Ford’s New Mustang Bucks the Muscle Car with Turbocharged Power and Drift-Ready Thrills

Despite the Fast and Furious franchise’s frequent (and sometimes painful) corniness, there is something appropriate about the hero arc in Tokyo Drift. 

After all, it’s not until protagonist Sean Boswell drops a six-cylinder Nissan engine into his father’s 1967 Ford Mustang that he can redeem himself by sliding down a mountain pass. The old-school American needs finesse and a tuner’s touch to drive the relic to victory against more modern competition.

It’s a swap that was (and is) divisive among purists due to its divergence from typical Ford muscle. However, in some ways, the build speaks to the Blue Oval’s latest pony car effort.

Ford

That’s because the RTR has arrived, and it’s a model that’s out to prove the Mustang can deliver sideways enthusiast-worthy thrills — even without a V8 under the hood. In doing so, Ford is yet again redefining what its icon can be.

Ready to rock

In contrast to the Spec cars that Vaughn Gittin Jr. offers through his RTR tuning firm, the Mustang RTR is a factory, Ford-backed effort. As such, the Blue Oval will be building vehicles equipped with the package on the main production line in Michigan.

Ford

To turn a run-of-the-mill EcoBoost Mustang with its 315-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder into a drift-ready RTR, Ford will be fitting cars with a slew of performance and aesthetic upgrades.

The transformation begins with an overhaul of the braking and suspension. Along with a set of beefier Brembos from the Mustang GT Performance Package, the RTR will also make use of the adjustable strut alignment bracket, front and rear stabilizer bars and rear subframe from the Mustang Dark Horse.

Ford

To optimize throttle response, Vaughn Gittin Jr. worked with Ford to incorporate the anti-lag system from the Le Mans-winning Ford GT. For improved handling, the package also includes an RTR-specific stability control tune as well as some RTR-specific calibrations for the MageRide dampers. 

Rounded out by a dedicated drift brake lever, and some quad-tipped active performance exhaust, it’s made only better by eye-catching visual changes like the lit nostrils, Hyper Lime accents and exclusive RTR badging.

Ford

Horses for courses

While it might seem like an odd choice to offer the RTR package on the EcoBoost Mustang, it’s a move that’s not without good cause.

For starters, according to Vaughn Gittin Jr., the model offers “excellent 54/46 weight distribution” and “the front end feels sharper and nimbler right out of the gate.” As was the case with Sean Boswell’s 1967 fastback, then, V8 power isn’t everything.

Ford

Practically, though, the Mustang RTR will fill a gap in Ford’s lineup between the entry-level and performance models, and the EcoBoost allows for the price point. Even though the Blue Oval has succeeded in fleshing out its high-end offerings with the GT, the Dark Horse and the GTD, it needed something accessible to enthusiasts.

Still, historically, Mustang fans haven’t been kind to vehicles with anything other than a V8 under the hood. Moreover, the RTR will only be offered with the choice of a 10-speed automatic, so Ford will alienate diehard manual enthusiasts right out of the gate.

Ford

As such, even though Blue Oval is eager to point out that the package will be “accessible to younger enthusiasts” (and therefore presumably affordable in price), it’s nevertheless gearing up for quite the challenge.

After all, even as the last V8 muscle car on the market, the Mustang has been steadily losing ground to its electrified stablemate. For the Blue Oval’s icon to survive, then, it needs to adapt.

Will a drift-ready turbocharged four-cylinder cater to a more youthful crowd and help Ford’s pony car live on? Only time will tell once it goes on sale.

Ford

Around the corner

At this stage, Ford has not yet announced pricing for the 2026 Mustang RTR package. However, it will be available for fans to see at the Formula Drift Season Finale on October 17th and 18th, after which more details are sure to follow.

Ford

2026 Ford Mustang RTR

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