The 'R' Now Stands For Rear Seats, Not Race Car

Ford Mustang GT350R gets back-seat option for $999

Damn it, now Ford is doing it. It used to be the Germans were the only folks that would sell you a four-seat version of a two-seat version of a four-seat car. But now the Blue Oval has gotten on board, albeit in a far more limited form with the new GT350R.

The two-seat, high-performance Mustang can now be had with a new Ford Performance accessory that will transform the car back into a proper two-plus-two for just $999, not counting installation. The new back seat kit adds a pair of chairs, complete with seatbelts and the same Alcantara upholstery and red accent stitching found on the big-kid seats up front.

Now, there are a couple ways of looking at this decision on Ford's part. For one, it could be adopting the Porsche model – charging to remove stuff and then charging again to put it back. Or, there are some clever Ford engineers that realize a GT350R with actual back seats is just as capable of entertaining kids as annual trips to Disneyworld, but will cost a lot less. The reality, according to Ford, is much more mundane.

"We always listen to customer feedback," Ford Performance global director Dave Pericak said in a statement. "So when many requested a back seat for their GT350R, we acted quickly to make it available."

Answering customer concerns is always good, but if you really need room for four people, why even buy a two-seat car in the first place? Seems like people are missing the point of a GT350R. Read on for the official press release from the Blue Oval.

(AutoBlog.com)