1989 Ford Mustang Specs & Details

As the 1980s came to a close, the Fox Body Mustang was on a roll. Almost 210,000 units were sold for the 1989 model year (and 1988 was equally strong). After years of adjusting the model lineup and swapping engine choices, the ‘Stang was finally in a good place. So, the last thing Ford wanted to do was change things. As a result, the 1989 Mustang had no significant revisions. But, there was still enough going on to make 1989 an interesting year for Ford’s pony car.

To begin with, the automaker took what it already had with the Mustang and did a little sleight of hand to introduce an all-new trim, the LX 5.0L Sport. If you’re somewhat familiar with Fox Body trims, you can probably already figure out what this involves. It’s a base LX with the GT’s eight-cylinder engine, something that savvy Fox Body buyers have been snapping up for years. Ford just formalized things with a new label.

The LX 5.0L Sport could be ordered in hatchback, notchback, or convertible form with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. But, what made this variant special was that it also used the GT’s suspension. So, buyers could get GT performance and handling without a GT price. Even the GT’s sport seats found a place in the new trim. Speed freaks also discovered that the notchback version of the LX 5.0L Sport weighed 200 pounds less than the hatchback—something that’s common knowledge among today’s Fox Body champions.

1989 also marked the Mustang’s 25th anniversary. One would have thought that Ford would have made a big deal about celebrating the occasion, but a limited-run anniversary edition never happened. Instead, every Mustang built for one year (beginning April 17, 1989—exactly 25 years after the car first went on sale) received a commemorative dash plaque.

The GT soldiered on without any changes to the 5.0’s output, but new air sensors made life much easier for tuners. Thanks to a mass air system, updates to the intake, engine, or exhaust would automatically be adjusted for by the ECU. This made for a correct air-to-fuel ratio and optimal power. Ford also made one noticeable change inside the GT’s cabin; a 140-mph speedometer replaced the previous unit capped at 85 mph. The base LX, powered by the same-old 2.3-liter inline-four, carried on as well with no substantial changes.

1989 Ford Mustang Specs

1989 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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  Fox Body Horsepower & Torque Numbers

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