Lee Iaccoca first came up with the idea for the Mustang. It finally came to be in 1964. There's no doubt in our minds that it was a revolutionary car. It changed the way cars were made. And because of this, Ford became the powerhouse manufacturer it is today.

The advancements made by that one single vehicle made all that possible. That’s how powerful the Mustang is. Not just in performance, but in the obvious history-changing and influencing resonance it exuded as well.

The car has gone on through many generations. As the calendar years changed, so did the models and designs. Some were more favored than others, but there were indeed a lot of favorites that cropped up over the years. Revolutionary vehicle aside, it has become a thoroughbred in the eyes of many auto enthusiasts. There are few others that can take its place in history and on the road.

15 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT

When set against such a backdrop, perhaps anything would look beautiful. But as beautiful as this? Probably not.

This 1967 Shelby is a sight for sore eyes. As we see so many other models out there cropping up, we miss this older, classic style. These older models just seem to show off more power. And if it's at all possible, we, in turn, don't appreciate newer models as much.

14 2019 Ford Mustang

Not knocking the newer models. This 2019 pictured above is, of course, a beautiful machine. The sleek style and contours send shivers down our collective spines. The power is still quite evident, as is the looming presence of its lineage.

But there are of course those that look down on it. Are these old-school scholars of the mustang? Perhaps. And maybe they don't want to give credit to a newer breed rising up.

13 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible

Ah! The old school. There's nothing like it, though. This 1966 speaks of simpler times and long Sunday drives in the country. But what may seem like simpler times to newer generations, was really just real life to those that lived them.

The cars they had, like this one, were probably a great reprieve from the same old day to day grind. Very much like they are to us today.

12 1965 Ford Mustang GT Fastback

Considered as being a part of the First Generation of Mustangs, this model has its place in history. The fastback perfectly details the designs that were so new-age at the time.

Funny how we can still call these designs new-age, eh? Well, they were at the time. But still, we can appreciate how they took the cars we now know and love, from where they'd been, to where they'd go.

11 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby

The Shelby Mustang, in general, is a high-performance car. The original Shelby Mustang was taken to performance heights unknown to the standard Mustang - which wasn't exactly a slouch, to begin with. Just imagine how much more powerful the Shelby was.

Carroll Shelby started the company that would eventually bring the world this model. He was played by Matt Damon in the recent film, Ford v. Ferrari.

10 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

And to see how far the Shelby Mustang has come is pretty cool. To see how it's changed and been re-invented, time and time again is interesting. Because it teaches us something about the progression of time.

Especially in the automotive industry, this can be felt. Not so much in the cars that come and go. But we can see it and feel it in the cars that stick around, no matter what.

9 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback

Some of these old Mustangs sure had nice paint jobs. Many wouldn't care about that part, but we can all appreciate a color that we're not so used to seeing on the road. Older models definitely do that for us. That's why when we see a refurbished one rumbling down the road with the old paint job, we rejoice. It takes us back.

8 1988 Ford Mustang GT

Now with this model here, you wouldn't believe it's a Mustang at all. By the time the eighties rolled around, people were ready for something new. But were they ready for this?

Hardly. There were of course supporters of these models. there are actually even those that prefer them. Now that's not everybody, including yours truly, but they sure do have their place. Especially in the vehicle's history.

7 1998 Ford Mustang GT Coupe

Things got a tad worse for some in the nineties. there are many that believe that these models here were the absolute worst. They in no way resembled what came before. And that in and of itself is a tragedy.

Cars should always have something to show what came before. That's how the legacy lives on. But with the 1998 Coupe, there was little or no shades of the past. Which probably makes it the worst Mustang to date.

6 2006 Ford Mustang GT

And then 2006 came along. The new millennium proved a new era of possibilities was on the horizon. For many vehicles at that. But for the Mustang, new horizons weren't really what Ford was after.

Perhaps the Ford execs were tired of hearing the same old complaints about the models from the two previous decades. But the 2006 model showed great shades of the past. And classic Mustang lovers rejoiced and welcomed it with open arms. Finally, the Mustang was back!

5 2006 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H

And so was the tried, tested and true Shelby! Really we can't have one without the other. Getting rid of the Shelby would be like if you had Cheerios without the Honey. Things just go together sometimes, and perfectly so.

4 2020 Ford Mustang

Which of course brings us to the modern era. Like in the film Grease, when Sandy and Danny Zuko go through the clouds in that final scene, we the audience are meant to understand that their love will live on in some form. Of course, there are many interpretations of that scene, but that's what we got from it. Or at least a part of it. It is a musical after all.

But so will the Ford Mustang live on, and we can't wait to see what models are in store for the future.

3 1962 Ford Mustang (Concept)

A rare shot for sure. You sure won't see this one anywhere around town. It is known as an experimental concept car. It was built in 1962, which was three years before the first official Mustang was launched.

The word experimental is right. This concept doesn't resemble what finally came out on the market at all, obviously. But still, it shows us how innovative the engineers at Ford were.

2 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Anytime you put the word Mach in a name for a car, you know you're in for one wild ride. Mach is the unit of measurement used to determine speed. Mach 1 is specifically defined as traveling at the exact speed of sound.

Now, although that's not at all light-speed, it's still excessively fast. This is a figurative name. It's given to the car to say that yes, it is very fast. But really, its top speed doesn't exactly match the speed of sound.

1 1966 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

Well, when it's all said and done, all car companies wish they had the legacy that this car does. Every single model year left its imprint on the world. And yes, even the ones from the eighties and nineties.

In the end, they touched someone out there. And the vehicles that touch us. The ones that really move us. Well, in the end, they're the ones really worth writing about.

Sources: Hagerty, The Drive, Mustang Attitude