Skip to main content

Ford’s Mustang Apollo Edition is ready for landing with new specs and photos

Ford is returning to the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to introduce a one-off Mustang that pays homage to NASA’s successful Apollo program.

Updated on 07-16-2015 by Ronan Glon: Added a full gallery of pictures and technical specifications.

The Apollo Edition started life as a 2015 Mustang GT but it looks considerably more muscular than its regular-production counterpart.  The coupe has gained a new hood with two air vents, a model-specific front bumper upgraded with a sizable splitter made out of carbon fiber, a generously-sized spoiler mounted on the trunk lid, and 21-inch Forgiato alloy wheels wrapped by low-profile tires.

To wrap up the custom look, Ford has given the Apollo Edition a two-tone black and glossy white paint job with red accents on the hood, the roof, and the mirror caps. Red “USA” stickers create a discreet visual link between the ‘Stang and the space shuttle that inspired it, and orange LED underbody lighting was added to symbolize atmospheric re-entry.

The one-off Mustang’s cockpit has been spruced up with leather-upholstered bucket seats that feature white contrast stitching, red and white accents on the center console, Apollo Project emblems embroidered into the front seat backs, and a new instrument cluster.

The Apollo Edition is almost as fast as a rocket, too. It packs a tuned Mustang GT-sourced 5.0-liter that uses a Ford Performance supercharger to make 627 horsepower and 540 foot-pounds of torque. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels, while Brembo brakes and a sport-tuned suspension keep the extra grunt in check.

Staying true to tradition, Ford will donate the Mustang Apollo Edition to the EAA and the car will be auctioned off during the Gathering of Eagles Gala that will take place later this month. The proceeds from the sale will be used to support the organization’s year-round youth aviation programs.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Ford’s electric 1,502-hp Mustang dragster burns tires, not race fuel
ford introduces electric mustang cobra jet 1400 prototype

Ford defiantly argued a Mustang doesn't need to have a turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a big V8 under the hood to honor the nameplate's heritage when it introduced the electric Mach-E. It took the emblematic model even further into electrification territory by building a battery-powered, Mustang-based dragster named Cobra Jet.

Hardcore, dyed-in-the-wool Mustang fans will recognize the Cobra Jet name because it denoted a mighty, 7.0-liter V8 engine in the late 1960s. Fast forward to 2020, and it proudly designates an electric dragster whose output checks in at a monstrous 1,400 horsepower and 1,100 pound-feet of instant torque, though Ford revised the first figure in September 2020. Its total output is 1,502 hp, a jaw-dropping number that puts it on par with the Bugatti Chiron.

Read more
Bone up on the history of the Ford Bronco ahead of the new model’s reveal
1966 Ford Bronco

The 2021 Ford Bronco marks the return of the Blue Oval’s original SUV after 24 years away. The original Bronco helped create the template for the modern SUV, combined rugged construction with everyday practicality. Here’s how the Bronco made automotive history, and why it took Ford so long to bring it back.
Bronco prehistory
Ford didn’t invent the SUV, but executives knew a trend when they saw one. Just as the 2021 Bronco targets the Jeep Wrangler, the original Bronco targeted the Jeep CJ, the brand’s first civilian model. Ford actually built Jeeps during World War II alongside Willys Overland (you can spot a Ford-built Jeep by the letter “F” stamped into most parts), but after the war, Willys retained the rights to the design.

1965-1977: First generation
Former G.I.s began buying military surplus Jeeps, as well as Willys-manufactured civilian models, but Ford thought it could do better.

Read more
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E will offer Active Drive Assist hands-free driving tech
Ford Active Drive Assist

Ford is serious about making the 2021 Mustang Mach-E its most tech-forward vehicle to date. The electric crossover will inaugurate a technology named Active Drive Assist that will allow drivers to safely and legally take both hands off the steering wheel when the right conditions are met. It won't turn the Mach-E into an autonomous car, however.

Bundled into a suite of electronic driving aids named Co-Pilot360, Active Drive Assist is an evolution of adaptive cruise control with lane-centering designed to take over on divided highways. The system relies on cameras, radars, and sensors to scope out the road ahead, but Ford's approach to the technology is similar to Cadillac's because it only works on pre-mapped highways. This safety-first solution ensures the car knows exactly where there's a bend or a hill, but it also means motorists won't be able to use Active Drive Assist if they're traveling on a road that the technology doesn't know. Ford already mapped over 100,000 miles of highways in all 50 states and in Canada.

Read more