Few cars serve as a canvas for tuning houses quite like the Ford Mustang. Shelby American, Roush, RTR, and scores of other tinkering outfits regularly put their stamp on America’s most popular pony car. But it’s not all V8s. Ford and RTR are offering a package to turn the EcoBoost into a smoky, sliding drift machine. Better yet, it’s factory-backed and comes with a warranty. 

Ford and RTR have joined forces to offer a Mustang EcoBoost RTR Package with a hunger for tire meat

The brainchild of veteran racer and Ford partner Vaughn Gittin Jr., RTR is a performance staple in the world of Ford Mustangs. Well, “Ready to Rock” is back, and Gitten Jr. has high expectations for the factory-backed 2026 Ford Mustang RTR.

“With Mustang RTR, we’re producing the most badass, factory-built, turbocharged Mustang ever,” Gitten Jr. said of the all-new partnership. Most notably, the new Mustang RTR gets a host of specialty drift kit, like an electric drift brake lever, an RTR calibration for the MagneRide dampers, and an RTR stability control tune. It also gets parts from the Dark Horse in the pursuit of performance, like stabilizer bars and bushings.

While the package doesn’t exactly add ponies to the stable, it has an ace up its sleeve. Ford calls it a “Race-Derived Anti-Lag for Improved Throttle Response.” Take your heavy foot off the throttle pedal, and the fuel stops flowing. However, the throttle stays open, maintaining airflow to the EcoBoost’s turbo. That means a turbo that’s still spooled up and less lag.

Of course, what specialty Mustang would be done without some aesthetic tweaks? The new Mustang RTR gets RTR-specific touches, like light-up nostrils, badging, and graphics. Beyond the RTR treatment, the new Mustang borrows the GT’s front fascia and the GT Performance Pack’s rear wing. 

The power to rival V8-powered Mustangs of past generations

Opting for the RTR Package, unlike some of the brand’s “Spec” options, doesn’t bump the power. Instead, the EcoBoost’s turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder heart produces 315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.

But that’s nothing to dismiss. That 315-horsepower figure matches the now-discontinued S197 Ford Mustang Bullitt. And the S197 Bullitt required a thirstier, lazier 4.6L V8 to do it. However, for fans with more horsepower in mind, Ford Performance offers a tune package that bumps output to 350 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.

Granted, that’s not quite enough to outmuscle the first-generation Coyote V8 in the 2011 Ford Mustang GT. But the EcoBoost’s Ford Performance tune does out-twist the Coyote by 10 lb-ft. Make sure to budget for tires.