After seeing the clay mannequin of the Ford Mustang GT3 race automotive within the design studio, Ford Chief Govt Officer Jim Farley determined the Blue Oval wanted to show it right into a street automotive. Constructed from a want to win Le Mans with a Mustang, the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is actually the street-legal model of Ford’s upcoming racer that is because of debut on the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier than heading to Le Mans.
Unhindered by racing guidelines, the GTD avenue automotive can have extra energy (roughly 800 horsepower) and energetic aerodynamic options which might be unlawful within the collection Ford will race the Mustang GT3 in. Ford plans to construct the street-legal GTD in restricted numbers and it intends for this tremendous ’Stang to tackle the very best observe vehicles on this planet.
As Farley places it, “It’s for AMG Black, Aston Martin, Porsche GT3 RS. We need to beat it [the GT3 RS] at Le Mans, however we [also] need to beat it as a avenue automotive.”
Ford Efficiency + Multimatic = Mustang GTD
Designed and engineered by Ford Efficiency and Multimatic, the GTD begins life as a body-in-white run-of-the-mill Mustang that leaves the mannequin’s Flat Rock, Michigan plant and heads north towards Multimatic’s manufacturing facility within the Canadian province of Ontario. From there, the rear of the Mustang shell undergoes surgical procedure to suit the GTD’s transaxle, which incorporates a Tremec eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle. A transaxle cooler mounted onto the trunk lid chills the gearbox. Ford tells us there’s nonetheless some trunk house beneath the transaxle-cooler’s ducting and radiator, however we didn’t get to see it.
Becoming a transaxle that connects to the front-mounted engine through a carbon-fiber prop shaft shifts the stability of weight rearward. Ford claims the GTD has a virtually 50/50 front-rear stability, which compares fairly favorably to the Mustang Shelby GT500’s 56.6/43.4 % distribution.
The automaker is protecting the GTD’s closing weight beneath wraps in the meanwhile. Except aluminum door skins, carbon-fiber types the remainder of the bodywork.
Earlier than you ask, uncovered carbon-fiber panels (as on the GT supercar) are into consideration. Nonetheless, such an choice might finally show too difficult and costly.
The Secretariat of Ford Mustangs
Little doubt, the GTD might be fast. Motivation comes courtesy of a barely modified model of the Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8. In GTD guise, the blown bent eight must make round 800 horsepower—up from the GT500’s 760 horsepower—and redline at 7500 rpm.
A dry-sump oil system ought to permit the engine to maintain all eight cylinders sufficiently lubricated on the observe. Even with this addition, the engine maintains the identical mounting place because the GT500. An obtainable titanium exhaust made by Akrapovic blows sizzling air out of two giant pipes that protrude from the rear fascia.
We assume the GTD features a launch-control system so it will possibly take advantage of the traction offered by the mammoth 345/30ZR-20 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rear tires. Up entrance, Ford suits the GTD with 325/30ZR-20 rubber, among the many widest tires we will recall seeing match to the entrance finish of a manufacturing automotive.
A bespoke suspension makes the a lot of the rubber’s grip. Multimatic’s adaptive spool-valve (ASV) dampers pair with a brand new unequal-length control-arm entrance suspension, whereas the rear finish incorporates a pushrod-style multilink setup that works with inboard-mounted ASV dampers and coil springs.
Solid aluminum wheels come customary, however even lighter cast magnesium wheels are optionally obtainable to additional scale back unsprung weight. Huge carbon-ceramic brake rotors conceal behind the GTD’s wheels. Devoted cooling ducts assist preserve the entrance rotors from overheating.
GTD Brings the Wing
With the push of a button, the GTD’s physique drops roughly 1.6 inches to be able to take advantage of its aerodynamic package deal. The huge wing hanging off the C-pillar is an non-compulsory further and it is as a result of include a hydraulically managed energetic drag-reduction system (DRS) to extend downforce when vital.
Strain-reducing vents within the entrance fenders and hood appear like items pulled from a devoted Le Mans racer. For these wanting essentially the most excessive aero package deal, Ford will provide a carbon-fiber underbody that comes with hydraulically actuated, energetic entrance flaps.
In individual, the GTD is shockingly large, with aggressive fender sculpting. The four-inch wider observe, aggressive stance, and improved proportions of the roughly $300,000 Mustang variant made the Shelby GT500 that Ford parked close by appear like Danny DeVito to the GTD’s Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The tinted glass of the prototype automobile restricted our view of the inside. However, we caught sight of the most recent Mustang’s giant gauge cluster and infotainment screens, in addition to the racing-style Recaro entrance seats. There aren’t any rear seats. Befitting its huge wing, the GTD’s choices menu features a 3-D–printed rotary shifter and shift paddles constituted of the titanium elements of a Lockheed Martin F-22.
Manufacturing of the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD remains to be greater than a yr off, with the Blue Oval planning to construct between 1000 and 2000 examples of this mighty Mustang. We’re positive Ford will promote each final one.
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Editor-in-Chief
Tony Quiroga is an 18-year-veteran Automobile and Driver editor, author, and automotive reviewer and the nineteenth editor-in-chief for the journal since its founding in 1955. He has subscribed to Automobile and Driver since age six. “Rising up, I learn each subject of Automobile and Driver cowl to cowl, typically three or extra instances. It is the place I needed to work since I may learn,” Quiroga says. He moved from Vehicle Journal to an affiliate editor place at Automobile and Driver in 2004. Through the years, he has held almost each editorial place in print and digital, edited a number of particular points, and in addition helped produce C/D’s early YouTube efforts. He’s additionally the longest-tenured check driver for Lightning Lap, having lapped Virginia Worldwide Raceway’s Grand Course greater than 2000 instances over 12 years.