I don't care what you've got to say about it, the Mach-E wears a Mustang badge, so Ford is treating it accordingly. That's why the Blue Oval is rolling out the Mustang Mach-E GT California Special for 2026. It's a trim level that has been previously reserved for gas-powered Mustang coupes and convertibles as a way to pay homage to the original 1968 Mustang California Special, which itself was cooked up as a way to celebrate the car's success in the Golden State.
As a base line, Ford took inspiration from the original 1968 Mustang GT/CS. That means the Mach-E gets a set of 20-inch gloss black area wheel covers and a "GT/CS" logo printed in Rave Blue on one of the carbonized gray-painted spoke/hole things. That same color also shows up on the emblems, grille and lettering on the hood that reads "California Special." It sits on top of a black and gray hood graphic that Ford says is "inspired by the California coastline." It looks pretty sharp, if you're into that sort of thing. Of course, it gets the same 480 horsepower, 700 pound-feet of torque and 280 miles of EPA-estinated range as the regular Mach-E GT.
Overall, there isn't too much of a change from the regular Mach-E GT on the outside, and I think that's okay. This didn't need to be an in-your-face graphics package. Clearly, Ford is trying to make up for the total nightmare it created with the 2024 Mustang Califonria Special and its horrible blue accents on the inside and out. Subdued was the correct choice this time, fellas.
Ford
The Mustang Mach-E GT California Special's interior is a similar story to the exterior: not too much is different, but there's enough to make it feel sort of special. The car gets a set of Performance front seats that are covered in Navy Pier ActiveX and Miko materials. The ActiveX continues on the steering wheel and center console with an embossed GT/CS logo on it. It's all stitched together with reflective blue and silver stitching that matches the floor mats. Aside from that, there's nothing terribly groundbreaking about the California Special's interior. It still seems like the same relatively nice place to be as the regular Mach-E GT.
If all of this is speaking to you, just slap the $2,495 option (the most expensive a California Special package has ever been) on a $53,395 Mustang Mach-E GT for a grand total of $55,890, not including destination. You can start ordering the car on October 22, but keep in mind, it's not going to hit dealer lots until the first quarter of 2026 — the same time as the $37,795 base 2026 Mustang Mach-E. I can think of few better ways to ring in the new year than with a 480 hp EV with a California-inspired stripe.
