The sixth-generation Ford Mustang is close to its demise, so what better way to herald its impending farewell than with a romantic reprise of the 1960s California Special nametag?
- How much does the Ford Mustang GT California Special cost?
- What equipment comes with the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
- How safe is the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
- What technology does the Ford Mustang GT California Special feature?
- What powers the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
- What is the Ford Mustang GT California Special like to drive?
- What is the Ford Mustang GT California Special like inside?
- Should I buy a Ford Mustang GT California Special?
The current-model Ford Mustang is in its final throes, so to add some farewell flair Ford has reprised the California Special Edition nameplate from the late 1960s. Little more than a mildly dressed-up GT, the ‘CS’ brings a bit of cosmetic titillation via a black honeycomb grille, optional rear spoiler (coupe only), phoney air scoops in the side panels aft of the doors, side stripes, different grille and boot badging and its own five-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the changes are limited to carbon-look dash trim, red stitching on the seats and centre console, suede door trim inserts and California Special badging on the dash. There are no mechanical changes other than the line-lock brake set-up, which is now standard across the Mustang V8 range.
How much does the Ford Mustang GT California Special cost?
Available as a coupe in manual or automatic or as an auto-only convertible, the 2023 Ford Mustang California Special carries a $2000 premium, bringing the price of the GT Coupe manual reviewed here to $67,290 plus on-road costs.
Its closest competitor is a fellow retro performance car, the Nissan Z (from $73,300), continuing a rivalry that dates back to the early 1970s.
The Toyota Supra (from $87,000) is also of interest, though priced much higher, while the Kia Stinger GT (from $64,960) may appeal to fans of the traditional Aussie muscle car who need more than the Mustang’s two doors.
What equipment comes with the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
There are no real beefs about the equipment levels found in the 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special.
As well as leather/suede trim, two-zone climate-control, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and a digital instrument cluster, there’s a pounding 12-speaker sound system complete with boot-located subwoofer and amplifier which is totally consistent with the California connotations.
The front seats, though they are heated and cooled, only offer power reach adjustment, however.
The Mustang also gets the FordPass Connect modem, which is a pathway towards remotely locating the car, locking or unlocking it, starting the engine or heating and cooling the interior.
SYNC 3 voice activation with annual sat-nav map updates is also factored in.
The extensive colour palette includes Race Red, Oxford White, Carbonized Grey, Shadow Black, Rapid Red, Mischievous Purple, Eruption Green, Atlas Blue, Cyber Orange, Grabber Blue and Dark Matter Grey.
How safe is the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
How and why the Ford Mustang was introduced only capable of scoring three ANCAP safety stars (it was two stars only at launch in 2015) is inexplicable.
The next-gen model is expected to put the controversies well behind it, but for the time being Mustang buyers must be content with the current below-par safety status.
There’s not a heap of new-gen features, but the safety tech actually doesn’t read too badly.
As per all GTs, the 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special comes with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian avoidance, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors and a rear camera.
The total of eight airbags doesn’t sound too bad either.
Still, three ANCAP stars remain until the new-gen Mustang appears in 2023.
What technology does the Ford Mustang GT California Special feature?
The 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special fires up with the push of a button, but the handbrake is a solid, traditional pull-up type that wins the hearts of playful drivers who will not only love the line-lock braking (stressed as being for track use only) but also the fact that handbrake turns remain a possibility.
The only thing to remember is that the lever needs a good solid yank to prevent rolling when parked on steep inclines.
What powers the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
The 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special packs the familiar 5.0-litre Coyote V8 which yields a solid 339kW along with an admirable 556Nm of torque that’s achieved at a high 4600rpm.
There’s a bit of bulk to contend with, the Mustang V8 Fastback weighing in at a solid 1770kg, which tends to even out the power/weight score when compared with two-seater six-cylinder competitors such as the Nissan Z and Toyota Supra.
How fuel efficient is the Ford Mustang GT California Special?
The official combined-cycle consumption figure for the manual-gearbox 2023 Ford Mustang GT Fastback is, unsurprisingly, indicative of a healthy thirst.
Although our California Special review car, which was subjected to a lot of freeway driving, recorded a relatively thrifty 10.3L/100km, the official figure of 13L/100km on a recommended 98RON fuel diet sounds more like what you’d expect when trundling around town.
The 61-litre fuel tank is also pretty average in its capacity when compared to the aforementioned sports cars.
What is the Ford Mustang GT California Special like to drive?
There’s never a sign of boredom in the 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special Fastback when the 339kW V8 growls into life.
Providing it’s not expected to deliver a solid shove in the back from low rpm, where the tall gearing and normally-aspirated torque band conspire against it, the Mustang GT CS is a blast in conditions where the engine begins operating in its natural power band.
The sound from within the cabin is way rowdier than to those outside, inviting the driver to explore the Mustang GT California Special’s aural delights, the 7400rpm redline impressive for a small-block V8.
Working in conjunction with this is the six-speed manual gearbox that manages to combine a nice feel with relatively light shifting, while the clutch is not a monster to deal with either.
This is quite a civilised muscle car.
On staggered tyres (255/40R19 front and 275/40R19 rear) and rims (19×9.0-inch and 19×9.5-inch), the Mustang has plenty of rubber on the road but there’s always a lurking consciousness of the car’s proclivity for taily behaviour near the upper grip limits to inspire prudency.
The ride quality, given this, is comfy enough and the steering is quite quick (2.6 turns from lock to lock) and well-weighted, although there’s not a mountain of difference between the three available modes which include Comfort, Normal and Sport.
What is the Ford Mustang GT California Special like inside?
We will have to wait for the next-generation Ford Mustang to be wowed by a preponderance of digital information on a wide, flat-screen dash.
In the meantime, as seen here with the 2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special Fastback, it’s all up to a fundamentally retro display which is quite cosy and familiar to work with.
It uses a central touch-screen for operating the sat-nav, radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functions, along with steering wheel controls for familiar driving functions such as cruise control, wipers and so on.
There is also a configurable 12-inch digital cluster ahead of the driver that offers crisp views of tacho/speedo and other info including drive mode, trip computer and tyre pressure monitoring (our review car incorrectly and continuously insisted that one of the tyres was underinflated).
The California Special seats four with marginal comfort providing rear passengers accept the entry/exit compromises forced on them by the slow-sliding power front seats that must be moved well forward before access is possible.
Once ensconced, medium-size adults might find that headroom and legroom are compromised, even if the cushions are soft and nicely rounded.
Should I buy a Ford Mustang GT California Special?
Although the bulk of sales go to the American market, the US-built Ford Mustang continues to be a global phenomenon.
The sixth-generation model truly brought the original American pony car back to its glory days following a mid-life crisis that encompassed much of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.
Despite its safety shortcomings, the sixth generation of the original pony car remains an alluring prospect for a wide range of buyers stretching from Gen-Xers to Millennials.
If the idea of being behind the wheel of Australia’s most popular sports car appeals, then the Ford Mustang GT California Special is an absolute no-brainer.
Ford has the segment nailed.
2023 Ford Mustang GT California Special Fastback at a glance:
Price: $67,290 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 5.0-litre V8 petrol
Output: 339kW/556Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 13L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 295g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Three-star (ANCAP 2017)
Keyword: Ford Mustang GT California Special 2023 Review