A New Mustang Unlike Any in History
Developed in partnership with Canadian engineering firm Multimatic, the Mustang GTD is based on the latest-generation model.
On April 17, 2024, the 60th anniversary of the debut of the original Ford Mustang, thousands gathered at Charlotte Motor Speedway to honour the occasion. It was a raucous affair.
There were countless Mustang models from every generation and every specification on display. On the racetrack, professional drifters gave passenger rides in Mustangs powered by fuel and those motivated solely by electricity. On the main stage, an announcer exhorted the crowd with a bold claim: “There’s never been a better time to be a Mustang fan!”
But the claim was in no way hyperbolic—it’s actually true. There are currently 15 different new Mustang models to choose from, depending on how you count trim levels, body styles, and special editions. (A 60th Anniversary Package, announced earlier in the day, features exclusive badging, retro-inspired wheels, and one of three classic exterior paint schemes.)
The full lineup ranges from the Mustang EcoBoost with its turbocharged four-clinder engine to the V-8 powered GT, and from the track-ready Dark Horse to the all-electric Mach E. While Ford was savaged for naming the Mach E a “Mustang,” how smart do they look now, with an electric verson and the only gas-powered pony car/muscle car left on the market?
There are also a pair of Mustang race cars available for purchase, which can compete in GT3 and GT4 race classes around the world. Finally, there’s the forthcoming Mustang GTD—and here’s where we slam on the brakes to give it a much closer look.
Developed in partnership with Canadian engineering firm Multimatic, the Mustang GTD is based on the latest-generation model, but it’s really a genuine supercar right down to the nuts and bolts. In this respect, it’s a little bit of déjà-vu all over again: in 2017, Ford and Multimatic teamed up to create the Ford GT, a limited-edition, road-going supercar. One of the best supercars ever built, the GT in race specification won both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This time around, the Ford-Multimatic team have created what they refer to as “a limited-edition, ultra high-performance street-legal performance car with the soul of a Mustang. “
The forthcoming Mustang GTD will be powered by a supercharged 5.2-litre V-8 engine that’s expected to create some 800 horsepower. Other go-fast features include an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, magnesium wheels, carbon ceramic brakes and carbon fibre body panels. Also worth noting is the unique suspension system with adjustable ride height and spring rates, which allows the GTD to skirt along the surface of a given racetrack or handle the uneven tarmac of the typical city street.
“We obsessed about the racing technology under its skin,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “What makes it go is even more compelling than what you can see when it passes you by. When you look at the engineering, the aerodynamics, how the powertrain works, the Mustang GTD is a rocketship for the road.”
Enough said.
When the online order book for the Mustang GTD opened up on April 17 for North American customers, interest was immediate—7,500 people raised their hands. Ford has not indicated how many examples of the Mustang GTD will be produced, but the order book is now closed here.
As Multimatic begins to assembles the GTD for customers, it will also participate in preparing the car for one of the world’s toughest challenges. Later this year, the team plans to head to the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, and they’re targeting a lap time of less than seven minutes. Don’t bet against them.…
