Ford’s 1991 Lincoln Town Car sported the country’s first single-overhead V8. It was a huge leap for the company’s V8 engines, which had seemingly been rather stagnant for some time prior — the company has had a curious history with V8s, after all. The goal at the time wasn’t just to produce an enhanced engine, but to future-proof (as far as it’s truly possible to future-proof anything) Ford’s V8s and the vehicles that would be equipped with them. Engineer Jim Clarke led the charge, and the results would be transformative.
This 1991 model’s V8 engine hit 3,200 rpm of torque and 190 horsepower. The concept would be further developed after the vehicle’s introduction, leading to the larger-capacity Coyote. This five-liter engine was first fitted in the Ford Mustang GT, intended as a step towards further successes for Ford in the racing arena. The Mustang became an iconic racer for Ford, and the faith the company had in the car was plain to see. In fact, in an August 2023 interview, Ford’s Jim Farley told Top Gear, “the original idea was never to have a new GT. We wanted to win Le Mans with the Mustang.”
Expectations for the 2011 Ford Mustang GT were so high that the Coyote was developed for the model in particular. This new modular marvel was a cut above the Ford V8s that came before, for several different reasons.
