As the light glistens across the car’s sharp body lines, the color shifts from metallic topaz to cobalt blue. From another angle, the color morphs from royal purple to deep onyx black. This isn’t some AI-generated effect, rather it is the result of 17-micron particles made up of five layers of colorless film that are infused into the paint to create Mystichrome, a color-shifting paint that is available again on a Mustang for the first time in 20 years.
Bringing back the legendary Mystichrome paint, last seen on the 2004 SVT Cobra, is my absolute favorite offering… — Vaughn Gittin Jr., RTR Vehicles
Developed to help celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Mustang, Mystichrome was only sprayed on 1,010 2004 SVT Mustang Cobras, which are among the most sought-after machines built by Ford’s now-defunct Special Vehicle Team. However, the crew at RTR Vehicles loves to push the envelope, and they worked with PPG Automotive Paint and Finishes to bring it back as an option for the 2024 model year.
For the first time in 20 years, Mystichrome paint is an option on a new Mustang. RTR Vehicles worked with PPG Automotive Paint and Finishes to resurrect the iconic, color-shifting paint that debuted on the 2004 SVT Mustang Cobra. (Photo Credit: RTR Vehicles)
“Our team has worked very hard to offer some unique colorways to choose from, and I love all the colors we’ve curated and made available. Bringing back the legendary Mystichrome paint, last seen on the 2004 SVT Cobra, is my absolute favorite offering. It’s been too long, and someone had to do it!” Vaughn Gittin Jr. enthused.
Ford initially broke ground by deploying the light-refracting ChromaFlair pigments on the 1996 SVT Mustang Cobra’s Mystic paint option, and they turned up the intensity for Mystichrome in 2004.
“It was truly ground-breaking,” Alan Eggly, Ford Color and Trim Director for North America at the time, said when this color was introduced. “No other manufacturer had used color-shifting paint on a production car before. But, just as the handling and acceleration have dramatically improved since 1996 on the SVT Mustang Cobra, so has color-shifting technology. For 2004, we were able to take Mystic paint and put it on steroids.”
In addition to Mystichrome, RTR Vehicles is offering a wide-ranging color palette that includes RTR Hyper Lime, Leadfoot Gray, Azure Blue, Rosso Scuderia, Graphite Magno, Lightning Silver, Urban Bamboozle, NATO Olive, and Signal Green.
While the return of this iconic color is an exciting option for those with a deep respect for the history of the Mustang, it is just one part of an impressive array of colors available on the 2024 Mustang RTR. The other options include RTR Hyper Lime, Leadfoot Gray, Azure Blue, Rosso Scuderia, Graphite Magno, Lightning Silver, Urban Bamboozle, NATO Olive, and Signal Green.
If those options are diverse enough for your desires, RTR Vehicles also added a Paint-to-Sample option allowing buyers to choose any color they desire and have their RTR Mustang painted to match that hue. Those vehicles start as black Mustangs which then have their exterior panels removed and the custom color applied to those panels as well as the interior door jambs, fenders, and trunk jambs.
For those who want something completely custom, RTR also offers a Paint-to-Sample option, allowing owners to choose a unique finish for their 2024 Mustang RTRs.
Paint-to-Sample options are only available for order through RTR or its authorized dealers, and they will set you back an additional $5,000 above the Standard ($8,995) and Premium ($15,995) paint options.
“We are so pumped to introduce the RTR Extended Color Palette and Paint-to-Sample Program! This is more than just a paint job — it’s about giving RTR owners a chance to express their individuality and passion in a way that’s never been possible before on a Mustang,” Vaughn said.
