PHOTO FILE NAME SUGGESTS THE MUSTANG UNDER THIS SHEET IS AN RTR

The photo was originally named RTR Fun 03b, but Ford changed it.

Ford celebrated the Mustang's 60th birthday on Wednesday. There was a big party in Charlotte, North Carolina, where, among other things, we got the lowdown on the new 60th Anniversary Package available for the GT. We also got a teaser image of a new Mustang variant coming next year, but it was the name of the photo Ford uploaded to its media website—and what happened since then—that caught our attention.

Ford likely has something new with RTR in the works. Sorry Shelby fans, we know everyone was thinking about a new GT350 or GT500, but the devil is in the details. Ford casually mentioned "another edition to the Mustang stable" at the end of its Wednesday livestream event, along with a photo of a Mustang-shaped car under a green cover. Nothing else was said, but Ford uploaded the photo to its media website shortly thereafter, where it had the file name RTR Fun 03b. Interesting.

The plot thickens. Since then, Ford has changed the file name to simply read MustangTeaser. That suggests the photo name wasn't simply a random title or intentionally used as a misdirection to throw people off the scent.

We asked the automaker about the original photo title and the name change. We'll be sure to share any new information if we hear back.

In the meantime, it's worth noting that there's already a seventh-generation Ford Mustang RTR. It's available in three formats—a Design Package that's appearance-only, a Spec 1 package that upgrades the suspension, and Spec 2 which adds more suspension bits and numerous body enhancements. You know what's missing from that lineup? A Spec 3 that bolts on a supercharger. The previous-generation pony had it, and that would explain the number 3 in the original title. We'll go out on a limb by saying it would probably even be fun to drive ... going by the original file name of RTR Fun 03b, anyway.

The only hangup we run into is whether Ford would tease something with an RTR focus. Even if it's not a Spec 3, Ford and RTR have a well-established relationship for performance vehicles and one-off creations. Given that relationship with the name of the photo and the fact that Ford changed the name, there's good reason to believe something with RTR is headed our way for 2025.

Are we correct in our sleuthing? We'll find out for sure next year.

PHOTO FILE NAME SUGGESTS THE MUSTANG UNDER THIS SHEET IS AN RTR

The photo was originally named RTR Fun 03b, but Ford changed it.

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