The convertible returned to the third-generation Mustang for the 1983 model year.
Ford had dropped the Mustang convertible after 1973, leaving the early Fox-platform generation with coupe and hatchback body styles. For 1983, the company restored the open-top model after a nine-year absence, helping broaden the Mustang’s appeal as sales and buyer tastes changed.
The 1983 refresh also brought a rounded front fascia, revised grille, wider horizontal taillights, and Ford’s blue oval emblems on the exterior. The convertible used structural bracing to compensate for the roof removal, including underbody reinforcement that added weight compared with fixed-roof versions.
A common mix-up is confusing the convertible’s return with the third-generation Mustang’s debut. This generation began with the 1979 model year; 1983 marks the return of the body style, not the start of the generation. The convertible continued through the rest of the Fox-body era and into later Mustang generations.