1999 Ford Mustang: The New Edge Mustang (part 1)

The 1999 Ford Mustang
officially marked the 35th anniversary of the classic muscle car and
the beginning of a new era with yet another redesign.  While the prior
generation, the SN95,
put the Mustang back atop the pony car market, the rest of the
performance car market swelled up around the Mustang’s success with
entries from not only domestic automakers but Japan as well. Because of
this, when the 1999 Ford Mustang debuted as the “New Edge”, the
automaker put an emphasis on improved styling alongside improved
performance. The sharp new lines and increased horsepower did just that.

1999

While Ford’s New Edge Mustang was not a huge redo in comparison to that
of the Mustang II to the Fox Body Mustang or the change seen in the Fox
Body to the SN95, it was significant enough to be considered a full
redesign. The New Edge re-introduced cues of classic styling such as
the “Pony in the corral” grill emblem, which had not been seen since
the 1973 Ford Mustang. Slight, squared off fender flares were added
over all four tires, giving the car a wider look. And while the front
end looked similar to the SN95, it also had a squared off, beefier
look. The body crease was made larger along the sides, starting wide
and tapering down to the non-functional duct on the rear quarter panel
– more pronounced than the side duct on the SN95. Standard and Mustang
GT models received a “35th anniversary edition” badge on the front
fenders. The hood gained a scoop (non-functional) matching the look of
the side ducts the rear end got a refresh, and the taillights, while
still a three unit lens with integrated backup light, no longer had the
body colored cover separating the three sections. And on GT models, the
rear wing had a new shape touching down to the trunk lid, whereas the
SN95 wing hung out over the quarter panels.

The 1999 Ford Mustang offered three trim lines: the standard model with
a V6, the Mustang GT with the SOHC 4.6L, and the Mustang Cobra with the
DOHC 4.6L. The standard Mustang got an increase in power from 150 to
193horsepower, the GT a boost from 225 to 260, and the Cobra an
advertised increase from 305 to 320.  However, many new 1999 Mustang
Cobra owners were shocked to see dynamometers measure them at 305 hp,
creating a great deal of controversy and a full recall of the Cobras.
Those Cobras returned with a new intake manifold, new cat-back exhaust
system, and a computer reprogram to achieve the advertised 320 hp. 
Some special Mustang GT’s were made in 1999, badged “35th Anniversary
Limited Edition GT’s”. These units included a raised hood scoop with a
black accent running to the front of the hood, side scoops that stuck
out further than the other GT’s, a different rear wing, and a honeycomb
insert on the back of the car between the tail lights.  

1999 offered both a Roush Mustang and a Saleen Mustang. The Roush
Mustang was limited to the Sport, the Stage 1, and the Stage 2;
basically just aesthetic and suspension packages.  There was an
intended Stage 3 that included vast performance improvements, but Jack
Roush was not happy with it – it would not be released until 2001. The
New Edge Saleen models remained the same as the Saleen Mustang lineup
for the SN95 with similar power and appearance improvements on a new
body style. Although there was only a slight increase in price, the
units sold dropped by about 42,000 units from the last year of the SN95
to the first year of the New Edge.

Remember
when the “New Edge” Mustang was the “new” Mustang? That was a “new”
Mustang ago as we come up on another “new” Mustang. What are your
memories of the New Edge Mustang? Do you think all of these new
Mustangs are good or bad for the ponycar’s legacy? How do you feel about
the upcoming “new” Mustang?