The 2026 Foose Stallion: Chip Foose Brings Back a Name Mustang Fans Already Know
Chip Foose rolled into SEMA 2026 with a one-of-one S650 Mustang GT wearing a name that might sound new to some of you: the Foose Stallion. But if you were around the Mustang scene in the mid-2000s, that name should ring a bell. This isn’t the first Foose Stallion, and it isn’t even the first time Foose has put his signature on a modern Mustang. Before we get into what makes the 2026 car special, let’s take a look back at where the Stallion name came from.
Where the Stallion Name Started
Believe it or not, the first Foose “Stallion” wasn’t a Mustang. It was a customized 1934 Ford 3-window coupe that Foose built for owner Ron Whiteside, and it took home the Ridler Award at the 2003 Detroit Autorama. That made it the second Ridler win for Chip and Foose Design, which is about as big as it gets in the custom car world. So when Foose later attached the Stallion name to a Mustang, it carried real weight.
The S197 Foose Stallion (2005 to 2007)
The first Mustang to wear the name came during the S197 era. Foose saw the Mustang’s shape as a great starting point for his own take on the pony car, and called it the “Stallion.” Serial #0001 was unveiled at the 2005 Woodward Dream Cruise and was designed as the “ultimate cruisin'” machine.
Building one custom car is one thing. Building hundreds is another. Foose’s shop was set up for one-off builds, not a production run, so he partnered with Unique Performance to handle the Stallion’s engineering, development, and marketing.
The styling changes went well beyond a body kit. Foose kept the basic Mustang shape but redesigned the front and rear fascias, grille, rear lighting, and hood, then added C-pillar ducts, revised side markers, and a rear spoiler he designed. The Stallion hood pulled muscular styling cues from the 1969 Mustang that blended into the S197’s retro design. Underneath, the car rode on Foose-designed 20-inch aluminum wheels and added a strut tower brace, billet rear trailing arms, and Baer brakes with four-piston front calipers and cross-drilled Eradispeed rotors.
Worth noting: this was a style and stance car first. The production Stallions didn’t come with a blower or other speed-shop upgrades as standard; the package focused mainly on body cosmetics, wheels, and brakes. Keep that in mind, because it’s the same philosophy you’ll see on the 2026 car.
Getting one got easier over time. In January 2007, the Foose Stallion expanded to all North American Ford dealerships with a new base model, after previously being available only through select Ford dealers. Buyers could choose coupe or convertible configurations.
As for how many were built, that’s where things get fuzzy. Estimates range from a little over 200 to around 350 cars depending on the source, and we couldn’t find a defined production number from a credible source. What we can say is that the S197 Foose Stallion is a rare piece of modern Mustang history, and you won’t see one at every Cars and Coffee.
The S550 Chapter: MMD by Foose
The S550 never got a car officially badged as a Stallion, but Foose didn’t sit that generation out. The 2015 MMD by Foose Mustang was first unveiled at Chip Foose’s Huntington Beach, California studio on May 21st, using a lineup of new MMD by Foose parts to give the S550 body more of a muscle car feel. It was a one-off build with a Whipple supercharger system, and the 810 hp supercharged S550 was given away at the AmericanMuscle Mustang Show that August.
Different name, same idea: take Ford’s latest Mustang and show the community what it looks like through Foose’s eyes.
The 2026 Foose Stallion: One Car, One Vision, One of One
That brings us to SEMA 2026. The new Foose Stallion is a one-of-one custom build based on the S650 Mustang GT, and it’s the first time the Stallion name has been on a Mustang since the S197 days. Foose describes it as a car where every custom element complements the Mustang’s original lines while giving it a more aggressive, muscular look.
Foose Design Custom Package
- Foose custom widebody kit
- 20-inch Foose custom wheels
- Michelin performance tires: 275/35R20 front, 305/30R20 rear
- Foose custom rear wing
- Foose custom front grille package
- Foose custom chrome package
- Foose custom quarter-window vents
- MagnaFlow performance exhaust system
- Foose custom exhaust tips
Those quarter-window vents are a nice nod for anyone who knows the S197 car, which wore its own C-pillar ducts.
Engine and Performance
- 5.0L Coyote V8
- 486 hp / 418 lb-ft
- 6-speed manual transmission
- 0 to 60 mph in approximately 4.3 seconds
Chassis and Handling
- Mustang GT Performance Package
- Turn 5 1.5-inch lowering kit
- Performance-tuned chassis and suspension
- Upgraded rear sway bar
- Torsen limited-slip rear differential
Brakes
- Brembo performance brakes
- Six-piston Brembo front calipers
- 15-inch front rotors
Just like the original Stallion, the 2026 car isn’t chasing a big power number. The Coyote stays naturally aspirated, a manual keeps it engaging, and the work goes into stance, wheel and tire fitment, brakes, and that widebody design. It’s a cruiser with the hardware to back up the look.
According to Ford Authority, this Mustang will go to one lucky fan after SEMA wraps up.
The Takeaway
The Foose Stallion name has now shown up on a Ridler-winning ’34 Ford, a limited-run S197, and a one-of-one S650, with the MMD by Foose car carrying the torch in between. Twenty years apart, the formula is still the same: keep the Mustang’s DNA, then refine it with Foose’s eye for proportion and detail. The 2026 car isn’t a brand-new idea. It’s the latest chapter in one.
Photos: Ken from Carlisle Events
