Ford Mustang GTD: 815 HP Supercar Redefines American Success
Ford wanted to prove that American engineering could compete with Europe’s best on their own track. The result is the Mustang GTD – a road-legal supercar developed directly from the GT3 race car and built with one clear purpose: to conquer the Nürburgring. In 2023, Ford set a public goal to create a Mustang that could deliver over 800 horsepower and break the seven-minute mark on the Nordschleife. In December 2024, that vision became reality.
The Mustang GTD completed the 20.8-kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:57.685 minutes, becoming the first American production car to go under seven minutes and placing fifth among all street-legal models. Behind the wheel was Multimatic Motorsport driver Dirk Müller, delivering precisely what the GTD had been designed to achieve. The record stood until mid-2025, when the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and ZR1x set the new benchmark times for an American manufacturer on the same circuit.
The GTD’s story begins with the Mustang GT3, Ford’s purpose-built endurance racer that debuted at the 24 Hours of Daytona and went on to claim a podium at Le Mans. The GTD takes that same foundation and reshapes it for the road – using race-car engineering as its base, then expanding it with greater power, advanced aerodynamics, and a more refined setup. It is the bridge between Ford’s motorsport heritage and its most extreme street performance yet.
Engineering Without Restraint
At the heart of the Mustang GTD is a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 producing 815 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque (U.S. certification). It features a dry-sump oil system, the first ever used in a Mustang. In this setup, the oil is stored in a separate tank next to the engine rather than inside it. That design keeps oil flowing consistently even during heavy cornering or braking, preventing oil starvation and maintaining stable pressure under extreme loads. It also allows the engine to sustain high revs for more extended periods, reaching a maximum of 7,650 rpm.
Revised intake and exhaust valves, a titanium exhaust, and a smaller supercharger pulley complete the upgrades. The result is a top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph) – the fastest of any production Mustang to date, second only to the Ford GT.
Chassis and Suspension
The GTD’s chassis uses a semi-active suspension with an inboard rear setup, taken straight from GT-level racing. Carbon-ceramic brakes provide endurance-grade stopping power, and extensive use of carbon-fibre body panels keeps weight low and rigidity high.
The record-setting Nürburgring car was identical to the customer model in mechanical terms. Only the safety equipment required for timed laps – a five-point harness, racing seat, and roll cage – was added.
Aerodynamics and Downforce
Every part of the GTD’s shape serves a purpose. The car uses an advanced Drag Reduction System (DRS) with hydraulically adjustable elements at the front and rear, a concept borrowed from Formula 1. It allows the GTD to adapt its aerodynamics in real time – flattening the rear wing on straights to reduce air resistance, then angling it again through corners to increase downforce and grip. Controlled hydraulically, the system continuously balances top speed with stability – technology rarely found in street-legal cars and used here for the first time in a Ford production model.
Beyond the DRS, airflow is managed through louvres in the front fenders, which release pressure from the wheel arches to improve stability. At the same time, a large rear diffuser generates downforce without adding drag. The effect is supported by an adjustable suspension that can lower the car by 40 millimetres in track mode—thousands of hours of virtual simulations and testing on circuits such as Road America and Spa-Francorchamps refined this aerodynamic package.
Nürburgring – The Proof
Ford’s sub-seven-minute lap of the Nordschleife is more than a record – it’s a statement. The 20.8-kilometre, 73-corner circuit is considered the ultimate test for high-performance cars.
The story behind the lap is captured in “The Road to the Ring,” a 13-minute Ford documentary available on Ford.com and YouTube. It follows CEO Jim Farley, driver Dirk Müller, Multimatic Technical Director Larry Holt, Chief Engineer Greg Goodall, Chief Designer Anthony Colard, and the wider Ford-Multimatic team through the GTD’s two-year development process.
Conclusion
The Mustang GTD is not a tuned variant – it’s a race car engineered for the road. With 815 horsepower, active aerodynamics, and a Nürburgring lap time of 6:57, it stands as Ford’s most explicit demonstration of what happens when motorsport experience meets total design freedom.
Sources: Ford Motor Company official press materials (media.ford.com, August 2023 / September 2024 / December 2024).
