Ford has unveiled a California Special version of the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover, and it’s caused a bit of an argument in the office but not in the way you’d expect. The Mach-E’s a great car, so there’s no outcry over historic name use on an electric crossover. Instead, I reckon this EV makes the Mustang GT California Special coupe and convertible look downright tacky, but Mercedes doesn’t seem to agree.
First, a history lesson on the Mustang California Special. Back in the ’60s, southern California Ford district sales manager Lee Grey saw a Mustang coupe built by Shelby and immediately saw potential for a California-only special edition. After discussion back at HQ with key players like Lee Iacocca, a plan was set in motion. The first GT/CS, a 1968 model, featured a few notable cosmetic alterations including fiberglass scoops, a spoiler, and a rear panel featuring broad Thunderbird taillights. Interestingly, the California Special parts were designed by Shelby Automotive, but the GT California Special would be a whole lot less exclusive than a Shelby GT500. Sure, you had to live in California to buy it at first, but most featured the fairly normal 289 cubic-inch V8 and an automatic transmission. Unsurprisingly, it was a hit, and sales expanded as far out as Canada. Score.
When Ford went back to the ’60s for visual inspiration on the fifth-generation Mustang, it didn’t take long for the California Special nameplate to reappear. The 2007 Mustang GT California Special looked great, perfectly fit for the era. Chunky air dam, retro scoops, stripe package, job done. It’s the sort of car you could picture being on “The O.C.”, which is exactly what it needed to be. This successful revival prompted Ford to keep the package in the rotation, which brings us to today.
Unfortunately, when Ford was putting together the current Mustang GT California Special, it stumbled upon a particular shade of blue that simply doesn’t go great with a lot of stuff. Called Rave Blue, this bold medium shade is certainly an aesthetic choice, and when applied to accents like Ford’s done on the Mustang GT California Special coupe and convertible, adds a strong whiff of Autozone to a brand new sports coupe. Obviously, the most aesthetically questionable elements here are the blue-and-machined-finish wheels, which dominate the look like a giant anchovy on a Ritz cracker.
Add in the blue stripes down the sides and big blue trim pieces on the grille, and the result genuinely seems like an aftermarket job. It’s a polarizing, not especially tasteful thing, which makes the California Special package’s current form a bit baffling. Will enough people really go for this to make the $1,995 option package profitable? Our own Mercedes thinks it’s good, which is a little bit concerning because her taste in aesthetics is normally quite good.
Evidently, the California Special package for the Mustang GT coupe and convertible is polarizing, because Ford’s toned the treatment down for the the Mustang Mach-E GT California Special. Outside of a blue pony on the nose, the overall treatment is far more subtle than you get on the equivalent coupe. The graphics package has been reduced to a satin black over-the-top stripe, and although the little blue stripe-within-a-stripe is questionable in its own way, it’s subtle enough to be largely ignorable. It’s the same deal with the tiny blue “GT/CS” wordmarks on the wheels, and the small blue-accented badges on the lower doors, and even where the navy accents are in the upholstery.
The result is that the only new Mustang GT California Special you can buy that isn’t hideously vulgar happens to be electric. Who’d have thought? Oh, and if you want color on a regular Mustang coupe, why not spec it in orange, or fuchsia, or teal, or with that fantastic ’80s-inspired FX package that adds white wheels and plaid upholstery?
Mercedes’ Take
Back in the summer, I screwed up big time by losing the fob to a shiny new Ford F-350 Super Duty. The people of Ford were so kind and caring throughout my whole ordeal and had even sent out a driver to give me the second key to the truck. That driver raced from Detroit, Michigan to Hagerstown, Maryland, just to save my silly self.
That driver was like a knight in shining armor. He arrived right there in the calm between two major storm systems, the second of which would have ruined the interior of the bricked truck. My hero’s horse? A Mustang GT California Special from Ford’s press fleet. Apparently, since the driver was so willing to help me out, Ford let him drive any car he wanted.
The Mustang rolled up to the hotel with that distinct Mustang 5.0 V8 growl. But it wasn’t the sound that caught my attention the most. So many cars today are painted in boring, monochromatic shades. Everything is so white, gray, or black. This Mustang put a little color on the current trend. Yes, it was silver, but it also had lots of splashes of blue, from the badging to the grille. Pictures don’t do it justice because, in person, that blue is striking and beautiful. I also enjoyed how the blue continued inside, breaking up the sea of sleep-inducing black.
Would I have preferred the whole car to be painted in a dashing blue? Of course! But I’m also a sucker for cars wearing contrasting colors. It’s part of why I adore the Smart Fortwo so much. I’d also love the California Special if it were inverted and it was blue with silver accents.
Thomas wrote about this car in 2023 and most of our readers agreed with him that it was one ugly unit. I fully admit that I have questionable tastes. I mean, I did intentionally own two high-mileage Volkswagen Phaetons, four high mileage Volkswagen Passats, and just attempted to purchase a 190,000-mile Chevrolet Corvette C6. That ignores the five Smarts that some of our own readers have tried convincing me to get rid of. There’s no denying that I genuinely love the unloved.
But to me, if we’re going to be stuck in this world of everything being a dreary gray, black, or white, at least give me some color in other places. The only thing I really didn’t like was the fact that adding a splash of color added $1,995 to the price of the GT.
To me, the crossover version of the California Special, which adds $2,495, is nice, but way too mild. From a distance, it just looks like any other Mach-E to me. But the interior is really solid. I would have loved to see truly blue seats in the coupe for sure.
Either way, I’m going to dig my heels in and say the coupe version of the California Special is the better one.
Sorry Thomas, but I’m with Mercedes on this. And I saw a set of very blue aftermarket wheels on a blue Mustang a year ago and loved them. Colors and the applications thereof are a personal aesthetic and we’re not all always going to agree. To each their own. For me, please no orange. Ever.
That could be on the Florida Special. Which I wouldn’t buy.
The coupe would look better with a different accent color, IMO.
The SUV looks like a bloated potato. Pass.
The Mustang Mach E is an abomination. What should have happened is Ford, Hire the Bishop, and make this the Torino, like he has shown in his talented renderings.. Have you seen The Bishops concept for a new Ranchero based on this Mach E? Ford needs to hire him ASAP. The stripes on this “California special, barf) aren’t shit compared to the Torino laser stripes on The Bishop’s Ranchero !!!
Wouldn’t it be funny if the Bishop actually worked at Ford and had designed the Mach-E?
As a Mustang owner, one of the things that drew me to the car was the massive aftermarket support and the ability for every Mustang owner to make their car their own. Given that and the attitude of some older car-show attendees about keeping a special car factory original there is no way I could ever buy any factory “special edition” car. I don’t care for the “upgrades” in the current Cal-special cars, like I didn’t really care for the way the previous generation ones were set up, and there’s no way I’d want to keep one stock.
Give me my Mustang in bright blue with some accent color in the wheels and trim and I’m good. Let me customize it with a different rear spoiler, and upgrade parts, and you may never get the car away from me. Bought mine new from a dealer lot in blue in 2016 and still have it today, with no plans of selling it off.
The Mach-E California Special wheels remind me of this design used on ’80s Ford Escorts: https://www.imcdb.org/v832340.html
Not necessarily a bad thing, it’s a cool design. But it’s where my mind went.
Mercedes, holding out for a hero. Good on you!
What always gets me about the contemporary California Specials is one of the trim’s most recognizable features – the side stripes – is wrong. They shouldn’t be rocker panel level, but right up in the middle, from the hood back to the scoops. If you’re going to resurrect a heritage trim level, seems like it should at least directly nod to the heritage.
Can we seriously give the “Mach-E isn’t a Mustang” thing a rest? The Mustang has gone through so many permutations and evolutions in its 61 year history that you could make the argument that any Mustang iSn’T a MuStAnG. It is such a waste of everyone’s time. Cool, you don’t like electric cars or sports coupes or 4 doors or whatever your complaint is. Keep it to yourself.
On topic, the Mustang GT California Special is garish. Neon colored wheels are the epitome of tacky, in my humble opinion. But really, the problem with the GT isn’t that the designers at Ford went too far, it is that they didn’t go too far enough.
Right now it looks like a budding dork trying out a pork pie hat with a “normal” outfit. The hat stands out and you just know in your bones, to the depth of your very soul, “this thing is awkward.”
Guy Fieri on the other hand, is ostentatious but congruous. From the frosted tips to the tinted glasses, from the goatee to the flame tee, he’s got a complete look. He stands out, but it is as a complete entity. He is confident. The Mustang GT California is not confident. It needs a spoiler. It needs underglow. It needs a matching blue accent on the brake cooling inlet ducts and accented mirror caps. It needs to not be offered in that terrible silver color.
As it stands, the Mach-E is better. It has a rebellious little tattoo behind its ear but maintains a professional appearance. The GT looks like a 12-year-old trying out their first wallet chain.
It’s a Mustang all right, just an ugly one.
I refuse to call the Mach-e a Mustang
As for the appearance packages, whatever. Both look gauche.
I have no problem with the blue.
Just not on the goddamn wheels.
Mercedes, you like it mostly because it’s what was on the steed of the knight in shining armor that appeared to save you from the key fob debacle.
Had you first observed that car in other, less stressful circumstances, your opinion might be a bit different.
I know this because I kind of like it, and let’s just say taste isn’t something I’m known for.
As for applying a CS trim to a Mach-E, that’s just blasphemy. Ford, stop with the claims the Mach-E is a Mustang. It’s not, so stop it already.
I did consider that, but it’s months later and I still like it. So, I think I just have silly tastes.
But, just in case, it’s probably a good thing he didn’t show up in a car with a Powershift transmission. 🙂
The problem with the blue is that it doesn’t go far enough. Bigger stripes! Bolder accents! More!
As is it looks like they didn’t install all of the trim pieces.
Ooof.. those rave blue accents look like something one would option on a Polaris Slingshot. You might as well throw on some bazooka speakers and neon underglow to make the package complete.
Color keyed wheels is always a win in my book. There are so few options for this nowadays that I’m celebrating it anywhere.
However, it’s not just that alone, genuinely like the look of the CS Stang, it’s got enough flash without being horribly tacky that it looks like a JC Whitney catalogue model. Yes the blue bits on the grill are a bit much but I think you need to consider the market here. As some have said, the average Mach E buyer is probably leaning more understated than the average conventional Mustang buyer. People that buy a convertible Mustang are not doing so to blend into the crowd of crossovers. The car is a lifestyle statement. It says “I don’t have kids.”, or “Hey look at me, I’m single and have at least some disposable income.” Or maybe “I’m over 50 and still cool, or at least I think I am.” and its saying it loudly.
I’m with Mercedes on this. I can see the appeal in the cleaner approach they took with the Mach-E GT/CS, but I love how over-the-top the ICE GT/CS is. I think they should have used more Rave Blue accents on the Mach-E stripe and wheels.
As an aside: the Mach-E only has those tiny aerodynamic handles on the front doors, right? The 2026 model seems to have them on the rear doors as well.
Weirdly, it looks like the original setup in the top pic and they don’t look like the same winglet style in the lower pic.
I like the blue, hate the silver. The blue accents on a black car could look fantastic. I could probably go for a bright color with the blue accents too, although that would definitely not be everyone’s cup of tea.
TLDR: The real crime here is painting a fun car a boring color.
I can’t stand matte-black hood accents, and I like splashes of color, so I’m with Mercedes on this one.
Let’s face it, the average mach-e buyer is probably a more subtle person than the average mustang purchaser.
Cars should be more fun and less Millenial Gray. I agree with Mercedes.
They should have smashed this out with the Mitsubishi Mirage’s purple/pink.
Less boring-coloured cars is always a win I think.
Do I like it? No.
Do I think every Quebec-er looking at a convertible Mustang will want that colour package? Yes.
They should’ve called it the “Fleur-de-Lis” special.
Add some bumper pads, and sell it as a Montréal special.
I think it has a more Gatineau flavor.
The Mustang is in keeping with the look at me I’m special thing going on these days.
I’m with Mercedes. It may not be for everyone, but I’m all for adding color. I’m sick of every bit of color being subtle. I want yellow with blue accents. I’d prefer the whole outline of the grill to be blue, personally.
If they’d make the Mach E with more physical controls and the regular Mustang California color pops, I might go for one. They’re not a bad car, they just made some dumb choices like the door handles and the big screen with a single knob.
I think it’s over the top, but I’m glad they’re making it. My Grabber Blue Mustang is absolutely not subtle and I’m pleased with how it looks.
To be fair, I painted the calipers and top hats on my silver Camry SE about this same blue. Matches the Hybrid badging. Very late ’80s, ’90s aesthetic. The calipers/drums on the wife’s gunmetal grey Corolla are bright red. A little color pop can be a good thing.
Counter point: around the corner from my house is a couple that live in an apartment above a strip mall. He has a ~2005 black F150 and she has a ~2010 white Silverado 1500. Both trucks have oversized wheels and tires as well as body lifts. He painted his truck’s frame bright blue, and she painted her truck’s frame bright pink. I get it, it’s “his and hers” trucks, but does it ever look tacky.
Ohh yes, easy to go overboard. The factory rims have open enough spokes that bit of color pops and does not look rusty. I use engine block paint. I have not brought in the color elsewhere with pinstriping/etc and interiors are bone stock.