Ford Mustang California Special Returns To The Coast

Thinking about picking up a new Mustang? Great, now you’ll just need to choose which one. And Ford may have just made your decision a little more difficult.

Returning to the 2019 lineup is the California Special, a new edition of Dearborn’s pony car that revives the look and feel of a classic.

The name first surfaced way back in 1968 when Ford took stylistic inspiration from the ’67 Shelby GT prototype and offered it as an aesthetic upgrade package for the original Mustang.

Now half a century later, the California Special returns with an array of enhancements. It started out as the Mustang GT, with the 5.0-liter V8 and six-speed manual, and adds features like a front splitter, unique five-spoke wheels, blacked-out grille, a fading stripe along its flank, and microsuede-trimmed seats. And of course there are special badges both inside and out.

“Few things are more satisfying than dropping the top on a California Special and taking a drive down the majestic Pacific Coast Highway,” said Ford designer Mark Conforzi. “This signature design takes its cues from the original California Special, while enhancing the personality of today’s Mustang.”

It joins the Bullitt Mustang in the growing lineup that also includes the turbocharged EcoBoost model and the top-of-the-line Shelby GT350 and GT350R. We’re expecting a new GT500 to join the family soon, too. And while the Mach 1 may be destined to resurface as an electric crossover, we could see a new Boss Mustang in the future.

Along with the California Special treatment, Ford has introduced a handful of other enhancements to the 2019 Mustang lineup. There’s a new Bang & Olufsen audio system, EcoBoost models can now be ordered with the variable exhaust that debuted on the Mustang GT, and there are new colors joining the lineup as well.