It’s More Outrageous Than The Race Car It Is Based On
While the Mustang GT3 (the race car from which the GTD draws its DNA) has to comply with racing regulations, the GTD faces no such limitations. That means no power caps, no restrictions on active aerodynamics, and no compromises for parity.
The results are nothing short of jaw-dropping. In 2024, it made history as the first American production car to break the seven-minute barrier around the Nürburgring. Then, in 2025, it went even further, becoming the fourth-fastest production sports car to ever lap the legendary track. And that’s especially impressive when you consider it’s a front-engined machine.
It Borrows Its Heart From the Shelby GT500
Powering the Mustang GTD is a slightly modified version of the Shelby GT500’s snarling supercharged 5.2-liter V8. Output has climbed from 760 horsepower to 815, and the redline has stretched to 7,500 RPM. To handle the punishment of track days, the engine swaps out a traditional oil pan for a dry-sump system, ensuring every cylinder stays slick through high-G corners.
And when it’s time to put power to the ground, expect launch control and massive rubber to do the heavy lifting. Ford fits 345-section Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Rs on the rear and 325-section up front, some of the widest tires ever seen on a production car.
It Ain’t Your Average Pony
The Mustang GTD begins life at Ford’s Flat Rock plant, just like any other Mustang, but that’s where the similarities end. It’s then shipped to Multimatic in Canada, where the real transformation takes place. The rear shell is re-engineered to house a Tremec eight-speed transaxle, kept cool by a dedicated unit on the trunk lid. And aside from aluminum door skins, the body is all carbon fiber.
The model also gets a bespoke suspension setup with adaptive spool-valve dampers, carbon-ceramic brakes, forged aluminum wheels (forged magnesium wheels are available), a carbon-fiber driveshaft, cooling front fender vents, a pair of Recaro seats, carbon-fiber wings, 3-D-printed rotary shifters, and shift paddles made from the titanium parts of retired Lockheed Martin F-22 jets.
For more information about the Mustang GTD or any other Mustang, reach out to Brad Manning Ford Inc. in De Kalb, IL.
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