It’s become all too familiar in recent years to envy US-based enthusiasts, and all the cool cars from domestic manufacturers kept for the home market. It seemed like the wild Mustang GTD might be another of them, too extreme perhaps for our tastes (or legislation), but no: Ford has confirmed that there will be a European allocation, and suggests that more information is due on the subject next month.
Not that the GTD will need it, of course, but June coincides with a European publicity tour for the 800hp, magnesium-wheeled, pushrod-suspended Mustang. It is set to make its continental debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and then wow British crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed before it embarks on a heavily previewed round of European testing. Which includes, most excitingly, a timed lap of the Nurburgring. If you didn’t know about the GTD before, you’ll surely know about it by the end of the summer. That applies even for those unable to make the events, too, as a whole series of tech videos is promised for release over the summer on social media to accompany the Mustang’s appearances and explain just what’s gone into it. Which is quite a bit.
There’s considerable enthusiasm for the GTD in North America, that’s for sure. Applications to get one in 2025 or 2026 are now closed and, despite an asking price that will exceed $325,000 (£255,000), more than 7,500 people signed up. And Ford sure as heck won’t make that many, so there’s going to be a lot of disappointed would-be owners out there. Interestingly, Ford reckons that one in four of those interested is an existing Mustang owner, one in five has ‘a competitor’s vehicle with a similar level of performance’, and more than 20 per cent of the GTD website traffic is from those in ‘the motorsport community’. So with any luck this will be an expensive limited edition for driving more than displaying, and the initial stats would appear to back that up.
More of the same will be true in Europe - imagine this on a Spa track day or similar. Something to spook the STOs, GT3s and Longtails of this world, that’s for sure. GTD Chief Program Engineer Greg Goodall said: “We’ve tested the Mustang GTD in North America extensively, including laps at Sebring International Raceway and Virginia International Raceway. This has all been in service of engineering a car that can lap the Nurburgring in under seven minutes.” Seriously rapid in anyone’s books; a Mustang doing that almost beggars belief, which is why watching this story unfold ought to be so intriguing. Stay tuned for more come June.
1 / 6
