Ford Sets Record in The Green Hell with Mustang GTD
The folks at Dearborn are back! The 2025 Mustang GTD is the first American sports car to lap the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes.
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD recently became the first American sports car to lap the NĂĽrburgring Nordschleife in under 7 minutes. At a time when all of the Detroit OEMs are in a bit of a panic regarding regulation and mandates, this incredible accomplishment highlights the capability of Ford whenever someone at the top decides to build something crazy. The folks at Dearborn are back!
In August 2023, Ford CEO Jim Farley laid out the goal of having this car complete a lap on the German track within 7 minutes, a benchmark that American manufacturers typically don't prioritize, and one that no others have been able to achieve. Not even the most capable Corvette can compete in this battle.
“The team behind Mustang GTD took what we’ve learned from decades on the track and engineered a Mustang that can compete with the world’s best supercars. We’re proud to be the first American automaker with a car that can lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes, but we aren’t satisfied. We know there’s much more time to find with Mustang GTD. We’ll be back.” - Jim Farley, Ford President and CEO.
The work around this car was done by a small team of engineers who started out with the Mustang GT3 race car and slowly converted it into the first road-legal Mustang supercar. As you can see by looking at the car, it boasts aerodynamic panels and a large spoiler that would typically be at home on a Porsche GT car.
According to Ford, "the Mustang GTD represents the apex of Mustang performance and benefits from the lessons that were learned by the Ford Performance Motorsports and Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 program, in particular around aerodynamics and setup for tracks such as the NĂĽrburgring." Race series often have a plethora of regulations, but luckily the Mustang GTD wasn't subject to the those like the regular GT3 car was, enabling much of the technology that allowed a sub-seven-minute NĂĽrburgring lap.
Highlights of the GTD include carbon-ceramic brakes, active aerodynamics, a supercharger, and semi-active suspension. A carbon-fiber body was adapted from the GT3 racing version of the car, shaving hundreds of pounds. This ain't your neighbors Mustang!
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