1979 Ford Mustang Specs & Details

1979 is a pivotal year in Ford Mustang history as it marked the introduction of the third generation of Ford’s legendary pony car. The previous-gen Mustang II was Ford’s knee-jerk reaction to a volatile marketplace beset by an energy crisis and crushing emission regulations. It’s easy to argue that the Fox Body was responsible for keeping the Mustang name from obscurity: a fate that fell upon the Plymouth Barracuda and a host of other classics. To overcome the Mustang II’s “meh” styling and performance, Ford started with a blank slate and a few borrowed components from the corporate parts bin. The result was a crisp Mustang with design hints that traced back to the first ‘Stang.

Thanks to a sweeping hood and short deck, the 1979 Mustang was reminiscent of its predecessors. But, its streamlined body panels and quad rectangular headlights embraced modernity. And in keeping with tradition, the Mustang was available in multiple body styles. For 1979, that meant a hatchback and a notchback. It’s a choice that created a hatchback versus notchback debate that still exists today.

Ford offered multiple engine choices, with an 89-horsepower 2.3-liter inline-four being the standard powerplant for the base and Ghia Mustangs. Both trims could be upgraded to the 2.8-liter Cologne V-6 (replaced midyear with the 3.3-liter inline-six). The turbocharged version of the four-banger, standard on the Cobra, offered a nice horsepower bump to 132. Carried over from the Mustang II, the 5.0-liter V-8 had only an eight horsepower increase over the turbo. The turbo was available on the base and Ghia, and all trims could be ordered with the V-8.

Along with the body style and engine options, the 1979 Mustang was available in three trims: base, Ghia, and Cobra. The base could be configured with sporty touches likes two-tone paint and liftgate louvers (for the hatchback). In contrast, the Ghia was all about luxury. And while many today would consider a Mustang with wire wheels covers and a vinyl hardtop roof to be a criminal act, it was a reality in 1979. This was Ford’s way of offering a smaller personal luxury coupe for those who didn’t want a Thunderbird or other massive two-door from a competitor. The hatchback-only Cobra offered reasonable turbo performance that still had fuel economy and better emissions in mind.

Notably, Ford also produced 10,478 replicas of the Mustang Indianapolis 500 Pace Car to commemorate the car’s use in the 63rd Indy 500. Available only as a hatchback, the Mustang Pace Car edition could be ordered with either the turbo four-cylinder or 5.0-liter V-8.

1979 Ford Mustang Specs

1979 Mustang Articles

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  Top Performance Exhausts For 1979-1993 Mustangs

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  Fox Body Mustang: Everything You Need To Know

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  Mustang SVO: Everything You Need To Know

Check out other 1979-1993 Mustang Specs: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993