The Best and Worst of the Fox Body Mustangs
Spanning from 1979-1993, Fox body Mustangs are some of the most iconic of all time. But which one is the best, and which is the worst?
Love it or hate it, the Fox body represents one of the most ubiquitous sports car designs of the 20th century. Its production spanned 24 years, across three decades with their own unique automotive cultures. Such a prolific vehicle naturally boasts a wide array of variations over the years. And looking at a 1979 compared to a 1993, two Fox body Mustangs can be essentially totally different in terms of looks and functionality, despite sharing a common model. Which raises an important question: with so many variants and options for a Fox body Mustang, which ones are the absolute best and worst?
This comparison ranks regular production Mustangs, as they were off the showroom floor. Meaning, if you walked into a dealership in any year of Fox body Mustang production, which is the absolute best or worst you could feasibly purchase? This excludes special-order cars or very rare variants like the 1993 Cobra R, the undisputed heavyweight champion of Fox bodies. Likewise, this takes into account the era: for a 1993 Mustang, the vehicle is owned and driven in 1993, as opposed to present-day. With that in mind, which Fox body is the best Fox body?
The Best: 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra
This car should need no introduction to Fox-platform enthusiasts. The centerpiece of the SVT Cobra lay in its engine bay: the famous 5.0 V8 (which was actually 4.9L, but 5.0 sounds cooler). It boasts 235 horsepower mated to a T-5 5-speed manual gearbox from the 1984-1986 SVO. And that’s not the only SVO enhancement. Now known as SVT, the infamous team worked their fingers into every nook and cranny, squeezing every last drop of handling they could from the aging platform without compromising on roadgoing performance. This resulted in more GT-focused driver’s car, with numerous running gear upgrades on top of the extensive engine tuning.
Overall, the 1993 SVT Cobra brings together all the pieces that worked so well from earlier models into one single, quintessential swan song. It borrows heavily from the earlier SVO in terms of handling and balance. And, combined with a modified 5.0, it easily outperforms nearly every Mustang in general to that point, let alone Fox bodies. That said, its suspension proved softer and more compliant than the GT’s of that year, resulting in somewhat lessened handling characteristics. But as far as drivability is concerned, having a little give certainly helps. Plus, being SVT, the team didn’t exactly neglect to give it enough handling to keep pace with similarly-priced sports cars. Within the mid-low-tier GT market segment, the SVT Cobra provided excellent value-for-money, being half the price of a Corvette with just 50 less horsepower and similar practical handling.
The Worst: 1980 Mustang 255 V8
Pick almost any 1980 model year Mustang and it’s likely to be a bit of a dog. The 1980 model year witnessed a choice between the 2.3L Lima I-4, the famous “Pinto” engine; its turbo variant, or the 255 V8. The former choices represented the base and “performance” option, with 88 and 131 horsepower, respectively. Meanwhile, the 255 V8 was Ford’s attempt at conforming to Malaise-era emissions regulations while keeping a V8 in their lineup. Essentially just an underbored 302, the 255 produced a rather shockingly poor 118 horsepower – the lowest of any Mustang V8 ever. And it was only available with the 3-speed automatic. Basically, if you walked into a showroom in 1980, your choice of Mustang engine was a Pinto I-4, the notoriously unreliable turbo Lima, or the V8 which was choked to within an inch of its life. All this coupled to a soft late-70s family car suspension and a torque-sapping sloshbox.
This undoubtedly marked the lowest point for the Fox platform Mustang. With almost no redeeming mechanical features present, the Mustang name represented a shadow of its former self. The 255 V8 was particularly egregious, being (out of necessity) based around economy over substance. This engine somehow produced 27 MPG highway, but at the cost of nearly all its character, hitting its power peak at just 3800 RPM. Basically, this was a Mustang which felt like a mid-size diesel city car, especially when optioned up as a (heavy) luxury model. No wonder, because the 255 came out of a sense of urgency for tightening regulations, and was dropped just as quickly for the 5.0. That said, without the 255 essentially dragging the V8 through the worst times, the 5.0 might not have existed, as Ford considered dropping the engine altogether due to poor sales. But, much to every Mustang enthusiast’s relief, Ford retained the V8 in their lineup. And in 1983, they debuted the H/O 5.0 we all know and love.
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