By Otsile Kadiege

A couple of years ago, the Ford Performance team were tasked with creating a high-performance, street legal race car to take on some of Germany’s thoroughbred and much-loved high-performance cars. So, the Ford Performance boffins teamed up with Multimatic to create this menacing limited-edition Mustang GTD. It’s the most audacious and advanced Mustang ever made and was designed in parallel with Mustang GT3 race car.

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.

Menacing stance

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 design is pure purpose thanks to a functional front splitter, vented hood and gaping fenders and a hydraulically controlled active rear wing.

In a bid to to reduce weight, lower centre of gravity and improve responsiveness, the Mustang GTD makes extensive use of  carbon fibre body panels on the fenders, hood, cover that replaces the trunk lid, door sills, front splitter, rear diffuser and roof are all carbon fibre with optional carbon fibre front and rear facias. 

Road grip and cornering stability for the Mustang GTD come from 325 millimetre in width front tires – as wide as the rear tires of Ford GT – while the rear are 345 millimetres. These are mounted on 20-inch forged aluminium 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. 

Race car interior

Inside, the Mustang GTD cabin features are finished in premium materials including Miko suede paired with leather and carbon fibre. Its Recaro seats have been optimized for track days and 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 colour combinations and in several special option packages that take the exterior to another level. The car can also be ordered in any colour, even colour-matched to a customer-provided sample. These customisable options allow buyers to personalise their example should they choose to make it entirely unique.

Supercharged V8 

At the heart of the Mustang GTD is a purpose-developed supercharged 5.2-liter V8 with dual air inlets and the first dry-sump engine oil system fitted to a road-going Mustang to help keep the engine lubricated during sustained and demanding cornering. The exact amount of kilowatts hasn’t been shared yet, but Ford is targeting a hefty +800hp (597kW).

All of that power is sent from the engine to the rear wheels through a carbon fibre driveshaft connected to an 8-speed rear trans-axle for near 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear. The Mustang GTD also has 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.

Stopping power comes in the form of massive Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, which have been optimised 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.   

Availability

Production of Mustang GTD will be limited. 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.