Ford Unveils Its Most Powerful Road Car: The Ford Mustang GTD

The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is Ford's most powerful road car ever. It will be a track-ready car taking aim at Lamborghini and Porsche at the Nurburgring.

The biggest news of the year has arrived and it couldn't be bigger than this, metaphorically and physically. The new 2025 Ford Mustang called the 'GTD' is an 800 bhp hotrod that is not only track-ready on release, but aerodynamically optimised to account for all that power that goes to the rear wheels.

The Ford Mustang GTD is scheduled to release in the USA on April 17th, 2025. Interestingly enough, April 17th marks the anniversary of the Mustang's initial introduction back in 1964 at the World's Fair in New York.

Stable understands there will be some vehicles allocated to the UK but the model will be reserved from between 1,000 to 2,000 units produced. So it will be a rare one for sure.

Something that might (or may not) shock you though is the price. This kind of power doesn't come cheap and with Ford taking aim at the most exotic European sports cars like Porsche and Lamborgini, the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD will set you back around £234,000.

The inception of the GTD is attributed to a group of engineers who toiled away "off the clock" within an unmarked storage garage at Ford's Michigan headquarters. Their mission? To birth a Mustang with the mettle to challenge the elite European sports cars head-on.

Ford has set its sights on conquering the Nurburgring circuit in under seven minutes, a remarkable feat that would align the GTD with the ranks of esteemed European supercars, including the likes of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, and Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

Ford's CEO, Jim Farley, remarked, "The Mustang GTD obliterates established perceptions of a supercar. This marks a fresh paradigm for us. We didn't engineer a road vehicle destined for the track; instead, we birthed a track star for the road."

"We're staking our claim," he boldly asserted. "We're throwing down the gauntlet and declaring, 'step up and accept the challenge.' We're at ease with putting everyone on alert. I'm prepared to take on any other auto executive on the track, piloting a Mustang GTD against their finest road machine."

The product of a collaboration with motorsport entity Multimatic, the very same entity that brought the Ford GT supercar to life. This novel entrant essentially reimagines the Mustang GT3, a racer primed for the Le Man's stage next year, into a road-compliant masterpiece.

Dubbed in honour of the IMSA Sportscar Championship's GTD category, designated for vehicles adhering to FIA's GT3 guidelines, the GTD boasts an ambitious power output surpassing 800bhp, stemming from a heavily revamped, supercharged V8 engine.

This achievement not only marks the zenith of Mustang power but even surpasses the formidable 700bhp Shelby GT500 that roared to life in 2019. This dominance extends to the £1.4 million track-exclusive Ford GT MK IV revealed just last year.

The customised 5.2-litre engine exceeds the standard Mustang's capacity and integrates a suite of motorsport-derived enhancements, encompassing a dry sump system, dual air intakes, and a titanium active-valve exhaust system, recognised for its remarkable auditory output. This confluence of innovations is orchestrated to mirror Lamborghini-esque performance benchmarks.

A seamless delivery of power to the substantial 345mm-wide rear wheels is orchestrated through a lithe carbon fibre driveshaft and an eight-speed transaxle, replacing the conventional gearbox to achieve near-perfect front-to-rear weight distribution. This configuration, informed by simulations, emerges as the optimal strategy to effectively harness the engine's potency.

The chassis, too, is a departure from the norm, marked by its dramatic divergence from the standard model. Outfitted with semi-active suspension, the GTD boasts adaptable spring rates and a lowered Track mode stance by 40mm.

A motorsport-derived 'short-long arm' front suspension design enhances rigidity and responsiveness, with the rear suspension secured to a lightweight tubular subframe, akin to the GT3 racer. The suspension control modules find their place alongside the transaxle cooling system at the rear, a space formerly reserved for the trunk.

Widening the track by nearly 100mm compared to the standard Mustang, the GTD gains a substantial grip boost, complemented by expansive 325 mm-wide front tires, even broader than the rear tires of the GT model, intensifying cornering stability.

Prospective buyers are presented with a choice between 20-inch forged aluminium wheels or optional magnesium variants fashioned after the GT3 racer's design.

The aerodynamic package closely mirrors that of the GT3 racer, highlighted by a considerable hydraulically adjustable rear wing, a ventilated hood, robust air intakes, a substantial front splitter, and an aerodynamically effective rear diffuser.

Collectively, these elements amplify downforce during high-speed manoeuvres while reinforcing stability through curves. Braking prowess is achieved through substantial carbon-ceramic discs, meticulously crafted to resist diminishing performance under prolonged braking.

The cabin of the GTD leans closer to the standard Mustang than the track-bound iteration. Digital displays and the conventional infotainment system, featuring over-the-air software updates, remain intact.

Noteworthy changes, however, include the removal of rear seats for weight reduction, the substitution of front seats with track-focused Recaro buckets, and the incorporation of rotary dials, build plaques, and paddle shifters fabricated via 3D printing, utilising titanium reclaimed from retired F22 fighter jets.

Ford has refrained from disclosing the GTD's weight, yet the application of carbon body panels and strict lightweight methods strongly imply a significantly reduced heft compared to the 1768kg Mustang Dark Horse.

The Ford Mustang GTD is scheduled to release in early 2025 with only 1,000 to 2,000 models being produced. There is no official UK pricing yet but at the time of writing this article, the number floating around is £234,000.