When the Mustang was first conceptualized, cars were used in a very different way than they are today. Early Mustangs were impressive pieces of design that transformed the way people thought about transportation. However, today's vehicles are also highly advanced. From their highly advanced electronic systems to their impressive performance, the Ford Mustang has a legacy that few other vehicles can match. The Mustang is still regarded as a symbol of American automotive performance and design. And for good reason; this iconic sports car has stood for freedom, passion and unparalleled performance.

1962: The Mustang I Concept Coupe is manufactured. The longhood, short rear deck, and sculpted rear quarter panels will become hallmarks of the pony car body style. Unlike other pony cars though, the prototype was a mid-engine, two seat design.

1964 The Mustang debuts at the World's Fair in Queens.

1965: The first Shelby GT350 debuts.

1966: In March, sales of the Mustang hit the one million mark.

1967: The 1967 model year is considered the peak year for pony car body styles.

1968: The 428 Cobra Jet engine is introduced in April as an option for those interested in making the Mustang faster.

1969: New models and option packages mean that 11 power train configurations are available to Mustang buyers.

1970: Any Mustang with a 351-cid (or larger) V-8 engine can come with a Shaker hood scoop option for the first time.

1971: A new body style that is almost 600 pounds heavier and a foot longer than the first Mustang is introduced.

1972: The Sprint model (with a special red, white, and blue paint job with matching interior) debuts.

1973: The last convertible model for almost a decade is offered.

1974: The redesigned Mustang II debuts. For the first time, due to the energy crisis, no V-8 engine is made available as a factory option.

1975: A small-block V-8 engine is offered.

1976: The Cobra II, with a non-functional hood scoop, spoilers, and racing stripes, makes its debut.

1977: The first T-top (where the roof contains two glass panels that can be removed) becomes available.

1978: The first Mustang 5.0 is offered.

1979: The newest Mustang platform, the Fox, looks more like a European sports car. It's longer, lighter, and taller than the Mustang II body.

1980: The economical small-block V-8 replaces the 302-cid V-8 engine.

1981: New emissions standards lead to the reduction of the 255-cid V-8 engine's output to 115 horsepower.

1982: The GT returns to the Mustang lineup after 12 years.

1983: The first convertible since 1973 is introduced as a factory option.

1984: The Mustang SVO, with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rear dual-wing spoiler, debuts.

1985: An improved 5.0 liter V-8 is released that produces 210 horsepower when coupled with a manual transmission.

1986: Fuel injection replaces carburetors in all V-8 engines.

1987: The "aero" body style premieres.

1988: More than half of all Mustangs sold during this model year are 5.0-liter V-8s.

1989: The 25th anniversary of the Mustang is celebrated with "25 Years" inscribed on all dashboards.

1990 : The driver's-side airbag becomes standard equipment on all Mustangs.

1991: Base-level Mustangs come standard with 2.3-liter four-cylinder engines capable of 105 horsepower.

1992: The Mustang LX5.0 is the most popular model, selling more units than all other Mustangs combined!

1993: Only 107 units of the Cobra R are produced, and all are sold before they leave the assembly line.

1994: The Mustang is drastically redesigned for its 30th anniversary. Out of 1,850 parts, 1,330 are changed for the redesign.

1995: The 5.0-liter V-8 engine is offered as a factory option for the last time.

1996: SVT Mustang Cobras and Mustang GTs come standard with a new 4.6-liter V-8 engine.

1997: Ford makes PATS, its passive anti-theft protections system, standard on all models.

1998: The performance of the 4.6-liter V-8 in all Mustang GTs rises to 225 horsepower.

1999: A new hood, lamps, fascias, and grill are part of a body style redesign.

2000: For the third time, an SVT Mustang Cobra R is offered. It features the Mustang's first factory six-speed transmission.

2001: The Mustang Bullitt GT, inspired by the 1968 Mustang from the classic film Bullitt, is introduced.

2002: With the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird ending production, Mustang is the only pony car still being made.

2003: The Mustang Mach 1 returns, this time with a Shaker hood scoop and 305-horsepower engine.

2004: Mustang celebrates its 40th anniversary. The last cars roll off of the line at the Dearborn Assembly Plant, which until then had produced Mustangs for each model year.

2005: Mustang production moves to the AAI factory, located in Flat Rock, Michigan.

2006: The Pony Package is introduced, offering a V6 engine, 18-inch wheels, and the choice of more than 125 colors of instrument panel lighting.

2007: The Warriors in Pink Mustang is produced to raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation.

2008: A GT Convertible is the nine millionth Mustang to roll off the assembly line. It's sold to a farmer from Iowa.

2009: Ford hosts a 45th-anniversary celebration in Alabama.

2010: The Mustang is redesigned with a sequential turn signal and a new hood style.

2011: A 5.0-liter engine is once more added to the lineup, this time with the V-8 Coyote motor.

2012: The Boss 302 is reintroduced. It was last available in the late 1970s.

2013: The Shelby GT500 is the most powerful factory-made car of the year, with a 5.8 supercharged V-8.

2014: The Flat Rock plant makes its one-millionth Mustang.

2015: Ford completely redesigns the Mustang.