First - Ever Mustang GTD: World - Class Tech Powers New Ford Street - Legal Performance Car That's Ready to Beat the Best
08/17/2023
Ford
Deep inside a metal storage garage hidden behind a wind tunnel building in Allen Park, Mich., a handful of team members gathered in 2021 for a new, after-hours mission that on paper felt like an impossible dream: design a Mustang to take on the best of European sports cars.
The result is a limited-edition, ultra high-performance street legal performance car with the soul of a Mustang.
Debuting today is the all-new 2025 Ford Mustang(R) GTD, a technological tour de force inspired by the Mustang GT3 slated to race in Le Mans next year. Unapologetic in its heritage, unbelievable in its performance, its sculpted mostly carbon fiber wide body and looming rear wing says everything in just a glance. This is like no Mustang ever.
"Mustang GTD shatters every preconceived notion of a supercar," said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. "This is a new approach for us. We didn't engineer a road car for the track, we created a race car for the road. Mustang GTD takes racing technology from our Mustang GT3 race car, wraps it in a carbon fiber Mustang body and unleashes it for the street."
Every precision part of Mustang GTD is purposefully designed. Every form is driven by function. It is designed to do one thing: Go faster around a track with more technology than the race cars it's based on. Mustang GTD was developed by many of the same people behind Ford's Mustang race cars and the Le Mans-winning GT. It's built to be the quickest roadgoing Mustang ever.
Mustang GTD is planted to the tarmac by astounding downforce from available active aerodynamics and enormous grip from huge tires mounted to an advanced dual ride height short-long arm front and multi-link rear suspension. It stops with authority thanks to carbon ceramic brakes, includes a rear-mounted 8-speed dual-clutch transaxle and lightweight carbon fiber driveshaft for near 50/50 weight distribution. And everything is driven with wicked speed by a symphonic supercharged 5.2-liter V8 targeting and estimated 800 horsepower.
"We obsessed about the racing technology under its skin. What makes it go is even more compelling than what you can see when it passes you by," said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. "When you look at the engineering, the aerodynamics, how the powertrain works, the Mustang GTD is a rocketship for the road."
Keeping the Le Mans-winning legacy going
The Mustang GTD was born from the concept of the Mustang GT3 race car returning to Le Mans next year and will be the pinnacle of the Mustang family that now includes both street-legal and track-only race cars. This family includes the recently revealed Mustang GT4, the Mustang GT3, as well as the upcoming Mustang Dark Horse R spec racer and more. All will carry on the standing of Mustang as Ford's most raced and most successful nameplate and will prowl streets and tracks all around the globe. The GTD name for this newest Mustang refers to the IMSA "GTD" racing class for cars that are built to FIA GT3 technical regulations.
"This is our company, we're throwing down the gauntlet and saying, 'Come and get it,'" said Farley. "We're comfortable putting everybody else on notice. I'll take track time in a Mustang GTD against any other auto boss in their best road car."
Designed and engineered as a collaboration between Ford and Multimatic**, which developed the Mustang GT3, Mustang GT4, and Le Mans-winning Ford GT, the Mustang GTD represents the culmination of decades of engineering advancement borne from continuous learning through racing. Crafted with intent and precision, it's destined to become an iconic part of Mustang and Ford history.
"Mustang GTD represents the very best of Ford Motor Company and what our team needs to do every day," said Farley. "This is what happens when we take what we're good at and push the boundaries to see where the bubble stops. It represents the essence of the transformation we're going through at Ford, from software to special edition cars."
Chiseled to Exploit the Air
The Mustang GTD design is pure purpose. Every line drives aerodynamic performance at track speed, from the front splitter, vented hood and fenders to the available C-pillar mounted hydraulically controlled active rear wing.
Mustang GTD takes advantage of the extensive use of carbon fiber body panels to reduce weight, lower center of gravity and improve responsiveness. The fenders, hood, cover that replaces the trunk lid, door sills, front splitter, rear diffuser and roof are all carbon fiber with optional carbon fiber front and rear fascias.
An available aero package that includes a comprehensive underbody aerodynamic tray is also executed in carbon fiber and includes features pioneered in motorsports racing, as well as some technology that would be illegal in racing, such as hydraulically controlled front flaps to manage airflow for aerodynamic balance in coordination with the active rear wing.
Where there once was a trunk is now the semi-active suspension, a hydraulic control system, and a transaxle cooling system that uses a race-inspired cover that replaces the trunk lid and includes two air scoops to funnel air off the back glass into the area and through the heat exchangers.
"Our design team worked in conjunction with the Mustang GT3 design team and the aero team, sharing solutions between race car and road car, and vice versa," said Anthony Colard, Ford Performance design manager, "This is an aerodynamics-driven design."
The combination of purposefully designed aerodynamic features will result in massive downforce balanced across both front and rear axles and will in turn drive corner speeds up, produce consistent control and incredible lap times at some of the world's most hellish tracks.
Extreme Performance and Technology
"The hardware has been carefully selected and developed to enable blistering lap time performance," said Greg Goodall, Ford chief program engineer, "The target for this project was clear - go much, much faster than we've ever gone before with a targeted sub-7-minute Nurburgring time. This makes it the fastest roadgoing Mustang ever from Ford."
Mustang GTD utilizes a purpose-developed supercharged 5.2-liter V8 with dual air inlets and the first dry-sump engine oil system fitted to a roadgoing Mustang to help keep the engine lubricated during sustained and demanding cornering. The engine's more than 7,500 rpm redline generates exceptional notes through the available titanium active valve exhaust system. It's the highest horsepower street-legal Mustang ever developed by Ford.
All of that power is sent from the engine to the rear wheels through a carbon fiber driveshaft connected to an 8-speed rear transaxle for near 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear. Lap time drive simulations and powertrain dyno testing led to the selection of the powertrain and transaxle architecture to put power to the ground.
The Mustang GTD's exceptional performance is further enhanced by a state-of-the-art semi-active suspension that can vary both spring rates and ride height. The adaptive spool valve damper technology with hydraulically actuated dual spring rate and height suspension provides two unique states which enhance on-road and on-track performance independently. The suspension settings allows for nearly 40 mm lower ride height in Track Mode and overall has a nearly four inches wider track than the Mustang GT.
A short-long arm front suspension provides enhanced lateral stiffness and improved kinematics especially in high-G cornering. The rear suspension features an integral link pushrod and rocker arm architecture where the inboard Adaptive Spool Valve shock absorbers and coil over springs are arranged in a horizontal cross pattern and integrated with a strong, stiff, and weight-efficient motorsport-style tubular subframe. The unique architecture creates a motion ratio from pushrod to damper of 1:1 so the car responds precisely to track conditions.
"We are extremely proud of our work on the Mustang GTD," said Larry Holt, Executive Vice President, Multimatic Special Vehicle Operations. "It showcases our state-of-the-art DSSV spool valve suspension technology, with features not even allowed in racing. The Mustang GTD sets a new benchmark for roadgoing racers, and we can't wait for clients to experience the thrill of driving it."
Road grip and cornering stability for the Mustang GTD come from 325 millimeter in width front tires - as wide as the rear tires of Ford GT - while the rear are 345 millimeters, these are mounted on 20-inch forged aluminum wheels or available forged magnesium wheels. The magnesium wheels offer the ideal combination of weight and durability and with a similar design to the Mustang GT3 race car.
Behind those wheels are massive BremboTM carbon ceramic brakes, which are optimized for heat rejection leading to harder, more consistent stopping further into the braking zone. Rear brake heat is shed with the aid of cooling ducts mounted below the rear suspension.
Mustang GTD features technology new to Ford with Variable Traction Control in track mode. This allows the driver to push the limits of the car by modulating engine output and traction control intrusiveness. Adjustments can be made without taking hands off the wheel, allowing the driver to match track conditions to their driving ability.
Embracing the future of automotive technology, the Mustang GTD utilizes an advanced electrical architecture leveraged from the new seventh-generation Mustang, helping to offer seamless connectivity, a myriad of personalized driving modes, and over-the-air software updates.
These technologies work in perfect harmony, designed for unparalleled handling and control. Whether mastering track after track or driving some of the world's best roads, the Mustang GTD will offer an exhilarating and dynamic driving experience.
Cabin Space
The cockpit features are finished in premium materials including Miko suede paired with leather and carbon fiber, while digital displays keep drivers engaged and in full command. RECARO(R) seats optimized for track days are complemented by available 3D-printed titanium paddle shifters, rotary dial shifter and serial plate, all made from retired Lockheed Martin F-22 titanium parts. The rear seating area has been removed to reduce weight and provide cargo space.
Mustang GTD will be available with multiple interior color combinations and in several special option packages that take the exterior to another level. The car can also be ordered in any color, even color-matched to a customer-provided sample. These customizable options allow buyers to personalize their example should they choose to make it entirely unique.
The end result is an unmistakable presence, as close to a race-ready Mustang GT3 for the street as possible.
Production of Mustang GTD will be limited, and pricing is expected to begin at approximately $300,000 MSRP***. It will start life at the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant and then be transported to Multimatic facilities in Markham, Canada, where it will be handcrafted for racing-inspired precision by the Ford Performance and Multimatic teams. Mustang GTD will be available in late 2024, early 2025.
Those interested in learning more about the GTD Mustang are encouraged to visit ford.com for more information.