• by Tanya Gazdik , January 9, 2025

Photo Credit: Tanya Gazdik/MediaPost

Ford Motor Co. debuted two new Mustang sports cars ahead of the Detroit Auto Show, which is returning to its traditional January time slot for the first time since 2019. 

“Like I say about Ford, we do not make shampoo,” Ford CEO Jim Farley told the standing-room-only crowd of media, dealers and employees gathered for the debuts. "Rule number one at Ford: No boring products. And you saw them here tonight. That's our simple rule. We are here to make memories on road and off-road.”

Farley said the competition is strong in China and Silicon Valley and everywhere else, “but Detroit and Ford will not cede our future to anyone.”

“Our industry is in the midst of a disruption, but one thing remains true: Great products always win, and Detroit can compete with anyone,” Farley said.

The Mustang brand is uniquely American, including its iconic galloping horse logo emblazoned across a red, white and blue badge. 

The Mustang GTD Spirit of America harkens back to the 1962 prototype that beat Europe’s best in its first race, becoming the first car from an American automaker to lap Germany’s famed Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes.

Ford Design has created a Performance White body with twin racing stripes in Race Red and Lightning Blue, mimicking the iconic red, white, and blue Mustang tribar that debuted in 1964. The stripes run the length of the Mustang GTD Spirit of America’s body.

Ford also previewed its second new Mustang performance model in two years with a dynamic demonstration of the new Mustang RTR. 

It was driven onto Ford’s display at the auto show floor by Mustang Icon, two-time drift champion, and RTR Vehicles President and Founder, Vaughn Gittin, Jr.

The vehicle draws on the RTR team’s experience winning multiple Formula Drift championships and sharing performance parts with Mustang Dark Horse as well as the 18-year partnership between Gittin Jr. and Ford.

It brings dynamic driving capabilities to Mustang EcoBoost, as hinted at by the demonstration car’s Hyper Lime Brembo brake calipers and pedestal spoiler.

Mustang RTR also represents only the second time in Mustang’s history that Ford has sold a performance model co-created with an outside partner.

Both Mustangs will remain on display the Detroit Auto Show, which opens to the public with the charity preview on Friday and then runs through Jan. 20.