Ford's Mustang was the first of a new breed of factory hot rod--the "pony car"--when it was launched back in 1964, and during the decades that followed it's stuck largely to the same genetic coding: High performance, low tech and low cost. With a simple rear-drive chassis borrowed from a sedan and lots of components borrowed from other Ford vehicle lines, the Mustang has always been relatively cheap to produce, delivering lots of performance at bargain prices.
However, in terms of maximum performance, the Mustang's formula has, in recent years, fallen behind the pace set by GM's Camaro-Firebird twins. Ford's durable old 5.0-liter V8 simply didn't match the muscle of GM's 5.7-liter V8, which bristles with torque and horsepower. Click here to read more