***1964*** - Ford officially introduces Mustang on April 17, at the New York World’s Fair; 100,000 are sold in four months - A Mustang convertible paces the Indianapolis 500 - The Mustang fastback bows on October 1; a 200-cid six is standard - After September, Mustang’s 260—cid V-8 is dropped in favor of the 289

***1965*** - The Mustang-based Shelby GT-350 Cobra officially debuts at Riverside Raceway on January 27 - A competition version of the Shelby GT-350 Cobra, the GT-350R, is homologated for SCCA B-production - 2+2 Mustangs fitted with Ford’s 427-cid big block regularly win NHRA A/FX-class races and, occasionally, “funny car” competitions - Total “1964 ½”-65 Mustang sales are 680,989; convertibles account for 101,945

***1966*** - Alterations to ’66 Mustangs are minor, and include revised standard hubcaps, grille, and fake side vents - Styling studies tow with the idea of a “Kammback” Mustang station wagon badged Aspen; a targa-top convertible is also considered - Mustang sales for the model year dip slightly to 607,568, and include 72,119 convertibles; with 7.1-percent of total market share, Mustang is the industry’s third-best-selling nameplate

***1967*** - A 390-cid “Thunderbird Special” V-8 is now optional with Mustang - An all-new dash helps Mustang shed a remnant of its Falcon origins - Carroll Shelby drops Ford’s 428 into his Shelby Cobra and creates the GT-500; advertised bhp is 335 but probably more; a 390-bhp version is seldom-ordered GT-500 option - With 472,121 model-year sales, Mustang outsells Camaro by a 2 to 1 margin; 44,808 of those Mustangs are ragtops

***1968*** - Ford assumes control of the Shelby-Mustangs, moving production from L.A. to Michigan - Mid-year brings the Shelby Cobra GT-500KR (King of the Road) with 428 Cobra-Jet V-8 - Model-year Mustang sales are 317,404, and include 25,376 convertibles; respectable, but a dramatic drop from ’67

***1969*** - The Boss 302 (approximately 400 bhp) arrives early in the year - The Boss 429 competition engine is made available to Mustang buyers or homologation purposes - Shelby Mustangs are now built at Ford’s Southfield, Michigan, plant alongside stock Mustangs - Mustang model-year production is 299,824, including 14,746 convertibles

***1970*** - Lee Iacocca is named president of Ford Motor Company - The top Mach I engine for the year, the 428, is replaced by a 429 during model run - Mustang, sans Shelby participation, comes out on top in the Trans Am race season - Model-year Mustang production falls to 190,727, including just 7673 convertibles

***1971*** - The redesigned Mustang gains 600 pounds and eight inches in overall length, though whellbase grows by only one inch - Mustang’s top engine is a new four-barrel 429 Cobra Jet rated at 370 bhp - Total model-year Mustang sales drop further, to 149,678; 6121 of those are ragtops

***1972*** - Mustang styling continues much as for 1971; Sprint Décor Option—comprised of lively fabric, colors, and wheels—is introduced to pump sales - Model-year Mustang sales amount to 125,093, including 6401 convertibles

***1973*** - Mustang is the only Ford product to offer the division’s High Output 351 V-8 - Ford announces that ’73 will bring the final Mustang convertible - Mustang model-year sales rebound slightly, to 134,267; convertible sales almost double, to 11,853

***1974*** - The downsized, wholly redesigned Mustang II is in showrooms druing the 1973-74 energy crisis, a propitious marketing moment - The initial Mustang II offers a four, and six, but not a V-8—a first for Mustang; the 2.3-liter four is America’s first mass-produced engine built to metric measurements - Mustang convertibles disappear, and will not return till ’83 - The Mustang logo is redisigned - Motortrend votes the Mustang car of the year - Mustang’s upmarket model is now called Ghia

***1975*** - Mustang’s V-8 engine option returns with a 302 small-block, detuned to 122 net horsepower - Mustang sales drop from the ’74 level by nearly 50 percent, to 188,575

***1976*** - Horsepower of Mustang’s 302 V-8 increases from 122 (net) to 139 (bhp) - 187,567 Mustangs are sold during the model year

***1977*** - A bit more than a quarter of the year’s Mustangs are ordered with the 302 V-8, up from 17.6 percent in ’76 - Options include painted cast-aluminum spoke wheels, simulated wire wheelcovers, and a T-bar roof for fastback package, which include an enormous cobra decal on the hood - Mustang model-year sales dip to 153,173

***1978*** - Paint-on performance reaches its zenith with the gaudy King Cobra fastback package, whick includes an enormous cobra decal on the hood - Model-year Mustang sales bounce back to 192,410

***1979*** - The crisp-looking, all-new fifth-generation Mustang debuts; it rides a shortened “Fox” platform used by the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr twins - Mustang paces this year’s Indianapolis 500; an Indy Pace Car Replica is offered to the public - Mustang model-year sales are 332,025, up nearly 140,000 over ’78

***1980*** - The Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department is inaugurated in the fall to develop limited-production performance cars - A $25,000 McLaren Mustang debuts late in the year; its tweaked turbo four delivers 175 bhp - Public preoccupation with the price of gas contributes to a steep drop in Mustang sales for the model year, to 241,064

***1981*** - A five-speed overdrive manual gearbox is available for the base Mustang; in all, the ponycar offers three optional engines and seven optional transmissions - A dozen restored 1966 Mustang convertibles are converted to Shelby GT-350 trim, with Carroll Shelby’s blessing, and sell out at $40,000 apiece - Mustang model-year output is 162,593, the lowest since 1977

***1982*** - Mustang’s new High Output (HO) 5.0-liter 302 V-8 puts out 157 horsepower; the tamer 4.2-liter V-8 enters its final year - A limited-edition Mustang convertible is introduced mid-year - Mustang model-year production is 130,418

***1983*** - A minor facelift, the first since 1979, brings Mustang a more rounded nose and restyled tail-lights - Horsepower of the HO V-8 is increased to 175 bhp, from 157 - Model-year Mustang production slips to 120,873, including 23,438 convertibles

***1984*** - The SVO Mustang rol,s into the marketplace with a hopped-up version of the turbo four that produces 174 bhp - Ford enters into cooperative product planning with MAzda to develop a sixth-generation, front-drive Mustang, to be introduced in late Eighties - Mustang model-year production ticks upward, to 141,480, including 17,600 droptops

***1985*** - The Turbo GT is revived, only to vanish following minuscule sales - Nearly a third of the year's Mustangs are ordered with V-8s - Mustang sales rise again for the model year, to 156,514, with 15,110 convertibles

***1986*** - Mustang offeres a single, revised 302-cid V-8, now rated at 200 bhp; torque is potent 285 pounds/feet - This year's SVO has a Hurst five-speed and four-wheel disc brakes - High performance plus plentiful gasoline contribute to a dramatic incerease in model-year sales, to 224,410, including 10,273 convertibles

***1987*** - Although still esentially the 1979 design, the '87 Mustang is heavily restyled, with a new "aero-look" body and revised instrument panel - The 5.0-liter V-8 cranks out a whopping 225 bhp and 300 pounds/feet of torque - The SVO Mustang enters its final model year, doomed by pallid sales - GT models add a Traction-Lok axle - Mustang production slips again to 159,145; 20,328 are convertibles

***1988*** - When the public objects loudly to the planned replacement of Mustang by a front-drive sport coupe co-developed by Ford and Mazda, Mustang soldiers on the joint effort is released by Ford in May as the 1989 Probe (and by Mazda as the MX-6) - Only one change is made to '88 Mustangs: a 540-amp battery for the LX, replacing a 460-amp unit - Mustang model-year production rebounds, to 211,225; 39,223 are droptops

***1989*** - Rumors of a 25th Anniversary commemorative Mustang come to nothing; the model year brings "birth" of the six millionth Mustang - Production holds nearly steady, at 209,769; convertibles account for 42,244 units

***1990*** - January brings 3800 copies of a commemorative Mustang, an Emerald Green V-8 LX convertible - Mustang experiences a big drop in model-year production, to 128,189, with 26,958 ragtops

***1991*** - The GT shares a 225-bhp 5.0-liter V-8 with the LX 5.0L Sport model - Mustang model-7ear production falls further, to 90,460; 22,018 are convertibles

***1992*** - Mustang is altered only in details: optional four-way power driver's seat; color-keyed bodyside molding and bumper rub strips for the LX model; a new dome lamp; cancellation of wire wheel covers and white sidewall tires - Mustang sales dip slightly, to 85,515, with 13,835 convertibles

***1993*** - Mustang introduces a limited-edition, high-performance Cobra edition at the end of the year, it has a beefed-up suspension and disc brakes front and rear - Ford's revised method of rating horsepower downrates the GT's 5.0-liter V-8 to 205, from 225; the Cobra's modified 5.0 is rated at 245 - Despite sporting a basic design dating back to 1979, Mustang generates and impressive sales increase for '93, to 114,228; of these, 26,598 are convertibles

***1994*** - Mustang unveils a dramatic restyle reminiscent of the first-generation model; the intimate, redesigned cockpit evokes memories of classic Corvettes, with the added appeal of a standard passenger-side airbag - The top engine is a 5.0-liter V-8 producing 215-bhp, up from last year's 205; base engine is a 145-bhp 3.8-liter V-6 - Model-year sales reach 68,529 through March, 1994, signaling that the restyled Mustang is a hit

***1995*** - Buyers who want the 240-bhp Cobra engine must purchase the full Cobra package, as the engine is not available with the GT - A slightly softened suspension cushions occupants against road defects - Mustang convertibles display considerably less body flex on rough pavement - The previously standard power driver's seat is now optional

***1996*** - Mustang GTS are dropped, leaving a 2-door convertible and a 2-door notchback in base, GT, and Cobra iterations - Two new 4.6-liter V-8's debut: and overhead-cam, 215-horsepower mill for the GT and Cobra; and a double overhead-cam, 305-horse variant available with the Cobra only - The base Mustan's 3.8-liter V-6 is now rated at 150 horsepower, 5 more than '95 - All Mustang engines have new, platinum-tipped spark plugs designed to last 100,000 miles - Taillamps switch from horizontal to vertical - A passive anti-theft system is standard on GT and Cobra models - Mustang grille emblem is now backed with a mesh insert

***1997*** - The passive anti-theft system made standard in '96 GT and Cobra models is now standard on the base Mustang as well - Other Mustang changes are minor: monotone interior scheme; new "flecked" seat-fabric pattern on the GT; optional grey leather upholstery in the base ragtop; and optional "diamond-cut" 17-inch allow wheels for the GT

***1998*** - Mustang's GT wrings 225-horsepower, ten more than last year, from its its 282-cid ohc V-8; the Cobra's 282-cid dohc V-8 remains at 305 horsepower - Mustang's dual airbags are depowred, as per federal regulations - Front cupholder and ashtray are replaced by dual front cupholders

***1999*** - A reskinned, "New Edge" Mustang debuts for the model year - Horsepower of the base 3.8-liter V-6 is bumped up by 40, to 190 - The 320-bhp Cobra is the first Mustang with independent rear suspension