The quintessential style of west coast America has crossed the Atlantic as the Ford Mustang California Special arrives in Europe for the first time.
Powered by Ford’s 5.0-litre 450 PS V8 petrol engine, the new California Special is offered exclusively in convertible body style with a folding soft-top – embodying the free-spirited ethos of the 1968 original.
A special-edition design package is available with unique badging, detailing, 19-inch alloy wheels and special ‘colour shift’ California Special decals.
There are nine exterior colours offered, including signature ‘Grabber Blue’ and ‘Cyber Orange’. Under the bonnet, a strut tower brace features a California Special badge.
The California Special’s 5.0-litre V8 engine combined with Ford’s six-speed manual transmission means acceleration from 0-100 km/h is 4.8 seconds.
Should you opt for the 10-speed automatic transmission, then this is reduced to 4.5-seconds.
‘Normal’, ‘Sport’, ‘Track’ and ‘Snow/Wet’ modes deliver the appropriate driving experience whether on Route 66 or the M6. ‘Good Neighbour’ mode can automatically limit the exhaust’s noise output at pre-programmed times of the day.
Traction and cornering grip are maximised by a standard limited-slip differential and a MagneRide suspension system is available.
Inside, Ford says bespoke California Special detailing adds exclusive appeal. Standard comfort technologies include heated and cooled front seats, a 12-inch customisable instrument cluster, and advanced SYNC 3 connectivity.
Classic design reinvented
When the now iconic Ford Mustang first hit the streets in 1964, owners’ clubs sprang up across America, with many regional dealers creating their own personalised designs. One – inspired by the 1967 Shelby GT notchback coupe prototype – came to be called the California Special.
That original version featured a blacked-out grille, fog lights and a side racing stripes that ended ahead of new rear side air scoops, as well as a Shelby-inspired spoiler. Impressed, Ford put a limited number of California Special cars into production for 1968.
The newest interpretation – available only as a folding soft-top convertible in homage to the famously Mediterranean-like climate of “the Golden State” – reflects the original with a honeycomb front grille finished in ‘Ebony Black’ and featuring a GT/CS badge in ‘Race Red’, as well as lower side stripes finished in black, red and grey.
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.
Ford didn’t announce EU pricing but it’s priced at £52,105 in the UK, making it more expensive than a regular Mustang GT Convertible.
The Ford Mustang California Special expands the European Mustang family, which includes the Mustang GT fastback and convertible; the track-ready Mustang Mach 1; and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E and Mustang Mach-E GT.
