From the instant he began competing in a Mustang drift car, Vaughn Gittin Jr. embraced Ford’s pony car. Not content with the status quo of tuned-up Mustangs in the aftermarket, he founded RTR Vehicles with the intent of adding his brand of Ready to Rock performance to the storied vehicle.

I have dreamed of this moment since I launched RTR Vehicles… — Vaughn Gittin Jr., RTR Vehicles

Over the years, Vaughn and Ford became stronger partners. He not only brought home Formula Drift championships to the Blue Oval, but he assisted Ford engineers in developing the ground-breaking Electronic Drift Brake offered on the performance-oriented 2024 Mustangs.

In advance of the 2025 Detroit Auto Show, Ford and RTR Vehicles previewed the first factory-built Mustang RTR — an EcoBoost-powered S650 imbued with Ready to Rock style and performance. (Photo Credit: RTR Vehicles)

It seems inevitable that Ford would embrace the aesthetic that the lead Fun-Haver delivered and package it in a factory option, and that’s just what the two companies revealed in advance of the Detroit Auto Show, which runs from January 10-20 in the Motor City.

“From Mustang GTD to Mustang Dark Horse to the new Mustang RTR, there’s a high-performance pony for every Mustang fan and customer,” Jim Baumbick, Vice President, Ford Product Development, said. “The RTR team has so much passion and experience on and off the track that we’ve partnered to develop the most exciting, enthusiast-focused EcoBoost Mustang ever.”

The teaser version revealed in Detroit, Michigan, wears a unique livery inspired by the dazzle camouflage deployed on battleships back in the 1900s. Of course, this version carries the signature Ready to Rock style, as it combines galloping Mustangs, RTR logos, and Hyper Lime accents. We expect the production versions will wear more traditional finishes.

“I’m pumped to have the opportunity to create what we believe is the most exciting turbocharged Mustang ever,” Vaughn added. “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.”

Last April at the big Mustang 60 celebration, Ford teased a new addition to the Mustang stable, and now we know that addition is an EcoBoost-powered Mustang RTR that will roll off the Flat Rock assembly line.

While the full details on the first factory Mustang RTR aren’t available yet, we do know that the man himself is pretty excited about this new offering, which is reason enough to get excited about a turbo-four Mustang.

“I have dreamed of this moment since I launched RTR Vehicles. Today we announce and let the world preview our first Ford-built production Mustang RTR in the form of the most accessible and enthusiast performance-focused, turbocharged Mustang ever!” Vaughn enthused. “The RTR team and I, along with some very passionate Mustang engineers, built the turbocharged Mustang of my dreams and are making it available to the masses straight from the Flat Rock plant. This is the ultimate complement to our spec vehicle offerings that are available at select Ford dealers all over the world. What a moment!”

If you want to be among the first to learn more about this latest RTR Mustang available from Ford, you can sign up on the Ford website.