The Fox Body Ford Mustang is an iconic version of this classic muscle car. The new 2024 Mustang delivers a fitting tribute to this icon.
Advanced electronics allow automakers to do things differently than ever before. You can see screens that show you all of the information you want in futuristic gauge clusters and on massive infotainment screens. Why not offer a configuration of these gauges that provides a look from the past? This is what we’ll see with the new 2024 Mustang, giving this car a bit more of a cool factor than it already offers.
It Was Obvious The Designers Had Fun
The Ford tech designers had a great time adding something special to the digital gauge cluster. The goal was to bring the same look that owners found in the 1980s Mustang models with the white needles of that era. The final appearance is stunning and will be part of the new 2024 models of the Mustang. When the headlights are on, and you have the Fox Body setting in your gauges, they are backlit in green, which is the same as the Mustang with this specialized body.
Will There be More Tribute Screens in the Future?
Adding this new Fox Body Ford Mustang gauge cluster screen to the new 2024 model opens the door for the Ford tech team to recreate gauge clusters from other models as well. We might see future versions with the option to set the gauges to any era of the Mustang desired. For now, we only have this one tribute item, but some of the over-the-air updates could give us other classic views of the Mustang gauges, offering something special in new versions of this amazing muscle car.
What Makes the Fox Body Such an Iconic Car?
Some people love the 1980s Mustangs, others hate them, but no one can argue the fact that this car brought the Ford Mustang back to its former glory. The 1970s were harsh to powerful muscle cars with strict emissions regulations that we weren’t ready for. The Fox Body version of this car ran from 1979 to 1993 and was one of the most celebrated cars of its time. The introduction of the 2.3-liter turbocharged engine and the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine gave us a car that we could celebrate. Even though the 5.0 model in 1984 only had a little more than 200 horsepower, it was the first time in several years this car hit this power level.
Since it arrived, the Fox Body Mustang has proven to be a car that accepts several modifications to be one of the most sought-after cars in the muscle car market.
Why Do So Many People Love this Mustang?
Nostalgia
The teenagers of the 80s and 90s are grown up and love to work on cars from their teen years. The Fox Body Ford Mustang was one of those cars. Many teens loved this muscle car and the style it brought to the mix. This car is part of the MTV generation, which means it showed up in several music videos of the time.
The Convertible Returned With this Car
Before the Fox Body models arrived, the Mustang did not offer a convertible top. The last time it was offered was in the 1974 version. That means this muscle car went nearly a decade without having a top-down option. The 1983 version is when the convertible returned, giving us back one of the qualities we love in classic muscle cars.
This Mustang Makes a Great Project Car
There are tons of aftermarket parts and products made specifically for the Fox Body Ford Mustang. You can add performance items, a crate engine, upfit items, and interior elements. This car is one of the most configurable, giving you a great car that you can take from trash to treasure with some time, money, and effort.
Without This Model, We Might Not Have the Mustang
Do you remember much about the 1970s Mustangs? Most of us don’t. Although the 1980s were a pretty dark era for most of the automotive market, the Fox Body version of this muscle car resurrected it from what could have been a graveyard and extinction. The Mustang II was terrible, and some would like to nicely call the 1970s a “transitional period” for this car, but it was simply a bad decade until the Fox Body version arrived.
This Mustang Has Many Clubs
If you either buy a Fox Body Ford Mustang or begin to build one as a project, you can enjoy a sense of community around this car. There are many online forums talking about this era, some car clubs specifically for this era of the Mustang, and lots of car meet-ups you can attend with your car. Once you’ve got it running, attend these meets and let others see what you’re working on.
This Car Delivers Decent Practicality
Are you looking for a sports car that you can drive every day? This Mustang is a good choice. It may be small, but it’s roomy, and it gives you a good drive when it’s working right. You won’t use a ton of gas driving this car, even if you have a 5.0 engine under the hood.
You Could Find a Police Version
If you want a great car to build on, the Ford Mustang SSP version was made for law enforcement and gives you a special package that could be a great car for you to restore and drive. These models had certified calibrated speedometers, a specialized engine oil cooler, a relocated deck release, and several other items. Nearly 15,000 of the SSP models were made, and one could be the right project for you.
Several Can be Seen Racing, Even Today
If you like to attend races at your local track or drag strip, you’re more than likely to see the Fox Body Ford Mustang going around the track. These cars are lightweight, mechanically simple, and have an excellent suspension design, giving you a great car to admire on the track.
Whether you look at one of the original models or simply admire the new digital gauge cluster, the Fox Body Ford Mustang lives on and can be something you love for many years.
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