Ford Mustang EcoBoost RTR: part Dark Horse, part gas-sipper, all sports car
The Ford Mustang refuses to die. Sure, it gave up its six-cylinder options before the 2018 refresh, but the model lives on with eight-cylinder and four-cylinder options. Now, Ford and RTR have come together to offer a swivel-eyed variation of the Mustang EcoBoost with DNA from the tire-roasting Dark Horse.
The Mustang RTR treatment takes the new Ford Mustang EcoBoost RTR to the next level
It’s 2015. Ford rolls out what it hopes will be a Swiss Army Knife Mustang, complete with a fuel-saving four-cylinder heart and turbocharged driving excitement. It’s the 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost, a 310-horsepower alternative to the six-cylinder models of the day. Fast-forward 10 years, and the Ford Mustang EcoBoost RTR takes the turbo Enviro-Stang to the next level.
Ford unveiled the new collaboration at the 2025 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit auto show, less than 30 miles from the Flat Rock plant where the Blue Oval builds Mustangs, seemed as good a spot as any to unveil the new pony car.
Unfortunately, neither Ford nor RTR have released the pricing or specs behind the new Mustang EcoBoost RTR, instead leaving us to dream out loud. If RTR’s previous work is any indication, it’ll bump the EcoBoost’s horsepower, stiffen the platform, and add some serious stopping power to the four-cylinder ‘Stang’s formula.
Better yet, RTR, which stands for “Ready to Rock” (not kidding), hinted that the new model would receive components from the range-topping Dark Horse. It’s not a ridiculous premise, either. The previous generation Ford Mustang Mach 1 benefited from a host of parts from Shelby Mustangs.
Even without the RTR package, the latest S650 EcoBoost puts older V8 models to shame
The new Ford Mustang EcoBoost RTR promises performance and then some. Still, the Mustang EcoBoost in standard spec isn’t a slouch. The 2025 model produces 315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque from its turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder engine.
While the EcoBoost won’t pair up with the GT’s six-speed manual transmission, the 10-speed auto is enough to send the four-pot Mustang to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. That’s quicker than 5.0L Coyote V8 models from the previous generation. However, the S650 model can’t quite outmuscle the EcoBoost Performance model from the sixth-gen model.
