Best Engine (early): 289No other engine is as closely associated with the early Mustangs than the 289. Although phased out after the '68 model year in favor of the 302, the 289 had already established its mark in Mustang history, a storied past that included the 289 High Performance and Shelby's 289 Cobra version. Racers loved the high-winding small-block, while consumers reveled in the engine's ability to deliver excellent performance for 200,000 miles or more.
Best Engine (late-model): 5.0-liter HOFrom 1974 to 1981, the Mustang wallowed in low performance. Then, in 1982, the "Boss is Back!" ad campaign heralded the arrival of a new 5.0-liter V-8 for a new Mustang GT. The combination would start a modern performance revolution for the Mustang, spawning a new performance aftermarket, drag racing series, and even magazines. By 1987, the 5.0 HO boasted 225 hp and high 13-second quarter-mile e.t.'s right off the showroom floor. In the LX model, a 5.0 could be acquired for around $13,000, making it one of the best "bang for the buck" cars ever.
John ColettiWe probably wouldn't be writing this today if it weren't for Ford's John Coletti, who spearheaded the "skunkworks" operation in the early-'90s that resulted in the SN-95 platform in 1994, just a few years after Ford considered moving the Mustang to the front-wheel-drive vehicle that eventually became the Probe. Unlike many Ford engineers, Coletti had "oil in his blood" and put himself front and center, attending shows and bringing along concept and show cars. Today, Coletti is still shaking up the Mustang world as director of the Special Vehicle Team, where he continues to bring us fabulous SVT Mustangs like the supercharged '03 Cobra.
Shelby MustangsWe mentioned Carroll Shelby earlier, but it was his Mustangs that caused such a stir on the street and the racetrack. From the first '65 GT350s, with their hoodscoops and blue side stripes, to the '67-'70 GT350s and GT500s, with their fiberglass noses and tails, the Shelbys always stood out from the regular production Mustangs. Even though the LeMans stripes over the hood, roof, and deck were optional from 1965-'67, they became a Shelby trademark-one that is often added to both new and old Mustangs today. Thanks to performance and style, the Shelby Mustangs have provided their own mystique to the Mustang heritage.
Best Features: Shaker HoodscoopLooking back, a hoodscoop mounted to the engine and sticking up through a hole in the hood was a pretty radical thing in late-'68. Yet, for 1969, Ford added the functional Shaker to the Mustang option list, highlighting it in the CJ-powered Mach 1s. Watching the Shaker "shake" or torque over with the engine was a cool thing to do during 1969-'70 and in 2003 with Team Mustang's new Mach 1, complete with a retro Shaker.
Larry ShinodaAlthough designer Larry Shinoda worked at Ford for barely 18 months, his impact has lasted over 30 years. Hired in May 1968 by Bunkie Knudsen, his former boss at GM, Shinoda immediately applied his talents and love of performance to the '69 Boss 302, creating the stripes, spoilers, and rear window slats. He also proposed the Boss name, which replaced Ford's SR-2 moniker for the Trans Am Mustang. The Boss name was also applied to the '69-'70 Boss 429 and the '71 Boss 351. In later years, before his death in 1997, Shinoda created a Boss Shinoda appearance package for late-model Mustangs. It's still available today as part of a Boss Shinoda package.