Page 207 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

With an advanced fuel injection system and an intercooled turbocharger, the SVO’s engine boasted 175 horsepower that soon improved to 200 horsepower thanks to some tuning and cooling tweaks.
There was more to the SVO than just the engine, however. This Mustang got revised front suspension geometry, Koni shocks all around, a quicker steering rack, limited slip differential, and the Mustang’s first-ever four-wheel disc brakes. Inside, a new set of pedals aided in the heel & toe cornering technique described above.
Later model years boosted power to 200 or 205 horsepower and torque to 240-248 lb ft. Further, the price of the SVO had actually dropped slightly to $15,272 by the end of production in 1986. In all, 9,835 units of the SVO were made.
Mustang GT and LX 5.0
Unlike the SVO, the Mustang GT was more old school Pony Car. You still got drum brakes in the back, for example. Horsepower ratings seem abysmal now, ranging from 120-225 ponies depending on the year. But the performance in the Mustang GT was always based on torque, and it made torque about as well as any affordable car of its era. A Mustang GT with the 5.0-liter engine was a point & shoot car, not a nimble handler.
You could option a V8 from the beginning of the line in 1979, but the Mustang GT package arrived in 1982 with some body kit changes at a price of $8,308. In 1984, you could get the Turbo GT with the turbocharged 2.3-liter, but without all the SVO goodies. This was attractive because the hatchback Turbo GT retailed for $9,762 and the 5.0 GT for $9,578, which was a bit more than half the price of the SVO. By the end of the Fox body era in 1993, a GT cost $15,747, and the convertible was a whopping $20,848, while the 230-horse Cobra hatchback retailed at $18,247. In comparison, the Chevy Camaro Z28 cost $16,799 for about the same performance.
TOP: A 1993 Ford Mustang GT.
MIDDLE: While not offering the most comfortable cabin around, the Mustang GT featured well-bolstered seats and multi-hued plastic trim. ABOVE: This Mustang GT from 1987 is finished in the popular white livery that featured prominently in several models of the era.
Ford Mustang (Fox Body)
Buying a Fox Body Mustang
When considering this era of Mustang, condition is everything. Most of these cars suffered through a long middle age of being left outside with maintenance deferred (at best) or neglected entirely. Insist on one that has been garaged since new and maintained, or be ready to rebuild virtually everything at this point. Low mileage is nice, but by 30-40 years of age, time has had its way with wear and tear, too.
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