Ford Performance rarely leaves its credentials to chance, whether it is creating a pocket rocket such as the Fiesta ST, a supercar like the GT, or an almost indestructible pick-up such as the Ranger Raptor. This Mustang GTD has every ingredient required to be an exceptional machine.
The changes made to the most extreme Mustang ever go far beyond styling. The modifications on this Mustang GTD are extensive - on a level comparable to those found on a 911 GT3 RS - and could genuinely shake things up, leaving Porsche engineers doing the maths in their heads.
As part of his role as a World Car Awards juror, Guilherme Costa had the opportunity to attend the Los Angeles Motor Show and “spend time” with this machine. Discover it in detail in the video:
What is the Ford Mustang GTD?
The Mustang GTD is the ultimate expression of the pony car, blurring the line between a road car and a track machine - Ford is clearly not taking this lightly.
Its chassis has been equipped with the finest components available. From the standard Mustang, almost only the appearance remains - although that, too, has been heavily altered - because everything else? Gone.
To see every specification of the car, watch the video above or read the article below. First, however, here is a brief overview to whet your appetite.
Ford Mustang GTD chassis and transmission
Starting with the chassis, it has been completely reworked. The front suspension leaves no doubt about the model's origins, but it is at the rear that the American marque's commitment becomes clear: it has adopted a pushrod system - the same type found, for instance, in Formula 1. In addition, the suspension is now active.
The gearbox has been separated from the engine and moved to the rear axle to improve weight distribution, making it a transaxle. Forget a manual gearbox option: in a machine designed to conquer circuits, there is no time to waste, so it uses an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
V8 Supercharged power for the Mustang GTD
The cherry on top - or, rather, beneath the bonnet? The V8 Supercharged engine. It could not be anything else: it has 5.2 litres of capacity and more than 800 hp. It can “sing” all the way to 7500 rpm, with its soundtrack accompanied by the whistle of a supercharger and a titanium exhaust.
With this much power, there is little doubt about its straight-line performance… the Ford Mustang GTD can give the Porsche 911 GT3 RS a push from behind. The remaining question is whether everything else Ford Performance has done to this super-Mustang can keep up with it through the corners…
But the worst part…
Unsurprisingly, this super-Mustang comes with a super-price: in the US, it starts at €275,000. If it were to reach Portugal, this Ford would exceed €400,000 with that immense 5.2-litre V8.
Yet the Ford Mustang GTD's price is not even the worst part - it is the price to pay for what will very likely be the final Ford Mustang powered by an internal-combustion engine. Even with a suitcase full of money, that may not be enough to secure one.
Production will be limited to around 1000 examples (to be confirmed), and Ford itself will select the future owners. The first units will not arrive until late 2024 or early 2025.
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