In the year 1979, a new generation of Mustang. The technical basis of the car became a platform for Fox Platform, which by that time had already been established compacts Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr. Later, on the basis of the same platforms were created the Ford Thunderbird, Ford LTD, American Ford Granada, and even Lincoln Continental 1982 onwards, which made it possible to reach high unification within the lineup. Externally and on the size of the car resembled the European Fords of those years Sierra and Scorpio models. Base engines were European, but, unlike European models, the Mustang in top trim levels were fairly large V8.
After the second oil crisis in 1979 production of the engine Ford Windsor 302 V8 (4.9 l) was discontinued in favor of a new «Ford Windsor V8 255 (4.2 l) with less fuel consumption. It was the only V8 offered in 1980 and 1981, and the weakest V8 (120 HP (89 kW)) ever stavivšimsâ on the Mustang. This meant that "the 2.3 L Turbo 4 was the most efficient engine at that time. But "Turbo" 4 faced with lots of problems related to reliability is insufficient lubrication led to premature turbocharger failure, and even a fire.