Ford Mustang Boss 302 (1969 to 1970)

The Boss 302 was a performance variant of the 1969-1970 First Generation Ford Mustang. In response to the growing racing competition offered by the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford decided to create two new performance focused Mustang variants in order to regain the company's foothold in North American motorsports. These variants were the Boss 302, which was aimed at SCCA Trans-Am racing (and spawned the Boss 302 Trans-Am Race Car), and the more powerful Boss 429, which was aimed at NASCAR racing. The Boss 302 was introduced for the 1969 model year, and was only offered in the fastback body style. These cars featured a 302 cubic inch V8 engine (5.0L) engine that was created to comply with Trans-Am regulations, as well as a 4 speed manual that was the only transmission option. As well as upgrades to the drivetrain and engine, the Boss 302 featured front and rear aerodynamic improvements which included a rear spoiler. A total of 8,641 Boss 302 Mustangs were built for the 1969 (1,628 built) and 1970 (7,013 built) model years before the model was discontinued. Ford would later revive the name as part of the Fifth Generation Ford Mustang.