To automobile history buffs, the story of Ford Motor Company is, in part, a story of its engines. The story includes the famous V8 Flatheads of the 1940s, the Y-blocks that replaced them, and a series of small-block Windsors, including the 5.0-liter V8 that would give the Mustang so much of its muscle.

Last Year of the 5.0 Engine

In the three decades following its introduction in 1962, the 5.0-liter Windsor would be featured in nearly all Mustangs, with the exception of 1980 and 1981 models. The last Mustang to feature the 5.0-liter engine was the 1995 model, after which Ford replaced it with a 4.6-liter V8 engine capable of producing 215 horsepower.

The Coyote

In December 2009, Ford announced the production of a Ford Mustang GT, scheduled for 2011, featuring a new 5.0-liter, four-valve, twin independent variable camshaft timing V8 engine. Nicknamed the “Coyote,” this engine produced 412 horsepower and 390 pound-foot of torque. In addition, GT Mustangs with the new engine reported better gas mileage than previous Windsor V8 engine models.

The Boss

In 2012, a special limited-edition Boss 302 Mustang entered the market, boasting a modified 5.0-liter Hi-Po Ti-VCT V8 engine outputting 444 horsepower and 380 pound-foot of torque. This performance marked an incremental improvement to the 412-horsepower base GT 5.0-liter Coyote. The automatic GT Mustang offered 18 city (25 highway) EPA-estimated miles per gallon, while the modified Boss 302 5.0-liter engine offered 17 city (26 highway) EPA-estimated mpg.

In 2013, the GT Mustang once again featured the new 5.0-liter Ti-VCT Coyote V8 engine. This time, the engine produced an estimated 420 horsepower. The Boss 302 Mustang also returned, still producing 444 horsepower and 380 pound-foot of torque.

The 2014 Ford Mustang featured the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 in the GT once again. Meanwhile, the Boss 302 Mustang was removed from the model-year lineup, having ended its limited-edition run in 2013.

Second Generation

The 2015 Ford Mustang, which was completely redesigned, featured a second generation (Gen 2) Coyote. This was a modified 5.0-liter V8 engine outputting 435 horsepower and 400 pound-foot of torque thanks to an upgraded valvetrain and cylinder heads. It also featured a new intake manifold designed to improve low-speed breathing for better fuel economy, idle stability, and emissions. Ford engineers said they were able to improve upon the Coyote V8 thanks to lessons learned when working on the limited-edition Boss 302 Mustang.

The 2016 and 2017 Ford Mustang GT models also featured the newly-modified Gen 2 Coyote V8 engine, in addition to a variety of other upgrades, all paying homage to the classic 1967 Ford Mustang.

Third Generation

In 2018, Ford introduced the third generation (Gen 3) of the Coyote, an upgraded Gen 2 engine featuring new duel-fuel, high-pressure direct and low-pressure port fuel injection, which improves fuel economy while maintaining 460 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-to-60-mph speed of under four seconds. Additional features include improved cylinder heads, 93mm cylinder bores, larger valves, a new intake manifold, upgraded bearings, and a viscous crank damper.