Ford has announced a special edition of its iconic muscle car. Meet the Ford Mustang California Special.

The dream of cruising the open road in a Ford Mustang is a common one and now the American carmaker wants to make those dreams a reality.

When the first Mustang hit the roads back in 1964, many regional dealers came up with their own personalised designs. Inspired by the 1967 Shelby GT notchback coupe was the California Special, which came with a blacked-out grille, fog lights and race stripes as well as a Shelby-inspired spoiler. Ford was so impressed, it commissioned a production run.

“The California Special is a huge part of the Mustang’s legacy in America and it symbolises so much of what Mustang stands for: The joy of driving and the freedom of the open road. Those ideals resonate just as strongly with driving enthusiasts in Europe, so it’s about time customers here got to experience the unique California Special blend of style, performance and driving fun,” said Matthias Tonn, Mustang chief programme engineer, Ford of Europe.

The all-new Ford Mustang California Special is available with unique badges, 19-inch alloy wheels and funky decals. Incorporating GT/CS logos, the stripes run from the front to rear wings and feature a hidden “California Special” script that is almost invisible in low light conditions but becomes much more prominent in stronger sunlight.

Of course, a Mustang has to have proper power and there’s no replacement for displacement as the Coyote 5.0-litre V8 is offered. This engine packs 330 kW and 529 Nm. Visually, there are some big tyres with 19 x 9-inch and 19 x 9.5-inch rear wheels are finished in Carbonised Grey to complement the front splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser. Under the bonnet, a strut tower brace features a California Special badge.

Customers can opt for either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 10-speed automatic gearbox. For the manual model, Ford claims 0-100 kph in 4.8 seconds, with the auto a touch quicker at 4.5 seconds.

Inside, the Mustang California Special is designed to help liberate all the fun of the open road whatever the weather, with bespoke California Special detailing adding exclusive appeal. Standard comfort technologies include heated and cooled front seats, a 12-inch customisable instrument cluster, and advanced SYNC 3 connectivity.

The Ford Mustang California Special has been confirmed for both the US and European markets. We’re hoping to hear confirmation from Ford SA soon.

Further Reading

The Mach 1 – the best to drive Mustang