Ford Mustang

The redesigned 2024 Ford Mustang kicked off the car’s seventh generation, but it wasn’t a clean-sheet rethink. It stuck closely to the script of the sixth-gen car while adding more angular exterior styling, upgraded turbo four-cylinder and V-8 powertrains, and a revamped interior with several new tech features. The dashboard was dominated by a 12.4-inch curved digital instrument cluster and 13.2-inch curved touchscreen integrated into a single curved panel. Notable available equipment included MagneRide adaptive suspension, an active exhaust system, an electronic drift brake and Remote Rev: a button on the car’s key fob that allowed the driver to rev the engine while standing outside the car. A new Dark Horse trim was the top performance Mustang; it boasted a 500-horsepower version of the 5.0-liter V-8 engine and other exclusive, track-focused features. With the new-car market changing so rapidly in the 2020s, Ford’s commitment to the traditional gas-engine Mustang is noteworthy in and of itself; the seventh-gen car debuted as Chevrolet and Dodge were winding down production of the rival Camaro and Challenger, respectively.

At a glance, the 2015 Mustang may have looked like an update of the 2014 model, but in reality, it was an all-new car featuring an independent rear suspension. For the first time since the 1986 SVO version, the Mustang was available with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for a surprising 310 horsepower. A rework for 2018 featured updated styling, a stronger V-8 and turbo four-cylinder engines (the previous base V-6 engine was dropped), and a new 10-speed automatic transmission. A rev-match feature for manual-transmission GTs arrived for the 2019 model year, which also saw the return of the nostalgic Bullitt trim. A comprehensive High Performance Package for four-cylinder Mustangs arrived for 2020, and the retro-styled, performance-oriented Mach 1 was revived for 2021.

The 2005 Mustang wore eye-catching styling inside and out that deftly recalled the classic Mustangs of the 1960s. During this car’s run it saw competition heat up with the reintroduction of its classic pony car rivals in the form of the 2008 Dodge Challenger and 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Mustang evolution progressed steadily during this generation; highlights included the 500-hp supercharged Shelby GT500, a new 5.0-liter V-8 for the 2011 GT and the racetrack-ready 2012 Boss 302.