The Ford Mustang, a name synonymous with muscle car madness, has a long and glorious history of churning out legendary performers. But even within this pedigree of power, some Mustangs stand out as truly extraordinary. Today, we’re diving into seven of the most badass special edition Mustangs ever to hit the asphalt. Welcome to the PD Evolution Channel.
1966 Mustang Anniversary Gold Edition
Believed to have been produced in limited quantities, possibly fewer than 50, all of these distinctive Mustangs were hard tops, and today only five remain. This version is considered the rarest among the first-generation Mustangs.
The purpose behind their creation was to celebrate Ford’s achievement of producing 1 million Mustangs by March 1966. Each car boasted a unique gold paint job and a deluxe black pony interior. These exceptional vehicles were part of a dealer sales competition with only one 66 anniversary gold Mustang allocated to each of Ford’s sales districts.
Under its hood is a code 289 two-barrel V8 engine making 200 horsepower. The automatic transmission ensured smooth driving, while the Chrome Rally wheels added an elegant touch. Built at the San Jose plant, these rare gems share identical equipment, making them highly sought-after collector’s items.
1966 Hertz Shelby Mustang GT350
In 1966, owning a GT350 was a dream for many. Seeing an opportunity, the Hertz Corporation partnered with Shelby America to launch a program called Rent-A-Racer. Hertz purchased 1,000 Shelby Mustang GT350 fastbacks, painted them in a special livery, and renamed them GT350H to serve the program.
These Mustangs were offered to members of the Hertz Sports Car Club who had to be 25 or older to rent. To rent a GT350H, Hertz customers had to pay $17 per day plus an additional 17 cents per mile. This was clearly a bargain even in 1966.
Of course, Shelby also benefited from the project as more people got to experience and love the GT350, which greatly boosted sales. However, it wasn’t without its problems. Some mischievous customers rented these cars to take to the racetrack, resulting in many cars being heavily damaged.
The high repair costs led to the cancellation of the Rent-A-Racer program. Despite this, it also helped many people fulfill their dreams. Today, surviving GT350H’s are highly sought after and can fetch prices well over $100,000 depending on condition.
1968 Shelby Mustang GT500KR
In 1968, the Mustang GT500 quickly entered the list of automotive icons after only one year of production. However, Ford didn’t stop there. The company developed a more powerful version of the GT500 to make history in the American automobile industry.
That is the Shelby Cobra GT500KR. The 422 Cobra Jet V8 engine was born as part of the car’s performance enhancement plan. Redesigned with better induction, cylinder heads, and a larger exhaust system, the Cobra Jet V8 delivers a real-world output of over 400 horsepower and 440 torque. This is one of the most powerful engines ever to appear in a Mustang.
The GT500KR is available as a fastback and convertible. Only 933 fastbacks were produced, while the number of convertibles was only 318. The “King of the Road” moniker became legendary, although it was later dropped before the 1969 model year. Nevertheless, the Cobra Jet V8 continued to appear and be used for several more years. The Shelby Cobra GT500KR remains a formidable icon of the Mustang lineage to this day.
1993 Mustang SVT Cobra R
Designed as the swan song for the Foxbody Mustang before the introduction of the fourth-generation Mustang in 1994, the 1993 SVT Cobra R was essentially a street-legal race car. Key changes included larger brakes, Koni shocks and struts, an engine oil cooler, and a power steering cooler.
To shed weight, the Cobra R had no rear seat, no radio, no air conditioner, and all sound deadening was removed. A total of 450 lbs of weight was eliminated.
The 5.0L Windsor V8 engine produced 235 horsepower and 280 torque. The performance figures were impressive by 1993 standards, with a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds, a 1/4 mile time of 14.3 seconds as recorded by Road and Track, and a top speed of 140 mph. Only 107 units were built, and they were quickly snatched up by collectors and tucked away in garages. It’s a shame that these rare gems are rarely seen gracing the streets and racetracks they were built for.
2005 Shelby Mustang CS6
At the 2005 SEMA show, Shelby International unveiled the Shelby CS6. This unique model was based on the V6-engined Mustang and featured several enhancements.
The CS6 stood out with its Shelby-exclusive Paxton Novi 1200 centrifugal supercharger based on Paxton’s race-proven gear case. This supercharger delivered a significant power increase. The result is a beast with 350+ horsepower, a significant improvement over the stock Mustang’s 210 horsepower, and even the GT version.
It continued the Shelby-Paxton performance-modified autos tradition, harking back to Carroll Shelby’s prototype Paxton supercharger fitted to the GT350 in 1965. Its racing-inspired design featured a custom hood, brakes, and 20-in American Racing Wheels. Only 17 CS6 were produced, of which four were convertibles, making it one of the rarest Mustangs ever made.
1964 Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang
When Ford unveiled the Mustang at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Iacocca’s influence was undeniable. Fast forward 45 years, and Ford creates 45 Iacocca Silver Edition Mustangs. Only one of these, serial number 32, was owned by Lee Iacocca himself.
The car was built by Gaffoglio Family Metal Crafters, a company known for building some of the most inspiring concept cars for many automakers for over 28 years. Under the hood are two Ford Racing power options: a 320 horsepower naturally aspirated 4.6L V8 or an optional Ford Racing supercharger that delivers a blistering 400 ponies.
A TR3650 5-speed manual transmission is standard on this vehicle. Each vehicle in the exclusive production line has a unique identification number prominently displayed, a distinctive sign of its rarity and uniqueness.
Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca
The final special edition for today is the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca. In 2012, Ford revived the legendary Boss 302 nameplate. At the time, it was the best overall Mustang ever made. However, Ford wanted to take the Boss 302 to a new level, and the Laguna Seca Edition was born.
Named after the famous racetrack where the Boss 302 won its first race in the 1970 Trans-Am season, the Laguna Seca was designed to be the ultimate track car. The Laguna Seca package was aimed at drivers who were more interested in on-track performance than creature comforts. The chassis setup and aerodynamics package are inherited almost entirely from the Ford Racing Boss 302R.
The Laguna Seca had no mechanical changes; it still used the 5.0L V8 engine that produced 444 horsepower and came with a six-speed manual transmission. Only 767 units were built before production ended in 2013, making them highly sought after and collectible today.
