After final weekend’s IMSA and World Endurance Championship races at Sebring Worldwide Raceway, a couple of groups stayed behind in Florida to get observe laps forward of the subsequent rounds. A type of groups was Ford Efficiency. It did not partake within the racing, the crew as an alternative spending this yr getting the S650 Ford Mustang Darkish Horse GT3 prepared for entries in IMSA and FIA WEC in 2024. Ford CEO Jim Farley uploaded a video to Twitter displaying the racing ‘Stang placing in work round a couple of corners and making noises we like to listen to.
Ought to we make a highway model? https://t.co/LxaK6AjvD6
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98)
March 22, 2023
In line with Muscle Automobiles & Vehicles, reported group drivers Joey Hand and Harry Tincknell had been restricted to a max of 6,500 RPM whereas on the observe. We do not have specs on the race mill derived from Ford’s Coyote 5.0-liter V8 and constructed by Ford’s competitors associate M-Sport, however we all know redline on the street model of the 5.0 runs as much as 7,500 rpm. As engineers flip up the warmth this yr, we count on they’re going to be turning up the amount, too. The all-America manufacturing facility group battle coming to race tracks might be between the Mustang GT3 and Corvette Z06 GT3.R and their V8 soundtracks.
Farley added a provocative query to his tweet: “Ought to we make a highway model?” We’re positive Ford would discover consumers for such a journey. And would not or not it’s ironic for the street-legal Mustang to be getting extra rowdy than ever as its GM competitors is happening hiatus and its Dodge competitors goes electrical.
A greater query is likely to be, with Ford placing the 2024 Mustang in so many world competitions, why would not the automaker share a few of that with the general public? Mustang Darkish Horse racers are headed to NASCAR, the NHRA, Australian Supercars, FIA GT4, IMSA, WEC, and a one-make spec collection. On high of that, Ford Efficiency will promote two non-street-legal racing variations, the Darkish Horse S and Darkish Horse R. The Darkish Horse S is closest to the highway automobile, stripped of most creature comforts and geared up with Multimatic DSSV shocks instead of the MagneRide suspension on the usual Darkish Horse. It will get upgraded brakes, adjustable aero and adjustable journey top and camber settings, an FIA-compliant security cage, window nets, racing seats with harnesses, full electrical disconnects, a fireplace suppression system, and the barest of management interfaces.
In any case that engineering, Ford’s acquired to be nine-tenths of a technique to a highway model already. We count on to see the GT3 and GT4 fashions hit the observe in earnest late this yr.