer technology, the awesome power is achieved while meeting emission and fuel economy standards.
Specialty MustangsGive Steve Saleen credit for being the first to create special performance versions of late-model Mustangs. The Saleen Mustang has been followed by a long list of aftermarket specialty Mustang builders-Steeda, Roush, Kenny Brown, SAAC, U.S. Mustang, Sean Hyland, BBK, and others. Of the group, Saleen, Steeda, Kenny Brown, and Roush Performance continue to offer first-rate performance Mustangs through selected Ford dealers.
EleanorWhen Touchstone Studios released its remake of 1974's Gone in Sixty Seconds, the movie's '73 Mustang star, Eleanor, was recreated as a modernized '67 Shelby GT500 with an aggressive front end, huge hood dome, and side pipes. The silver movie car captured the imagination of movie-goers everywhere, with the car receiving more attention than the star, Nicholas Cage. As a result, '67-'68 fastbacks suddenly became popular for Eleanor conversions with body kits from Total Control Products, while Sanderson Sales began production of an Eleanor look-alike called the Shelby GT500E, endorsed by Carroll Shelby as a continuation Shelby Mustang.