Ford Mustang GTD Is the Most Powerful Road-Going Mustang Ever

• The Ford Mustang GTD is a supercharged 5.2-liter powered pony car that sends over 800 hp to the rear wheels by way of a transaxle.
  

• It features pushrod suspension, which takes motorsport suspension design to the street.

• The Ford Mustang GTD is expected to start around $300,000 and will start hitting customer hands in late 2024 or early 2025.

If you were waiting for the absurd, over-the-top performance version of Ford’s latest Mustang, you probably thought you’d see something in a year or two. The entry-level version of Ford’s latest pony car is only now hitting the streets en masse.

Well, there’s some good news for a select few of you, Ford jumped ahead. You won’t have to wait years to see a brutal performance machine in Mustang clothes: it’s here. The Ford Mustang GTD takes the company’s GT3 efforts and massages them to meet road-going standards.

Leading the list of impressive hardware heading to this Mustang is under the hood: a supercharged 5.2-liter V8. Ford hasn’t said exactly how much power it has but did suggest it would be over 800. The company also noted this will be the most powerful road-going Mustang ever built.

That power travels through a carbon-fiber driveshaft that feeds an eight-speed transaxle. Exhaust is routed through a titanium active valve exhaust system to help shave some weight.

Beyond the lightweight exhaust, the extensive use of carbon fiber helps squeeze performance out of the latest Mustang platform. The Mustang GTD sports carbon-fiber fenders, hood, trunk cover, roof, front splitter, and rear diffuser. The hood and fenders are also vented to help keep hot air out of the engine bay.

Weight isn’t the only key to performance. The aero kit heading to the Mustang GTD looks like what you’d want if you were heading to the racetrack. The rear wing is hydraulically controlled to give you downforce when you want it.

This wing works with the splitter and diffuser to help manipulate the air and attack the clock. If that’s not enough, there’s also an underbody tray available for those that want to check more boxes and get even more performance.

If this isn’t wild enough, Ford threw out its standard Mustang rear suspension and pivoted to a pushrod-style, inboard suspension. This helps better place the suspension’s weight, while also looking incredibly cool.

This should also help your team of skilled engineers quickly make adjustments when you’re in the paddock. It also means you’re not going to have too much space for your groceries, as the rear suspension fills the trunk space.

These pushrods act upon Multimatic’s DSSV dampers. The front also uses DSSV dampers but opts for a short-long arm-style suspension to control the wheels. If that’s not interesting enough, Ford is also launching this Mustang with a semi-active suspension. The spring rates and ride height are affected by a hydraulic system.

Ultimately, Ford could have invested all of this time and effort into a potent powertrain, a trick suspension, and a wild aero package, and it could be handicapped by tires. Fortunately, the team at Ford wasn’t going to let rubber get in the way of maximum performance.

The Ford Mustang GTD features 325-mm wide front and 345-mm rear tires. The Mustang GTD’s front tires are as wide as the outgoing Ford GT’s rear rubber. These hulking tires wrap 20 inches of forged magnesium.

Bringing all of this to a halt is a set of Brembo brakes. Massive carbon ceramic rotors are clamped by similarly impressive calipers. Ductwork helps to keep the brakes from getting too hot.

While all of this sounds like a good race car, this isn’t a race car. Ford stuffed an actual interior inside of the Mustang GTD. You’ll sit inside of Recaro seats and command titanium paddle shifters to tell that transaxle what gear to use. That said, Ford didn’t mention what audio system or infotainment screen is heading to the cabin. Though we’re sure you probably won’t care when you’re ripping this around a track.

Ford says it’s targeting a sub-7-minute lap around the Nurburgring. That would put it in a field of wildly capable road cars like the Mercedes-AMG One, Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Racing, and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. That’s good company to keep.

Though, this isn’t good news for everyone. Despite this pony starting its life at Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan factory, it won’t start at base GT prices. Ford says it expects this Mustang GTD to start around $300,000, though that price can go up. Ford also notes that it will offer a paint-to-sample program, which means many of these rare Mustangs will be even more exclusive.

With that price, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Mustang leaves Flat Rock to go to Multimatic to finish the job crafting the Mustang GTD. Ford expects this Mustang GTD to start hitting the street late next year or early 2025.

Do you think there will ever be a wilder Mustang than this? Tell us your thoughts below.