For the 1994 model year, Ford introduced an all-new Mustang, but one that kept the same 5.0 V8 with a paltry 215 horsepower. Replacing that in 1996 was a 4.6 liter V8…also with just 215 horsepower. For speed freaks like Steve Saleen, this would not do, and so he ordered up a batch of engineless Mustangs to be delivered to his Irvine, California factory.

There these cars underwent a radical transformation that included a new aerodynamic body kit and one of two 351 cubic-inch engines based on the Ford Lightning long-block. The resulting car was called the Saleen S351, and it is one of the few aftermarket Mustangs to ever get its own commercial. But then Saleen is not actually considered aftermarket, they’re actually deemed a manufacturer.

For about $45,000 in mid-90s money (a Mustang GT coupe had a starting MSRP of around $20,000), Saleen would install a 371 horsepower 351 cubic-inch V8 in place of the anemic stock engine. For a few extra grand you could even get a supercharged version of the same motor cranking out 480 horsepower, putting it at the top of the performance pack for its time. Before the end of the S351 era, there was even a 500 hp variant, that was rumored would hit 200 mph!

Other modifications included the race car-like aerodynamic body kit and Saleen’s famous Racecraft suspension for top-of-the-line cornering grip. This is also the car that gave rise to the “Saleen wing” trend that spread like the plague across Mustang owners during the late 1990s. Yet despite their high initial cost, today a low-mileage S-351 Mustang can be had for as little as $30,000 with fewer than 6,000 miles.

That could be because the mid-to-late 90s were arguably the most successful years for Saleen, producing thousands of cars for owners eager to keep up with the LS1-powered F-bodies that dominated the streets at the time. Saleen also had to upgrade things like the transmission, which was a Tremec TR3550 5-speed designed to handle the extra torque of the much-bigger motor. And let’s not forget those big (for the time) 18-inch alloy wheels made special for Saleen.

The Saleen S351 was arguably the car that reminded Mustang owners of their legacy of horsepower, and helped usher in today’s dominant muscle car lineup. Checkout the commercial and enjoy a little flashback to 1990’s corniness in marketing. This commercial reminds us what a Mustang should sound like, compared to the weezy mod motors of the mid-90s.