Ford Motor Co. and drifting champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. have teamed up to build the 2026 Mustang RTR, a 315-horsepower coupe that leverages new hardware and programming to help novices drift through curves like the pros.
Arriving in the summer of 2026, the Mustang RTR arose from three years of work by Ford engineers and Gittin’s RTR Vehicles, which modifies vehicles’ performance and looks.
Functional upgrades include:
An optional dealer-installed performance kit will boost the turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder engine’s output from 315 hp and 350 pound-feet of torque to 350 hp and 400 pound-feet.
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Ford will announce pricing closer to sale, but the RTR is intended to be an affordable addition to the Mustang’s growing line of performance models.
From wheels pushed 1.2 inches farther out from the body for an aggressive, planted stance to three-dimensional LED-lit “nostrils” for the new cooling intakes in its grille, the Mustang RTR has plenty of visual appeal.
Other touches include:
Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

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