black sunshine

Pardon my rant but what is the deal with the California Special option on Mustangs???? When I first heard that Ford was making a CS is 2007 I thought it would be an SE like the Mach 1, Bulitt, or Cobra. The CS is not really an SE becuase it is becoming a very common option. And not only that......why call it California Special???? It looks nothing like the old GT/CS's AND the car is not manufactured in California lke the old GT/CS's were........Why not have a reoccuring MACH 1 theme????/.........Why CS?????......I'm not knocing the car.....it's nice but does in need to be called a california special??????.......Why not just call it a GT appearence package........flame away.

mwilson7

Why call it a Shelby? The current Shelby doesn't look anything like the old Shelby.....It's not made by Shelby like the old Shelby...... it's much better at everything vs. the old Shelby....... Why not just call it the Cobra? Why call it a Cobra...... it doesn't look like the old Cobra.....etc....etc...etc....

Rampant

Same reason they call the V6 version "Pony Package" -- it sounds better than "Appearance Package" (it isn't an SE) and doesn't encroach on the "real" SE's like Mach 1, Boss, Bullitt, et al.

Wolfsburg

I've wondered the same thing myself...

94gt

The original poster has a lot of valid thoughts. This was supposed to be a limited run car when reintroduced back in 2007. In my opinion the 2007-09 GT/CS was asthetically the sexiest car made in the old body style. The two tone interior was stunning. Unfortunately the new monotone interior is sleep inducing having the same problem the 07-09 GT500 did being a monotone interior. The pedestral spoiler would be more appropriate in a Fast and Furious movie and the silver grill on a car with all black accents? The gray rims don't add much to the combo either.

Yes, with the car sharing much DNA from the 69-70 Mustang I would absolutely love to see a Mach 1! Look at the new Boss 302r and then look at the 1970 Boss 302 ande you will see what I mean.

94gt

The newer car looks a lot like the 1968 Shelby which was its inspiration. Far more so than the 07-09 did. From the 1968 Shelby forward they were made by Ford not at Shelby American like the 1965-67 models. With the prices Shelby American is currently charging I think Ford is doing a far superior job of offering better looking more performance based cars for the price than the cars being done in Vegas.

mwilson7

So why call it a Shelby then?

I agree with the person who says it sounds much better than "GT appearance package"

blksn8k

If the GT/CS was available with the Brembo brake package I would probably be placing my order now. As it is I will probably wait for Job 2 to see what changes are available then.

94gt

Shelby has had a certain amount of input and the car has his blessing. The name alone carries alot more weight than any Cobra ever will. The contracts are there to use his name on the product that has been given his approval to carry. I just feel ford is doing a better job of carrying the Shelby name than the overpriced Shelby American models are. Trust me Carroll is getting a nice fat check so it can use his name. He sued Ford in 84 over there use of GT350 which he owned.

825LTRGT

I am biased but my car constantly gets compliments. One person at work mentioned she wants to buy it from me in the spring. Ford probably recognizes the CS' popularity and is attempting to capitalize on it again.

I only thing I would change is removing the side scoops. They are a pain in the a##.

zzcoop

Screw the CS. It's had a good run. Bring on the Twister!

RandyW

If you don't like it, buy a regular Mustang, customize it the way you want it, and tell everyone it's the Maine Special.

zzcoop

Heh.

825LTRGT

How 'bout the Sprint?

A stripped base GT.

mustangfan123

If you are not aware already, the Brembo Brake and GT/CS packages are not compatible because both come with wheels, so obviously you would have to remove one of the 4 wheel sets or they'd be overcharging you. But I guess Ford is too lazy to do that.

There might be more reasons why they are not compatible though, I guess I'd have to ask the Ford dealer to find out any others.

OutaFocus

The original CS wasn't a CS because it was built in California. It was a special built for the California Dealer Group. The exact same car was built for the Colorado Dealer Group and it was called the High Country Special. Note the sheild for the HCS, in the linked picture, in place of the GT/CS on the California Special.

blksn8k

Yeah, I realize the two packages use different wheels but since they are both 19" wheels one can only assume that the GT/CS wheels are not compatible with the Brembo calipers or something. If they are compatible then there should be a lower price for the Brembo package on a GT/CS rather than simply say you can't have both. Or they should have made the GT/CS wheels compatible with the Brembos and the tires that are part of that package or just simply use the Brembo package wheels on the GT/CS when you add that option.
I also seriously doubt most dealer employees and especially salesmen would have a clue about any technical issues. No offense to any salesmen here.

black sunshine

I can't find a source but I'm 99.9% sure they were all built in Ford's old San Jose assembly plant. I know I read it once but I can't find it online. Everything else you wrote is true to my knowledge. Why not re-create the "High Country Special"

I like the 07-09 GT/CS's......they look really nice. I'm just wondering why ford is carrying it on for the 2011.

Why not have the 2011 GT/CS be the GT Mustang and have the current 2011 Gt Mustang be like an "LX"

stang7300

I didn't think being built in CA had anything to do with it. I thought it was a CA dealer thing only...but it appears you're right.

according to this: http://www.californiaspecial.com/features.htm

houtex

That'd be what I'm doin', but it's not the Maine Special... it's a GTA.

/GT Awesome.