The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD Is a Horse of a Different Feather

The Ford Mustang has always been known for affordable -- or affordable-ish -- performance. The newest vehicle in the pony-car lineup will be priced not to compete with Camaros and Chargers but single-family homes. Meet the $300,000 Mustang -- the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD.

This limited-edition Mustang is street-legal, though it has been designed in conjunction with the Mustang GT3 race car -- a car that is slated to run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year.

The body uses lots of carbon fiber, and the short-long arm front/multi-link rear suspension can adjust ride height and spring rates depending on whether you're driving on the street or track -- the car will ride almost 40 mm lower when you're doing track laps. The car's track is almost 4 inches wider than that of the Mustang GT.

The GTD has available "active aerodynamics" -- we expect we'll get more specifics on what that means later -- and a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 to go along with an eight-speed dual-clutch rear transaxle and carbon-fiber driveshaft.

Other standard or available features include a dry-sump oil system, magnesium wheels, titanium exhaust, and carbon-ceramic brakes.

Ford is aiming for 800 horsepower, which will be the most horsepower ever on a street-legal Mustang, and a Nürburgring time of under 7 minutes.

Aero bits include a front splitter, a hydraulically-controlled rear wing, and a vented hood and fenders. The fenders, hood, rear cover that replaces the trunk, door sills, front splitter, rear diffuser, and roof are all carbon fiber. The front and rear fascias can be optioned as carbon fiber, as well.

Ford is touting that this car will have tech that's outlawed in racing, such as hydraulically-controlled front flaps that manage airflow.

In lieu of a trunk, that space is now occupied by the rear suspension, a hydraulic control system, and the cooling system for the transaxle. Two scoops funnel air toward heat exchangers to help keep things cool.

The overarching goal here is to get as much downforce as possible.

The V8 has dual air inlets and a redline over 7,500 RPM. A titanium active-valve exhaust system will be available.

Apparently the car isn't mid-engined, as has been speculated, but the rear transaxle will help it get close to a 50/50 weight distribution. The rear subframe is tubular.

Tires are 325 mm in the front and 345 mm in the rear and mounted to 20-inch wheels. Aluminum wheels are standard and magnesium wheels are optional.

Putting a stop the proceedings are carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes, and the GTD has cooling ducts for the rears.

Drivers will be able to adjust the Variable Traction Control via steering-wheel button while hot-lapping. The cabin features Recaro seats and a mixture of suede, leather, and carbon-fiber materials. There will be digital displays galore, and over-the-air updates for the electronics will be part of the deal. Say bye-bye to the rear seat, which is jettisoned to save weight. Three-dimensionally printed titanium materials that come from retired military jets are available for the paddle shifters, the main transmission shifter, and the serial plate.

Exterior color choices are basically limitless -- Ford says it can even match a color sample.

Well-heeled weekend warriors, as well as car collectors, can get their hands on a GTD in either late 2024 or early 2025.

We'd make a Cars and Coffee joke, but we suspect most buyers will be spending their Sunday mornings on the track. The rest will put probably, sadly, park this car in a climate-controlled garage.

We hope those who can afford this car put it through its paces. At the very least, we suspect a lot of pictures of this racecar for the street will be decorating the bedrooms of young car enthusiasts everywhere.

[Images: Ford]

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