Ford’s New RTR Mustang is a Factory Special That’s Built to Slide

This well-balanced, drift-optimized model marks only the second time in history that Ford has invited an outside firm to co-develop a Mustang.

Carroll Shelby and Vaughn Gittin Jr. might not seem to have much in common at first blush, but the way their fates became intertwined with the Ford Motor Company is quite similar. Ford leaned on Shelby’s racing experience and engineering acumen to help it beat Ferrari at LeMans and to continue building Ford’s performance reputation. Decades later, as Gittin started winning drift competitions in Mustangs, Ford is now leaning on his equivalent aptitude for technical development.

Gittin Jr. helped Ford engineer the Drift Brake first offered on the S650 Mustang for 2024, part of a budding relationship between the automaker and Gitten’s RTR (Ready to Rock) operation that has only deepened in recent years. (His off-road racing efforts have also spawned a Bronco RTR variant.) So, just as Shelby helped establish Ford’s performance and competition bona fides, Gittin is helping to serve as a bridge connecting Ford with a youth-centric, social-media influenced, motorsports-curious culture. Behold the latest fruit of their collaborative efforts: the 2026 Ford Mustang RTR …

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2026-ford-mustang-rtr-first-look-review

(photo credit: MotorTrend)