Car of the Month – March, 2026
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Engine – 302 CID 5 liter
Horsepower – 290 hp, 290 ft-lbs of torque
Transmission – 4-speed manual transmission
Curb Weight – 3,300 lbs
0-60 time – 6.5 seconds
¼ mile time – 14.6 seconds
Top speed – 131 mph
Number built – 7,013
MSRP price – $3,720
When Ford introduced the Mustang, it provided the young enthusiast with a performance car that was both affordable and great looking. Although it was soon copied by other manufacturers, the Mustang became the best-selling and most loved car in its class.
Sports Car Club of America rules specified that manufacturers had to sell a production version of any car it planned to race in the Trans Am Racing Series. The cylinder heads of the Boss 302 engine were oversized and larger than the competition’s heads, making the weight of the engine over 500 pounds, but the increase in power made up for the additional weight.
The Mustang was the inspiration for the Trans Am series pony car class, which included the AMC Javelin, Chevy Camaro, Plymouth ’Cuda, Mercury Cougar, Dodge Challenger and Pontiac Firebird. In 1970, Bud Moore’s team had a very successful season, and that year Parnelli Jones won the Trans Am championship, driving the Mustang Boss 302.
How the Mustang Boss got its name was not very scientific. When the car’s designer Larry Shinoda was asked about the project, he simply said, “It’s the boss’s car,” and the name stuck, as it did with the “Boss 9,” also in this collection.