Ford's Mustang has lived a storied history over the last 46 years, and with the return of the 5.0-liter V-8 and the introduction of a new 3.7-liter V-6, the story is far from over. As we prepare for the first-drive reports due next week, join us in a look back at some of the best Mustangs in history in this extensive photo gallery.

The Mustang first debuted in 1964 as a 1964.5 model, and quickly evolved from there through the 1970s, changing shape and name to the Mustang II, then back to the Mustang with the popular Fox body car in 1979, through to the Cobras of the 1990s and on to today's modern Mustang V-6 and GT. For a comprehensive history of the car, check out Marty Padgett's article here, and check out High Gear Media's index of Mustang coverage here.