Ford had plenty of surprises when it invited journalists, content creators, and influencers to their press conference at the Detroit Auto Show. One of them was the all-new RTR Mustang, which was the surprise of the night and it also represents a new direction Ford is going in its attempts to bring Mustang performance into the hands of more buyers.
RTR embraces EcoBoost engine
The RTR arrived in bold fashion with RTR founder Vaugh Gitten Jr. doing slow-speed drifting and donuts for the assembled crowd. Unlike other RTR offerings, this one will not be an after-sale upfit, with the model being built in the Mustang Factory in Michigan instead. It will also stand out by not being another retread of the same core formula of putting in a V8 and throwing parts at it. Instead, this creation will be powered by Ford’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder which could be an attempt to try and bring RTR performance into a lower price point.
The prominent catch here is that the model will not be going into production right away with the car on hand at the press conference being a a prototype that featured an RTR-styled wrap. the company is still ironing out the final details and as a result, not much information is known with Ford and RTR not releasing official specs outside of Gitten Jr. admitting it has an anti-lag system for the turbocharger. Beefy Brembo brakes and exclusive exterior enhancements spice up the package even more. “If it involves driving fast or having fun, Ford is giving Mustang customers the tools to do it,” said Mustang Brand Manager Joe Bellino. “From Drift Brake to Line Lock to Mustang Unleashed and the new features coming to Mustang RTR, Ford won’t stop innovating with Mustang.”
New model enhances potent partnership
RTR has been tuning Ford Mustangs for years but this particular model is the second time that Ford has co-created a performance vehicle with an outside collaborator and built the model in-house versus shipping it off to said outside firm to transform it into an aftermarket performance special. Gitten Jr. was very pleased with what the car has to bring to the table stating “I’m pumped to have the opportunity to create what we believe is the most exciting turbocharged Mustang ever,” said RTR President and Founder Vaughn Gittin, Jr. “This Mustang RTR is pure accessible fun, with many enhancements, including Mustang Dark Horse components, Mustang EcoBoost’s near-perfect weight distribution, and RTR’s signature styling, it’s ready for drifting, drag racing, back-road cruising, or ripping around an autocross track. The new Mustang RTR is truly ready to rock.”
It’s not known when this potent Ecoboost model will enter production (we suspect it will be sooner than later) but interested patrons can see the prototype at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show January 11-20.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.