The fifth-generation Mustang->ke428 holds a special place in the pony's five-decade history for many reasons. One of them is that it spawned no fewer than six aircraft-inspired one-off models that were sold for charity. The sixth-gen car then engendered yet another bespoke muscle car,->ke507 the 2015 Ford Mustang F35 Lightning II Edition, for the 2015 model year. For 2016, Ford->ke31 has teamed up with the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture once again to create a customized model. This time around it is called the Apollo Edition and draws its design cues from NASA's Apollo program.

"The Ford Apollo Edition Mustang salutes man’s greatest technological achievement, with the ingenuity, precision, and power that defined the spirit of American innovation," said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of Ford's Board of Directors.

As it's the case with each aircraft-inspired 'Stang, the unique muscle car will be auctioned off for charity, The coupe->ke141 will go under the hammer on July 23rd during the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in, with proceedings to benefit the EAA's youth aviation programs. The event draws an attendance of around 500,000 each year, which should help Ford raise a few hundred thousand dollars with this bespoke machine.

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Mustang Apollo Edition in Detail

The Apollo Edition may be just a Mustang GT, but it looks more like a 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 on the outside. Much like the Lockheed Martin F35 Lightning II before it, the Apollo Edition features a modified bumper and a massive, carbon-fiber splitter. Around back, Ford added a carbon-fiber diffuser and a custom spoiler atop the trunk lid.

Setting this bespoke muscle car further apart from its GT sibling is the special livery. Though most of the body is finished in white, the hood, roof and trunklid are painted black. Both colors are identical to the ones some of the Apollo shuttles were painted in.

A white, offset stripe runs the entire length of the car, adorned by a very thin red stripe and red "United States" writing on the hood. The front fender sports the American flag and "USA" lettering, while the mirror caps are finished in bright red for a dash of color. The lightweight wheels are painted dark gray, but feature a white outer lip.

There aren't any details as to what's special on the inside, but the only photo released thus far suggests Ford replaced the standard seats with a pair of Recaro sports seats. But there should be more goodies in there too, such as a dashboard plaque with a #001 VIN number and maybe custom trim, as well as sporty pedals.

Under the hood, there's a stock 5.0-liter, Coyote V-8 rated at 435 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. It might not be as powerful as NASA's launch vehicles for the Apollo mission, but it's powerful enough to leave quite a few sports cars behind.

Why it matters

Aircraft-inspired Mustangs are already a tradition for Ford, which has just unveiled the eighth vehicle in this lineage. Ford is no stranger to charity, but what matters here is that instead of simply donating a stock Mustang, the Blue Oval keeps making these one-of-a-kind muscle cars that not only draw a lot more interest, but are also bound to become collectibles in a few years.

2016 Ford Mustang

Find out more about the 2016 Ford Mustang in our full review here.