A unique Mustang inspired by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane will be auctioned off for charity at an aviation event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture aviation show asked Ford to design a special vehicle in order to raise money for EAA Young Eagles, a foundation that provides educational flights for children.

The automaker obliged, and designed a one-of-a-kind iteration of its 2011 Mustang model. The unique vehicle includes a supercharger that boosts its V8 engine up over 500 horsepower, special performance wheels, and a lower ride height. In addition, the sleek black paintjob and “fuel streak” racing stripes, calls to mind the classic stealth plane.

“The difficulty is trying to honestly make the car look like the plane has sort of wrapped itself around the car,” Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak told the news source. “Anybody can just bolt things on and make it gimmicky. You want to really make the car become the aircraft.”

It’s unlikely that many buyers will be able to afford the unique vehicle’s $500,000 price tag. Yet that doesn’t mean drivers have to price themselves out of a pony car. By searching the pre-owned market, consumers can easily find used Ford Mustangs at a fraction of the original price.

A new initiative to replace New York City’s 13,400 taxis with a more fuel-efficient and greener option is being met with some resistance by the taxi drivers who navigate the cars through the city’s busy streets every day.

Although the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission has kicked off its “Taxi of Tomorrow” competition in an effort to find cleaner vehicles, many drivers say they will be sad to see their used Ford Crown Victorias go. The commission hopes to replace the varied models among the NY used cars that cabbies drive with one clean, standard model by 2014, according to USA Today.

Yet Ford has decided to discontinue the Crown Vic, so taxi companies will need to find a new option. The Taxi of Tomorrow competition was launched in order to find a satisfactory alternative. Still, many drivers have nostalgia for the vehicles they have driven for years.

Jana Stroe says she has been driving used Ford Crown Vics for 20 years. “The car is good the way it is,” she told the news source. “We don’t want the hybrid. Hybrids have so many problems. We take a lot of customers from the small cars.”

Many drivers echoed her views, saying that when given the choice between the two, many customers will gravitate toward a roomier vehicle like the Crown Vic over a more compact car. Some drivers even report earning extra money behind the wheel of a Crown Vic.

Whatever the city ends up deciding upon as its new model, tourists can rest assured: the cars will still be painted that famous shade of yellow.

As the only company not to accept a government bailout, Ford has been watched closely by auto industry experts. If the results of Edmund’s Inside Line “Most Wanted” awards are any indication, the automaker is getting something right.

The website surveyed readers in a poll of 15 categories of cars in different classes and price points. Ford took home top marks in eight of the categories, and it was only entered in ten.

Three different Mustang models accounted for three of those categories, as the 2010 model has been celebrated for its efficient 30 miles per gallon while still packing 305 horsepower. Other Ford models included the F-150, Flex and Fusion.

Audi took home three awards, mainly in luxury and performance categories. The most wanted concept car went to the Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid. BMW had one entry on the list, as did Jeep with its Wrangler SUV.

Those who have Fords on their own personal “most wanted” list can save off the popular cars by buying used Fords on the pre-owned market.