Stampede Edition?

UPDATED / EDITED: 07/07/2013
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The 2006 Mustang Stampede Edition is a Ford built regional special. The "Stampede Edition" is clearly denoted on the original Ford window sticker and not an add-on sticker as with dealer created packages.

In 2006 three regional specials were released - the California Limited Edition (CE), the Southern California Special (SCS) and the Stampede Edition (Stampede). All three are essential the same vehicle; all were built on the Pony Package with the same key items (colors, stripes, features, etc.) although they carry different badging and, depending on the special, were created in different unit amounts.

The CE was limited to 400 units, the Stampede to 500 and the 600 SCS Mustangs did not have a X of X badge - bringing total units to 1500. 

The Stampede Edition was announced by Ford during its "Expanding The Breed" press release which also announced the return of the California Special (GT/CS) in 2007.  The CE and SCS Mustangs had brochures. The Stampede did not. A 'hero card', or dealer info card, was issued to the participating 300 dealerships in the Oklahoma and Texas market. These have been nearly impossible to locate and only by chance has one fallen into my hands. It gives us the same basic info we already had as well as additional info we were unaware of such as the exact colors and the options (manual vs. auto, cloth vs. leather, etc.) that were available.

All the Stampedes were created in March of 2006, delivered in April, announced in May and sold in the summer of 2006. My Stampede was built 3/30/2006, delivered to my dealership by 4/17/2006 (date of registration) and sold to me on 6/19/2006. There is still a lot of things we don't know about the Stampede but some inconsistencies have surfaced already. For example, we have located two of them in Torch Red... a color that, according to the Hero Card, was not part of the Stampede Edition program... I also understand that Ford may have created closer to 525 Stampedes although only 500 were issued badging. Tracking them is harder when the badging was delivered to the dealerships to install. If they failed to do so then there is no way for us to document the car. 

The Stampede has a more aggressive stance than a normal Pony Package Coupe. It is very similar to a GT/CS. The rake is sharper with a 1 inch drop up front and .25-.50 inch in the back.  The feel while driving it is tighter, more controlled, and heavier than the Pony Package Mustang, which has the same wheels and same sway bars.  The Stampede did come with Traction Control and ABS but in side-by-side comparisons there are clearly distinct differences in the dialed-in suspension. The handling and ride feels like a GT whereas the Pony Package feels more "sedan" like.

In the 7 years that I have owned this Mustang I have purposely not modified the ride height, wheel/tire size, or changed out any of the suspension parts (other than regular maintance by my Ford Dealer).  The only changes made have been tires (6/19/10 & 6/19/13), brakes and caliper covers.

Stampede 235, owned by J. Stedry, is closer to original stock form than my own. He and I provided information for Brad Barnett when he documented the existence of the 2006 Regional Specials on his website - http://forums.themustangsource.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=459 - the first true acknowledgement by the Mustang community that these were legitimate Ford Specials and not a Dealership created car.

My Stampede has just passed 45k miles, is driven daily and does not have the comforts of a garage or carport.  I hope to have her retired to "Occasional Driver" status before reaching 50k.

I have documented her changes, photos, videos, modifications, show and awards on this blog since shortly after I bought her.