Drift-Ready from the Factory: Inside the Development of the 2026 Mustang RTR
Ford is introducing the 2026 Mustang Mach-E®GT California Special: coupling a classic special edition with modern electric vehicle innovation. This available package brings heritage-inspired design to the Mustang family’s newest member.
"There is something about the idea of the California spirit that has always been associated with the Mustang brand," Kristen Keenan, color and materials designer for Ford, said. "And now Mustang Mach-E joins as part of the family."
Slide the bar to see the California Special light up at night.
Grassroots Origins
In the 1960s, California dealers were responsible for a large portion of all Mustang sales and wanted their contributions to the vehicle’s success commemorated through a unique package.
The dealers collaborated with Ford, and in 1968, the original California Special was born.
The coupe’s original red and black accents and aero features would define the trim package for years. Just over 4,000 of the original California Special Mustang vehicles were built.
Back to the Future with a California Twist
With the launch of the seventh generation of the Mustang two-door in 2024, Ford was inspired to take a fresh look at what California Special could be.
“We made some bold changes,” Stefan Taylor, exterior designer at Ford, said. “We are creating something new for Mustang brand today while making sure we respect its heritage.”
He explained they wanted to capture what California represented visually.
“We thought about what we could do on the color and materials side to tell the story from a more modern perspective.’”
That year, Ford removed the side scoops, changed the vehicle graphics, and stepped away from the red and black accents in favor of a new color.
“Rave Blue travels from light to dark, just like ocean water.”Kristen Keenan, color and materials designer
“With California and its beautiful coastline, blue is a natural choice,” Keenan said. “We developed a new color called Rave Blue. It travels from light to dark, just like ocean water, and it's extremely chromatic, going to a blue violet in some cases. It's just a beautiful dynamic color.”
Rave Blue is now the cornerstone of the California Special package, found on both the Mustang two-door and now the 2026 Mustang Mach-E.
Design Duo
The 2026 Mustang Mach-E threads similar design elements with its Mustang two-door sibling, but both Keenan and Taylor say they’re not meant to be identical.
“We didn’t want to copy and paste what we did with the Mustang two-door," Taylor said. "The design honors the Mustang Mach-E’s place in the Mustang family, while giving it its own identity."
Both vehicles wear Rave Blue accents on their wheels, grille, exterior badges, and interiors, and they both boast the updated “California Special” font, which trades the '60s heritage style for a modern block look.
The Mustang Mach-E takes on additional design elements, including:
- 20-inch carbonized gray wheels with a printed GT/CS logo, along with gloss black aero wheel covers
- An illuminated Rave Blue pony emblem on the grille
- A special hood graphic, inspired by the California coastline
“It has the California Special wordmark on the hood, with radiating sunset lines in layered gray, black, and a blue accent representing the ocean,” Taylor said.
But the interior is what sets the Mustang Mach-E GT California Special apart: Performance seats are upholstered in Navy Pier ActiveX and Miko material with reflective blue and silver stripe.
The center console and steering wheel are also wrapped in the same navy ActiveX, while matching floor mats echo the seats’ blue and silver stitching details.
The Mustang Mach-E California Specialis built on the GT series and offersan EPA-estimated 280 miles of range,1 480 horsepower, andup to 700 lb.-ft. of torque.
Inspired by Community
Honoring the California Special’s grassroots design process, Ford continues to draw inspiration from the community that helped make Mustang an icon. Both Keenan and Taylor, Mustang owners themselves, regularly attend car shows and Mustang-owner meetups. Their designs are powered by trends and the ways in which owners modify their cars. In fact, the California Special’s Rave Blue wheels were inspired by vehicles on display at The SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the largest aftermarket car show.
“At car shows and Mustang events, you see all sorts of modified Mustang vehicles," Taylor said. "There’s so much inspiration to take from how these customers make their vehicles distinctly their own. This helped lead us to using the Rave blue accent color on the wheels of this vehicle. Personalization is such a big part of what people love about the brand, so we wanted to make sure we were giving potential customers a package that stands out and offers something unique in this space.”
“We wanted to give potential customers a package that stands out and offers something unique in this space.”Stefan Taylor, exterior designer
The 2026 Mustang Mach-E GT California Special delivers the best of both worlds — advanced electric performance wrapped in heritage-inspired design with today’s California style. The package has an MSRP of $2,495 on top of the Mustang Mach-E GT base price of $53,395. The 2026 Mustang Mach-E will be available to order on October 22 with the range starting at $37,795 and will begin arriving at dealers in Q1 2026.
For more information, visit your nearest dealership or Ford.com.
Hana Medina is a freelance contributor for From the Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Mustang Mach-E GT California Special?
A: It is a new package for the 2026 Mustang Mach-E GT that combines a classic special edition with modern electric vehicle innovation. This special edition brings heritage-inspired design elements to the newest member of the Mustang family.
Q: What is the history of the California Special package?
A: The original California Special made its debut in 1968. It was created after California dealers, who were responsible for a large portion of all Mustang sales at the time, collaborated with Ford on a unique package to commemorate their success. Just over 4,000 of the original California Special Mustangs were built.
Q: What makes the 2026 Mustang Mach-E GT California Special visually distinct?
A: The exterior features bold Rave Blue accents on the wheels, grille, and exterior badges. It also includes 20-inch carbonized gray wheels with a printed GT/CS logo and gloss black aero wheel covers, an illuminated Rave Blue pony emblem on the grille, and a special hood graphic inspired by the California coastline.
Q: How much does Mustang Mach-E California Special Cost?
A: The package has an MSRP of $2,495 on top of the Mustang Mach-E GT base price of $53,395.
Q: When will Mustang Mach-E California Special be available?
A: The 2026 Mustang Mach-E will be available to order on October 22and will begin arriving at dealers in Q1 2026.
1EPA-estimated rating of 95 city/85 highway/90 combined MPGe. Actual mileage will vary. MPGe is the EPA equivalent measure of gasoline fuel efficiency for electric mode operation.
