The Ford Mustang is, without question, one of the most heavily accessorized cars in the world, and we’re getting several servings of it when the 2018 SEMA Auto Show rolls around next month. For now, five different tuners have taken the challenge of giving the Mustang the aftermarket runabout, including CJ Pony Parts, which is presenting the Mustang GT Supercharged Drifting Smoke Show at the annual aftermarket spectacle in Las Vegas. Long name notwithstanding, the Mustang GT Supercharged Drifting Smoke Show comes loaded with upgrades, topped off by a slick Stars and Stripes graphic.

2018 Ford Mustang GT Supercharged Drifting Smoke Show by CJ Pony Parts

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 Ford Mustang GT Supercharged Drifting Smoke Show by CJ Pony Parts
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The Mustang’s hood, trunk, and wide-body kit all come from Anderson Composites. Ford didn’t elaborate on the contents of the kit, but we can see from the photo that the Mustang’s now sporting a new and more aggressive front bumper, as well as wider fenders. These items go well with the new front splitter provided by Roush Performance. The noted Ford tuner is also responsible for the Mustang’s new window scoops and rear foil. The custom splitters come by way of Rally Innovations while the custom Dark Shadow Gray paint finish is sourced from GCR Collision. It’s likely that the Black Stars and Stripes graphics are also part of GCR Collision’s aesthetic wraps package.

We do know that the muscle car’s 20-inch FF04 satin gold wheels come from HRE. The wheels are wrapped in slick Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires, measuring 265/35ZR-20 in the front and 305/30ZR-20 at the back.

CJ Pony Parts’ Ford Mustang GT isn’t the most bombastic Mustang that’s headed to SEMA — that arguably belongs to Galpin Auto Sports — but it’s not short on establishing its own identity, either. You won’t have any issues standing out when you’re behind the wheel of this Mustang.

Interior

Note: Standard Ford Mustang pictured here.

Inside, the Mustang sports Ford Performance seats by Recaro, Watson Racing roll cage, and a Corbeau five-point safety harness.

There’s not much to go around in the interior, literally, too. CJ Pony Parts tuned this Mustang as a track superstar, so weight is the name of the game. We don’t get to see the cabin, per se, but given that the tuner fitted a Watson Racing roll cage inside, there’s a good chance that the rear was stripped down to accommodate the equipment.

That’s the extent of CJ Pony Parts’ upgrades in the cabin of the Mustang GT. It’s unclear if the Stang’s standard safety and tech equipment are still part of the pony car’s makeup, but we suspect that the tuner kept the important bits and got rid of the dispensable ones. It's worth noting, too, that the tuner ditched the standard shifter in place of a short-throw version, which it acquired from Ford Performance.

Drivetrain

This section is where CJ Pony Parts really flexes its muscles. Using sourced components from Ford Performance and Roush, the aftermarket company tuned the Mustang’s 5.0-liter V-8 engine to the tune of over 700 horsepower. That’s a huge increase from the V-8’s standard output of 460 horsepower. There’s no mention on how much more torque CJ Pony Parts was able to coax out of the V-8 engine, but considering that the standard ‘Stang has 420 pound-feet of torque at its disposal, it’s easy to imagine that this particular Mustang has somewhere in the vicinity of 650 to 700 pound-feet of twist to play with.

So how exactly did CJ Pony Parts achieve these impressive power figures? We’ve seen what the celebrated Ford tuner is capable of with its own programs for the pony car, so it’s not a surprise that when it gets involved in somebody else’s work, it’s going to show out.

The supercharger, of course, isn’t the only new component that’s worth mentioning in this program. CJ Pony Parts also sourced a cat-back exhaust with carbon fiber tips from Ford Performance and installed it in the muscle car.

Chassis upgrades are also part of CJ Pony Parts’ aftermarket menu. In this case, the tuner installed track lowering springs to help the Mustang’s track credentials. Upgrades to the independent rear suspension were also made courtesy of parts sourced from UPR. Likewise, a hydraulic handbrake from Sikky Manufacturing also gets in on the tuning fun.

The result of all these changes means that this Ford Mustang GT isn’t the type of car you’d want to mess around with.

Conclusion

It’s hard for a tuner to stand out when the event it’s participating in is the SEMA Auto Show. There are way too many programs on display that a lot of these cars get drowned out by the sheer spectacle of the event. But don’t sleep on the CJ Pony Parts’ Ford Mustang GT Supercharged Drifting Smoke Show. This is the kind of program that elevates the Mustang’s stature beyond its muscle car identity.

Other programs will showcase their own offerings, but don’t think for one second that this kit is going to take a back seat to any one of them. If anything, CJ Pony Parts has the 2018 SEMA Auto Show in its sights with plans to make a statement. With what it was able to create, it’s bringing a product that's worthy of our attention.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Mustang.