The fifth generation Mustang, introduced in 2005, marked a dramatic break from the design sensibilities of the last few years. With a "retro-futuristic" look that hearkened back to the original Mustangs, the new makeover was widely praised upon for its introduction, selling over 300,000 units in the first 2 years. With this new look came a performance overhaul as well. The car's base engine was upgraded to a 4.0L V6, while the GT got a 4.6L V8 outputting 300 horses, capable of accelerating from 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds.

In 2007, the Shelby GT500 was introduced by Ford's Special Vehicles Team. Featuring a supercharged 5.4L V8, the car outperformed international heavy hitters such as the Lotus Elise, Porsche Cayman S and BMW M6, according to a test in Car and Driver magazine. It became quite popular with enthusiasts and sold well enough that Ford retained the performance model for many years following.

Another popular nameplate made its return with the fifth generation Mustang: The Bullitt! This model returned in 2008 with a special exterior design, along with numerous performance modifications. With a limited production run, it became highly desirable by enthusiasts, so much so that Ford added another model year for the Bullitt in 2009.

Other changes during the run of the 2005-2009 Mustang were modest. Power and performance increased slightly during that time period, but few other changes happened in the lineup. The early part of the Mustang's fifth generation was truly a tale of the performance models that were available.

Looking at parts for a specific year? Check out these years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, or 2009 for parts specific to your model year.