The Blue Oval is for enthusiasts with the affordable, sliding EcoBoost pony package of the car.
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Regardless The fast and the furious For the franchise’s frequent (and sometimes painful) bleakness, there’s something fitting about the hero’s arc Tokyo Drift.
After all, it’s only when protagonist Sean Boswell doesn’t put 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 bring the relic to victory over more modern competition.
It’s a swap that was (and is) controversial among purists because of its difference from typical Ford muscle. But in some ways, the build mirrors the Blue Oval’s latest pony car effort.
The Mustang RTR aims to prove that the EcoBoost Mustang can be a true enthusiast car. – Credit: Ford
That’s because the RTR has arrived, a model that proves the Mustang can deliver enthusiast-worthy side-to-side thrills — even without a V8 under the hood. In doing so, Ford is once again redefining what its icon can be.
Ready to rock
Unlike the Spec cars that Vaughn Gittin Jr. offered through its RTR tuning company, the Mustang RTR is a factory, Ford-sponsored effort. So the Blue Oval will build vehicles with the package on its main production line in Michigan.
The RTR badge means this Mustang is truly “ready to rock.” – Credit: Ford
To turn a modern EcoBoost Mustang with a 315-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder into a drift-ready RTR, Ford will fit the cars with a number of performance and aesthetic enhancements.
The rebuild starts with an overhaul of the brakes and suspension. Along with a set of stronger Brembos from the Mustang GT Performance Package, the RTR will also use an adjustable strut alignment bracket, front and rear anti-roll bars, and rear subframe from the Mustang Dark Horse.
To optimize throttle response, Vaughn Gittin Jr. worked with Ford to incorporate the anti-lag system from the Le Mans-winning Ford GT. The package also includes an RTR-specific stability control tune, as well as some RTR-specific MageRide shock calibrations to improve handling.
It’s finished off with a special drifting brake lever and some quad-tip active exhausts, and is only enhanced by eye-catching visual changes like illuminated nostrils, Hyper Lime accents and distinctive RTR badging.
While no manual transmission is offered with this package, it does come with a special drift brake. – Credit: Ford
Horses for courses
While it may seem like an odd choice to offer the RTR package on the EcoBoost Mustang, it’s a move that’s not without good reason.
For starters, according to Vaughn Gittin Jr., the model offers “a great 54/46 weight distribution” and “the front end feels sharper and sharper right out of the gate.” Like Sean Boswell’s 1967 In the case of the fastback, V8 power isn’t everything.
Ford and RTR want to make this type of tire destruction more accessible to more enthusiasts. – Credit: Ford
But in practice, the Mustang RTR will fill the gap in Ford’s lineup between the entry-level and performance models, and the EcoBoost makes it worth considering. While the Blue Oval has succeeded in expanding its high-end offerings with the GT, Dark Horse and GTD, it needed something accessible to enthusiasts.
Historically, though, Mustang fans haven’t been kind to vehicles with just a V8 under their hood. Also, the RTR will only be offered with a 10-speed automatic, so Ford will alienate die-hard manual enthusiasts.
Brembo brakes with Mustang logos are a nice touch. – Credit: Ford
So, even if the Blue Oval is keen to emphasize that the package will be “accessible to younger enthusiasts” (so presumably affordable), it’s up for a pretty big challenge nonetheless.
After all, even as the last V8 muscle car on the market, the Mustang consistently loses out to its electrified stablemate. In order for the blue oval icon to survive, it must adapt.
Will a drift-ready turbocharged four-cylinder satisfy a younger crowd and help Ford’s pony car live on? Only time will tell when it goes on sale.
The drift-ready turbocharged four-cylinder really expands the idea of what a Mustang can be. – Credit: Ford
Around the corner
At this stage, Ford has yet to announce a 2026 model. Mustang RTR Package Pricing. However, fans will be able to see him at the Formula Drift season finale on October 17th and 18th, with more details to come after that.
in 2026 Ford Mustang RTR
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