When my coworker Jason drove a 2017 Ford Mustang RTR—a dealer-installed upgrade kit for Ford’s pony car—he called it “the most rational way to own a complete lunatic car.” But he wasn’t driving the most powerful “Spec 3" model, which, for 2018, is going make over 700 horsepower. And still come with a warranty. Now that’s loony.
The most powerful Mustang that RTR—a seller of Ford upgrade kits, and the brainchild of professional drifter Vaughn Gitten Jr.—currently offers is a 670 horsepower “Spec 3" Mustang. This dealer-installed setup basically takes a factory Mustang GT, and adds on Ford-approved performance parts like a Ford Performance Supercharger, an air-to-water intercooler, an upgraded fuel injection system, lowering springs, an axle back exhaust, new wheels and also a bunch of appearance touches.
For 2018, RTR says that power number is going up to above 700 horsepower. How much above 700 we don’t yet know, nor do we know which new components will help the car get there. But regardless, it’s going to be a 700+ horsepower Mustang available at select Ford dealerships, and it will come with a warranty.
I called up RTR to learn more about that warranty on a Mustang with that much power, and their representative told me that, while Ford’s standard warranty may not cover things associated with the kit, RTR will offer a “supplemental warranty” that covers the mods, and that warranty work would be taken care of at a Ford dealership.
If you’re not ready to drop around $20,000 (we don’t know exact pricing on the 2018 model) on upgrades to your Mustang, RTR—which has been around since 2010, and stands for “Ready To Rock”—offers two cheaper upgrade packages.
Today’s “Spec 1" offers mostly aesthetic upgrades like LED grille lighting, an “appearance Package,” graphics, a signed dash plaque, lowering springs and RTR wheels and tires. Then there’s “Stage 2,” the one that my coworker Jason drove (and the one you can watch Vaughm Gitten Jr. hoon here), which adds adjustable shocks and struts, as well as adjustable sway bars, bigger wheels, and an axle-back exhaust.
RTR says in its press release that this “three spec” setup will continue for 2018, so if, for some reason, you don’t want to drop that much coin on your Mustang GT to add over 240 horses, you can just get the suspension and appearance bits. If that’s what you’re into.
The 2018 Mustang RTR will debut at SEMA, at which point we’ll learn more about pricing, what’s included in the kit, and—most importantly—exact power output.