Ford Mustang: Which Version to Buy and Why
The Ford Mustang catalogue covers 11 generations, with 10 generation entries shown here, spanning 1964–2023 and including Coupe and Cabrio body styles. The choice is unusually broad: the listed cars range from an 86 hp 3.2 AT to a 662 hp 5.8 MT. For the strongest performance, the fifth-generation restyled 5.8 MT combines 662 hp with a 3.5-second 0–100 km/h time and 325 km/h top speed.
The Ford Mustang catalogue covers 11 generations, with 10 generation entries shown here, spanning 1964–2023 and including Coupe and Cabrio body styles. The choice is unusually broad: the listed cars range from an 86 hp 3.2 AT to a 662 hp 5.8 MT. For the strongest performance, the fifth-generation restyled 5.8 MT combines 662 hp with a 3.5-second 0–100 km/h time and 325 km/h top speed. For a newer balance of speed and measured economy, the sixth-generation 2.3 MT with 317 hp reaches 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds and records 8 l/100 km combined. Buyers wanting a newer V-shaped 8-cylinder version can compare the sixth-generation 5.0 MT and 5.0 AT variants, while those prioritizing classic Cabrio specifications have choices across the first, third, fourth, and restyled fifth generations.
Ford Mustang generations and the important changes
The first generation ran from 1964 to 1973 as a Cabrio and contains 50 versions. Its shown engines extend from the 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT with 102 hp to 5.8 MT and 5.8 AT variants with 304 hp. All shown versions are Gasoline and RWD, with 3- or 4-speed transmissions. The quickest measured first-generation version is the 5.8 MT with 304 hp, reaching 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
The second generation ran from 1974 to 1978 as a Coupe with 6 versions. The range includes 2.3 AT and 2.3 MT with 89 hp, 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT with 91 hp, and 4.9 AT and 4.9 MT with 141 hp. Every listed engine uses a Carburetor, and every version is RWD. Acceleration and top speed are not measured for these entries.
The third generation ran from 1978 to 1993 as a Cabrio, with an original range of 10 versions and a restyled range of 7 versions from 1986. Listed output begins at 86 hp in the 3.2 AT and reaches 228 hp in the 4.9 MT and 4.9 AT. The later 4.9 AT reaches 100 km/h in 8 seconds, while the earlier 4.9 AT records 7 seconds. Ground clearance is listed at 115 mm for most higher-output examples, while some earlier entries have 145 mm.
The fourth generation ran from 1993 to 2004, beginning as a Coupe with 14 versions and continuing from 1998 as a restyled Cabrio with 17 versions. The original range starts with the 147 hp 3.8 MT and 3.8 AT and rises to a 305 hp 4.6 MT. Restyled versions include several distinct 4.6 MT entries: 228 hp, 265 hp, 320 hp, and a Turbo 390 hp version. The 390 hp 4.6 MT is the clear performance choice, reaching 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and 283 km/h.
The fifth generation ran from 2004 to 2014, initially as a Coupe with 14 versions and from 2009 as a restyled Cabrio with 25 versions. The original generation includes 4.0 MT and 4.0 AT, several 4.6 MT and 4.6 AT specifications, and the 500 hp 5.4 MT. The restyled range expands from a 210 hp 4.0 MT or 4.0 AT to the 662 hp 5.8 MT. This generation provides the widest measured performance spread: 7.6 seconds to 100 km/h for one 4.0 AT versus 3.5 seconds for the 5.8 MT.
The sixth generation ran from 2013 to 2023 as a Coupe, with 22 original versions and 25 restyled versions from 2017. Its shown engine families are 2.3, 3.7, 5.0, and 5.2. The 2.3 versions use an Inline 4-cylinder Turbo engine with Direct injection (direct), while the 3.7, 5.0, and 5.2 entries use V-shaped engines without boost. The fastest listed sixth-generation choice is the 526 hp 5.2 MT, with 3.9 seconds to 100 km/h and a 289 km/h maximum speed.
Ford Mustang engine specs comparison
The following table groups repeated version names by their distinct outputs while preserving every exact database name represented in the catalogue.
| Generation | Exact version | hp | Nm | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders/layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 2.8 MT / 2.8 AT | 102 | 212 | 2782 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | Manual / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| First | 3.3 MT / 3.3 AT | 122 | 257 | 3277 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | Manual / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| First | 4.3 AT | 164 | 350 | 4261 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| First | 4.7 MT / 4.7 AT | 228–275 | 414–423 | 4727–4736 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 4 / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| First | 5.8 MT / 5.8 AT | 254–304 | 481–515 | 5766 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 4 / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| Second | 2.3 MT / 2.3 AT | 89 | 160 | 2301 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | Manual, 4 / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| Second | 2.8 MT / 2.8 AT | 91 | 194 | 2792 cc | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual, 4 / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| Second | 4.9 MT / 4.9 AT | 141 | 339 | 4942 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 4 / Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| Third | 3.2 AT | 86 | 160 | 3237 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | Automatic, 3 | RWD |
| Third | 2.3 MT / 2.3 AT | 88–106 | 160–183 | 2301–2302 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | No | Manual, 4–5 / Automatic, 4 | RWD |
| Third | 4.9 MT / 4.9 AT | 228 | 407 | 4942 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 / Automatic, 4 | RWD |
| Fourth | 3.8 MT / 3.8 AT | 147–190 | 220–298 | 3797–3813 cc | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 / Automatic, 4 | RWD |
| Fourth | 4.9 MT / 4.9 AT | 218 | 386 | 4942 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 / Automatic, 4 | RWD |
| Fourth | 4.6 MT / 4.6 AT | 215–390 | 302–529 | 4601 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No or Turbo | Manual, 5–6 / Automatic, 4 | RWD |
| Fifth | 4.0 MT / 4.0 AT | 210 | 325 | 4009 cc | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 5 | RWD |
| Fifth | 3.7 MT / 3.7 AT | 309 | 380 | 3726 cc | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 6 | RWD |
| Fifth | 4.6 MT / 4.6 AT | 300–315 | 427–440 | 4601–4606 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 5 | RWD |
| Fifth | 5.0 MT / 5.0 AT | 412–420 | 390–530 | 4951 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 6 | RWD |
| Fifth | 5.4 MT | 500–506 | 650 | 5409 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | Turbo | Manual, 6 | RWD |
| Fifth | 5.8 MT | 662 | 600 | 5817 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 6 | RWD |
| Sixth | 2.3 MT / 2.3 AT | 309–330 | 407–475 | 2264–2300 cc | Gasoline | 4, Inline | Turbo | Manual / Automatic, 6 | RWD |
| Sixth | 3.7 MT / 3.7 AT | 305 | 366 | 3720 cc | Gasoline | 6, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 6 | RWD |
| Sixth | 5.0 MT / 5.0 AT | 406–470 | 529–570 | 4951–5038 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual / Automatic, 6 | RWD |
| Sixth | 5.2 MT | 526 | 583 | 5163 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 6 | RWD |
Ford Mustang performance and mpg
For outright acceleration, the fifth-generation restyled 5.8 MT leads the supplied data: 662 hp, 3.5 seconds to 100 km/h, and 325 km/h. Its specific output is about 113.8 hp per litre. The 506 hp 5.4 MT is slower at 4.2 seconds and 301 km/h, giving up 156 hp, 0.7 seconds, and 24 km/h.
The sixth-generation 5.2 MT is the strongest newer measured alternative. Its 526 hp equals about 101.9 hp per litre, and it reaches 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Combined consumption is 14.7 l/100 km, with 16.8 l/100 km in the city and 11.2 l/100 km on the highway.
Among the sixth-generation 5.0 choices, the 450 hp 5.0 AT reaches 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, 0.3 seconds ahead of the 450 hp 5.0 MT at 4.9 seconds. Their combined consumption is nearly identical: 12.5 versus 12.4 l/100 km. The 460 hp 5.0 MT and 460 hp 5.0 AT both record 4.8 seconds; measured combined consumption is 13.1 and 12.4 l/100 km respectively.
The efficiency-oriented performance choice is the original sixth-generation 317 hp 2.3 MT. It records 10.1 l/100 km city, 6.8 l/100 km highway, and 8 l/100 km combined, while reaching 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds. Compared with the 421 hp 5.0 MT at 13.5 l/100 km combined, it uses 5.5 l/100 km less but gives up 104 hp and 1 second in the acceleration test.
Several versions have no supplied fuel or performance result. For example, consumption for the restyled 317 hp 2.3 MT is not measured, while acceleration and maximum speed for several 4.6 MT and 4.6 AT fifth-generation entries are not measured. These gaps should not be treated as zero.
Ford Mustang dimensions, weight, tank and wheel sizes
Kerb weight varies substantially. A third-generation 2.3 MT is listed at 1104 kg, while the restyled fifth-generation 5.4 MT reaches 1835 kg. Gross weight is often not measured; where supplied, it includes 2000 kg for some fifth-generation 4.0 and 4.6 versions, 2077 kg for the sixth-generation 3.7 AT, 2114 kg for selected 2.3 versions, and 2150 kg for selected 5.0 versions.
The first generation has 120–132 mm ground clearance and a 61-litre tank. The second generation’s ground clearance is not measured and its tank holds 49 litres. Third-generation clearance is 115–145 mm where measured, with a 58-litre tank. Fourth-generation entries generally list 100 mm and 58- or 61-litre tanks. Fifth-generation versions generally list 100 mm and 60- or 61-litre tanks. Sixth-generation versions list 130 mm and a 59-litre tank.
Wheel sizes are not measured for many versions. Where supplied, fifth-generation performance cars use 255/45 R18 front and 285/40 R18 rear, while many 5.0 and 5.2 sixth-generation versions use 255/40 R19 front and 275/40 R19 rear.
Weight per horsepower clarifies the performance hierarchy. The restyled fifth-generation 5.4 MT has 1835 kg and 506 hp, or about 3.63 kg per hp. The sixth-generation 5.2 MT has 1707 kg and 526 hp, or about 3.25 kg per hp. A sixth-generation 426 hp 5.0 MT at 1530 kg is about 3.59 kg per hp. The restyled sixth-generation 317 hp 2.3 MT at 1655 kg is about 5.22 kg per hp.
Which Ford Mustang version should you buy?
Choose the original sixth-generation 2.3 MT with 317 hp if measured economy matters alongside performance. Its 8 l/100 km combined result is the lowest supplied combined figure among the highlighted newer choices, yet it still reaches 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds and 250 km/h.
Choose a sixth-generation 5.0 AT if you want V-shaped 8-cylinder performance with an Automatic gearbox. The 450 hp version reaches 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, while the 460 hp version records 4.8 seconds and 12.4 l/100 km combined. The figures demonstrate that the higher output alone does not guarantee the quicker measured acceleration result, so match the exact power specification rather than relying only on the 5.0 AT name.
Choose the 5.2 MT with 526 hp if acceleration is the priority but you prefer the sixth generation. It is 0.7 seconds quicker to 100 km/h than the 470 hp 5.0 MT and 26 km/h faster at maximum speed, while adding 56 hp. Both are Manual, 6-speed, RWD versions.
Choose the restyled fifth-generation 5.8 MT if the catalogue’s maximum measured performance is the deciding factor. At 662 hp, it has 136 hp more than the sixth-generation 5.2 MT, reaches 100 km/h 0.4 seconds sooner, and adds 36 km/h at the top end. Fuel consumption, kerb weight, gross weight, wheel size, and emissions for this 5.8 MT are not measured.
For an older Cabrio with measured consumption, the restyled fourth-generation 3.8 AT with 190 hp records 10.7 l/100 km combined and reaches 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds. For more performance from the same restyled generation, the 390 hp 4.6 MT cuts the acceleration time to 4.6 seconds and raises top speed to 283 km/h, but its consumption is not measured. This is the central Mustang trade-off across the supplied catalogue: lower-output versions usually provide more usable economy data, while the most powerful versions buy dramatically stronger acceleration and speed but often leave consumption or weight unmeasured.