Our list of fastest Mustangs may surprise you. There’s one model in the list only a few years old that can be bought for under $20K, with neck-snapping 0-60 times.
You’ll notice that every car here was built after 2000 – there’s no a single Mustang from the Classic Muscle Car era on the list. Even the mighty 1969 Boss 429 Mustang wouldn’t have made the list, as its 0-60 time was 7.1 seconds and it ran the quarter mile in 14.1 seconds. Isn’t progress wonderful?
In order for this list not to get completely out of control we’re counting only those Mustangs that are street legal and where Ford is the manufacturer of Record (MSO). For example, the Shelby GT500KR was initiated at the Ford Flat Rock plant but then shipped to Shelby, who completed the car. In this case, Shelby Automobiles is the manufacturer of record.
Also, we’ve ranked the cars in order of quarter mile time rather than 0-60.
10. 2008 Mustang Bullitt
Ford figured a good way to draw a little more attention to the Mustang was to tap into the nostalgia for the 1968 Steve McQueen film “Bullitt“. The 2008 Bullitt Mustang packed a 24-valve V8 producing 315 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. The uptick in power output launched the car from 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, running the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds at 102.7 mph.
9. 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra
In these days of dizzying horsepower ratings, even from SUVs, it’s important to recall that trend is fairly new. In 2003, for example, a Ferrari 360 Modena was pushing out “only” 400 hp. At the same time the 4.6 L supercharged V8 in the ’03 SVT Mustang Cobra was right there at 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. It was capable of a 13.1 run down the quarter-mile run, launching to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.
8. 2000 Mustang SVT Cobra R
Powered by the 5.4 L DOHC Modular V8 producing 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque, the 2000 SVT Cobra R ran 0-60 time at 4.4 seconds with a 12.9-second quarter-mile at 110.8 mph. If you may noticed that’s faster than the 2003 SVT Cobra, which is due largely to the track-oriented gear ratios in the 2000 Cobra R.
7. 2011 Mustang GT
The 2011 GT had a new look and a ferocious new DOHC V8 engine capable of 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque (though independent test results recorded 435 hp). Like the models sharing the same engine, the GT made the 0-60 sprint in 4.3 seconds (the same as a 2011 Aston Martin DBS Coupe) It could cover the quarter-mile run in 12.8 seconds at 110.8 mph. And it’s a car you can go out today and buy for under $20 grand with less than 50K miles.
6. 2015 Mustang GT
Amazing that the base the base 2015 Mustang GT equipped with a manual transmission would find itself in the middle of this list. This car has to be the performance bargain of the year. The engine is Ford’s 5.0 L Coyote V8 with crossplane crankshaft that produces 441 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. 0 to 60 mph comes in 4.4 seconds, and finishes up the quarter mile in 12.8 seconds at 112.2 mph. Both the 2011 and 2015 had identical quarter mile times, so we gave the win to the 2015 because of its higher trap speed.
5. 2007 Shelby GT500
The 2007 Shelby GT500 was equipped with a 500 hp supercharged 5.4-liter older-type Modular V-8 that churned out 480 lb-ft of torque. The 2007 Shelby GT500 looked every bit a Shelby and backed it up with cold, hard numbers: covering the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds at 116 mph, hitting 60 in 4.5 seconds along the way.
4. 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Enthusiasts rejoiced that the iconic Boss 302 Mustang made its reappearance in the 2012 model year, battle ready with a 5.0 L V8 that produced 444 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. On the strip, the ’12 Boss 302 could run 0-60 in 4.3 seconds and the full quarter in 12.8 seconds. Just for fun, the 1970 Boss 302 took 6.4 seconds to reach 60, and turned a 14.7 second quarter. And the new Boss 302 meets all Federal emissions and safety standards. Now that’s progress!
3. 2013 Boss 302 Mustang Laguna Seca
In 1970 Parnelli Jones drove an original Boss 302 Mustang to victory at the first Trans-Am race of the season at Laguna Seca. Ford dipped back into their nostalgia bank again to name a special edition of the Mustang for 2013. Designed for mixed track day and road use, the Laguna Seca featured a number of tweaks, delivering a 4.2 second 0-60 with a 12.7 second quarter at 114 mph.
2. 2016 Shelby GT350
It’s been a while since the release of a car has been so eagerly awaited, if for no reason other than just to hear the flat plane crank engine run. The 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 is powered by a 5.2 L V8 engine capable of producing 529 hp at 8000 rpm and 429 ft-lbs of torque. 0-60 times are expected in the 3.8 second range and the quarter mile quite likely to break into the 11s.
1. 2013 Shelby GT500
With the arrival of the 2013 Shelby GT500, Ford delivered a 5.8 L, DOHC 32-valve supercharged all-aluminum beast that produced 662 hp at 6,500 rpm. The Shelby took a mere 3.6 seconds to reach 60 mph and ran the quarter in an impressive 11.5 seconds
2018 Shelby GT500 – The Future King
The wait has been arduous, but the light at the end of a tunnel can finally be distinguished. That light comes in the form of revived Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Top of the line Mustang is due to arrive in 2018, effectively completing the Shelby Mustang lineup. Like before, top of the line Shelby Mustang will benefit from larger air intakes, fatter tires and more aggressive body panels. Unlike before, GT500 will, for the first time pack an independent rear suspension. And, most importantly, expect at least a 700-horsepower worthy V8 under that bulky hood. Voodoo 5.2L flat-plane crank V8 found in current Shelby Mustang lineup is basically a sure thing, but the question that hangs in the air is: supercharger or dual turbochargers? Although twin-turbos coincide with Blue Oval’s current philosophy, supercharger would definitely be able to add more than ample power to overtake Camaro ZL1 and even threaten Challenger Hellcat. Decisions, decisions…
