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What's so Special about a California???????

blitzburgh

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If you were persistent (and lucky) you could find the occasional S197 GT with the C/S interior. I'd already bought too many GT/CSs.
I was ordering from new car sales on base in Japan so the only way to get the interior was Cali special.
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Bikeman315

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I was ordering from new car sales on base in Japan so the only way to get the interior was Cali special.
Well there is one other way to get an Alcantara interior on new cars......

Carbon Sport Interior Package $1,195

The Carbon Sport Interior Package includes:
• Alcantara® Door Inserts
• Alcantara® Seat Inserts
• Carbon Fiber Instrument Panel
• Carbon Fiber Shift Knob
 

blitzburgh

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Well there is one other way to get an Alcantara interior on new cars......

Carbon Sport Interior Package $1,195

The Carbon Sport Interior Package includes:
• Alcantara® Door Inserts
• Alcantara® Seat Inserts
• Carbon Fiber Instrument Panel
• Carbon Fiber Shift Knob
If they had all that in 07 I would have done that however, the way Ford configurator works I probably wouldn't be able to select all that because I selected to have Blue paint
 

Interceptor

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It is what the cougar would have been. Some Mustangs owners don't care about being the fastest.
We love the GT (grand touring) part of the California Special. No doubt the comfort of interior and standard full option package standard sold me. It is not meant to be big seller.

20201004_082258.jpg
 

blitzburgh

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It is what the cougar would have been. Some Mustangs owners don't care about being the fastest.
We love the GT (grand touring) part of the California Special. No doubt the comfort of interior and standard full option package standard sold me. It is not meant to be big seller.

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Beautiful car. Congrats
 

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Gogoggansgo

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It’s an appearance package and nothing more.
 

ddeluce

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The California Special has historical significance which is why I find owning one that much more special (pardon the pun). In addition, as others have said, the suede seats are really comfortable. Here is some of the GT/CS's history:

Lee Grey was the Southern California district sales manager for Ford in 1967, and he was looking for something unique to spark sales of Mustangs in Los Angeles. California was responsible for 20% of Mustang and Thunderbird sales, and this gave dealers the clout to ask for their own version of the Mustang. The objective was to make the Mustangs sold in California unique and to look "custom" made, thus differentiating them from the standard models available elsewhere.

The car's design was inspired by a Shelby GT-500 sedan prototype called “Little Red” that Grey saw at Ford's 1968 model preview event in L.A. Grey saw this as an opportunity to use the elements of this prototype to market his "California-Only Mustang". He met with Lee Iaccoca in L.A., and the decision was made to bring the car to Dearborn to develop into a limited edition Mustang. Shelby Automotive, now part of Ford, was assigned the task of designing and engineering the necessary parts and assembly procedures for the GT/CS.

The 1968 Mustang GT/CS included: fog lights, twist-type DZUS hood pins, side scoops, pop-open gas cap, rear spoiler deck lid with end caps,1965 Thunderbird taillights, side stripes with the "GT/CS" logo, rear deck lid stripe, and “California Special” emblem on the rear quarter panels. The GT option package was available on the GT/CS. So some, but not all, GT/CSs are also GTs.

In mid-February 1968, the California Ford Dealers began to market this factory-built, limited-edition Mustang, called the GT/CS, or "California Special". The marketing theme for this limited edition was "California Made it Happen!", a variation on Mustang's national marketing theme and commercial jingle, "Only Mustang Makes it Happen!"

Ford targeted a production run of 5,000; however, only 4118 were made, including 251 units that were re-marketed in Denver, Colorado, as "High Country Specials”. Production ran for only five and a half months from mid-February 1968 to early August 1968 at Ford's San Jose plant. No further GT/CS models were produced until the 2007 model year.

Unlike a Shelby GT-350 or GT-500, which were and are high performance versions of the Mustang, the GT/CS was all about appearance. Mechanically it was the same as a regular Mustang. The same is true today.
 

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frank s

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The man with glasses, whose name I'm blocking (Might be Tom McLellan), accosted me next to my white GT/CS, in the parking structure at "The Pete", to tell me his company made the "California Special" badges for the originals. He was MC at the presentation, during which all those legendary designers, builders, team managers, and drivers told their Trans-Am tales, and responded to many questions about alleged cheating, with "It was a Safety Feature".

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Trans-Am Tribute at The Petersen Automotive Museum 12th November 2009
 

wazslow

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I have a 2016 GT/CS. I bought it used, and it just happened to be a low mileage car like I was looking for. I really don't like most of the package to be honest. I already removed the stripes and changed the wheels (Forgestar F14 dragpack). I hate the fake gascap and large spoiler, both of which will be removed in the future. Really the only thing I find to be good about it is the nicer interior.
 

Stangluvr

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I have a ruby red 2016 GT/CS and my neighbor has a newer GT/CS in silver.

I like the luxury and look so much that I searched nationally a couple years ago to find this exact year, color, options and then I added the black roof, window tint, spare tire & wheel, and apple car play. The bonus was that this 2200 mile Mustang GT Premium California Special had a Roush supercharger installed!

I love my Red Pony

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ktp1598

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Does anybody else have a Kona Blue GT/CS? I've only seen one other though I've seen several in the registry. I didn't care much for the color at first but loved the rest of the car. The color has grown on me.

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Mikesc

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I own a 2020 GT/CS. Not only do I like the uniqueness of the car but with the low production numbers for the 2020 GT's . I believe when I sell the car I may get a premium for it.
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