Ford's latest Mustang GTD raises concern among European competitors.

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【Summary】Ford has unveiled the new Mustang GTD, a road-legal high-performance variant designed to rival European sports cars. With a supercharged V8 engine targeting around 800bhp, active aerodynamics, and race-spec engineering, Ford aims to make Porsche, Aston Martin, and Mercedes "sweat." The GTD is a motorsport-derived model, featuring elements from the Mustang GT3 and GT4, and it uses illegal engineering in certain racing series.

FutureCar Staff Aug 31, 2023 5:14 PM PT

Ford's latest Mustang GTD raises concern among European competitors.

Ford has unveiled its new Mustang GTD, a high-performance variant designed to compete with European sports cars. Ford CEO Jim Farley expressed his desire to see Porsche, Aston Martin, and Mercedes "sweat" with the GTD. The car is a road-legal version of Ford's Mustang GT3 and features race-spec engineering that is illegal in certain racing series.

The GTD name may sound familiar to Europeans, but in the case of the Mustang, it stands for motorsport-derived titles and refers to the IMSA GTD racing class. Under the hood, the GTD is powered by a bespoke 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with a 7500rpm redline and an active titanium exhaust. Ford aims to achieve a power figure of around 800bhp.

The power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed transaxle gearbox with a carbon fiber driveshaft to maintain a balanced weight distribution. The GTD comes with 20-inch forged aluminum wheels and standard Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.

The GTD features active aerodynamics, including hydraulically-controlled front flaps and an active rear wing. The car also utilizes active suspension with variable spring rates and ride height, which is not allowed in racing. The interior of the GTD includes Miko suede seat upholstery and 3D-printed titanium paddle shifters recycled from retired F22 Raptors.

However, getting your hands on a Mustang GTD won't be easy. Ford plans to produce the car in limited quantities and will use an application process similar to that of the Ford GT to determine who gets one. The GTD starts at $300,000 in the US.