1993 Ford Mustang: Ultimate In-Depth Guide

History, Specs, Options, Performance & More

1993 Ford Mustang

1993 Ford Mustang

1993 Ford Mustang Overview

The 1993 Mustang overall changed little from the 1992 model. The final year of the third generation Mustang was all about the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra. Ford brought back the Cobra and the Cobra “R”. The body styles are still boring, but the performance was very interesting.

Model: 1993 Ford Mustang
Generation: 3rd Generation Mustang
Type: 2 Door
Body Styles: Coupe, Hatchback, Convertible
Engines: 2.3L EFI 4 cyl, 5.0L EFI V8, 5.0L Cobra EFI
Original Price: $11,159 (Base Coupe), $11,664 (Base Hatchback), $17,988 (Convertible)
Units Produced: 114,228

Additional 1993 Mustang Research: 1993 Research Center / Colors Details / Production Numbers / Prices & Options / Sales Brochures / Owner Manuals / Maintenance / Pictures / Videos / VIN Decoder / Special Editions

Background & Details

With the economy recovering in 1993 Mustang sales rebounded in a big way to 114,228 vehicles and this was with a car that was virtually unchanged. Exterior updates to the 1993 Mustang were minor and on the inside there were no changes at all, not unexpected given it was the last year of the third generation Mustang. The most exciting base model change was the introduction of the higher quality CD player incorporated in the radio.

The V8 HO engine however was demoted and is now rated at only 205 horsepower (Ford had misstated its true horsepower for a few years it turns out). Torque was down as well. It seems to me that with a few modifications to the cam and the exhaust, and a slight modification to the Mass Air Flow system, much of that power could be easily recovered. I guess that will have to be done by aftermarket products since Ford had no interest.

The most exciting thing in 1993 was the launch of the Mustang Cobra and Cobra R. For those who wanted to take their little fox body Mustang 5.0 to the next level and could afford the steep buy-in, you could order up what was pretty much, a street legal race car. It was the proud baby of the Ford SVT.

Distinguishing features included a new front valance, some cool looking 7 spoke turbine wheels, a restyled rear wing and of course the Cobra badges. The big news for the pony car, or at least for the new SVT Cobra was a 5.0 liter V8 pumping out 234 horsepower. It was mounted to a manual transmission only option and a limited slip 3.08:1 rear end.

The Cobra R had rear seats taken out, no air conditioning and no radio. Big 13.5 inch front discs with twin piston calipers. The SVT Cobra R engine was virtually identical, with the Special Vehicles Team working to increase overall performance with wider wheels and tires, a larger front sway bar for better handling and braking.

Single handedly the 1987-1993 Mustang can be credited for the creation of the modern tuning market. It gave rise to a large aftermarket of high performance parts that is still going strong today. It also erased the myth that computer controlled fuel injected vehicles signaled the end of simple engine modifications since it was viewed that computer controlled engines could not be modified or tuned easily.

Special Edition Models & Variants

GT

The 1993 Mustang GT came with the big 5.0L HO V8 engine, air conditioning, a cargo tie down net, floor mats, and optional two-tone paint. The 1993 Mustang GT only came in the hatchback and convertible body styles. The GT did not come in the 2-door sedan body style. Compared to the base level LX, the Mustang GT front upper grille was closed, fog lamps installed under the front bumper, side scoops, and Mustang GT embossed into the rocker panels.

Learn more about 1993 Ford Mustang GT

SVT Cobra

SVT Cobra

Varying from the GT is the restyled front valance, unique 17-inch seven-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, rear wing and Cobra badges. The ’93 SVT Mustang Cobra performance is also enhanced with GT40 cylinder heads, Borg-Warner T-5 manual transmission, Koni shocks and bigger brakes. Another unique feature of the SVT Mustang Cobra is that it is not available with an automatic transmission.

Learn more about 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

SVT Cobra R

SVT Cobra R

The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra R was sold out before it was even released. This 235 horsepower model, intended for racing, was stripped of its rear seat, radio, and sound dampeners to increase speed. Specially tuned suspension allowed it to become the most nimble Fox Mustang ever. Only 107 Cobra R-models are produced, most of which belong to collectors.

Learn more about 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

Special LX 5.0L Convertibles

Special LX 5.0L Convertibles

Once again Ford offered a 5-litre LX convertible “Limited Edition Feature Car”. These cars were essentially equipped the same way as the 1992 “Feature Cars” however this time the cars were offered in a couple of different colour combinations.

Learn more about 1993 Ford Mustang Special LX 5.0L Convertibles

Specifications, Options & Detailed Stats

Production Numbers

The 1993 Mustang Cobra arrived in time for the last year of the third generation Mustang. As always, the last year of a generation sees a nice bump in sales and that was no different this time around. Sales went from a horrible 79,280 units in 1992 to a respectable 114,228 in 1993, up 44%. To dive into the model and body splits as well as see charts and percentages, check out our 1993 Ford Mustang Production & Sales Numbers deep dive.

Options and Pricing

The base prices kept going up despite no changes to the cars in 1993. For more detailed options and pricing, please check out our 1993 pricing and options research.

Exterior & Interior Colors

A total of 13 colors were available for the 1993 Mustang model year. Lots of blues, blacks and reds for this modely year in terms of exterior colors. For detailed colors, color palettes, codes and interior colors please check out our in depth 1993 colors information post.

Dimensions & Weight

The 1993 Mustang had the exact same dimensions and weight as the prior year model.

Engine Specs

The engine options were unchanged for 1993. The 4-cylinder engine was updated the prior year and those changes stayed. Horsepower stayed at 105-horsepower. The hard-charging 5.0-litre H.O. V8 was still a solid engine with 225-horsepower and 300 pound-feet respectively. For more information on engines for 1993, you can find the information here.

Performance

Below is the performance data for the 1993 Mustangs that we could find. We have seen some sites states different times but since the GT was unchanged from prior years it makes no sense that the performance numbers changed. The 1993 Mustang was still a competitive performer given its price. Below we have included 0-60 mph times, 0-100 mph times as well as quarter mile times and top speed where available.

VIN Information

Vin Decoder Mustang 1993

This link will take you to a page which contains the VIN tag information for all years of Mustangs. Previously this information appeared on each Mustang’s year page, but consolidating it has significantly reduced page loading times. To decode the build sheet, check out our 1993 VIN & Data Plate Decoder sheet.

Videos & Picture Galleries

We managed to find some great video reviews of the 1993 Mustang so definitely check those out. We also have a picture 1993 Ford Mustang Picture Gallery and photos of real Mustangs in each color that was available.