The latest teaser for the Ford Mustang GTD highlights the Blue Oval’s effort to hustle the muscle car around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes. The GTD would be the first American vehicle to achieve this feat if the company succeeds.
The other production vehicles with sub-seven-minute times are from European manufacturers. The Mercedes-AMG One hypercar is the current record holder with a time of 6:29.090. Several Porsches, a few other Mercedes models, the hottest versions of the Lamborghini Aventador and Huracan, and a few other vehicles also make the cut.
The Dodge Viper ACR is the quickest American vehicle with an official lap. It ran around the ‘Ring in 7:01.3 in 2017.
We don’t have to wait long to find out how fast the GTD can lap the ‘Ring because Ford is making the time’s official announcement on December 10.
Ford Mustang GTD At The Nürburgring
sent a whole team of engineers to the Nürburgring to give the GTD the best chance of success. They had access to vast amounts of telemetry to push the vehicle as hard as possible. The driver also had access to a massive simulator to practice the run.
The GTD is the most potent
ever from the Blue Oval. Under the hood, a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 produces 815 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. It can rev to 7,650 rpm. This ample power lets the hot pony car reach a top speed of 202 miles per hour.
To apply this ample power to the road, the GTD features active aerodynamics through hydraulically controlled flaps at the front and an optional rear wing with a drag reduction system that can adjust the angle depending on the conditions.
The Mustang GTD starts at an eye-watering $325,000, and that’s before options like the active rear wing or forged magnesium wheels. Ford plans to produce it in limited quantities for the 2025 and 2026 model years.
The Viper Lap Back In 2017
The Challenge
Ford picked the perfect time to take the GTD to the ‘Ring because it has a unique place in the market right now. The
is dead, and the new
isn’t on sale yet. For now, the Mustang is the sole American muscle car.
The only other American performance vehicle that could beat the GTD around the ‘Ring is the Chevy Corvette ZR1, with 1,064 hp. However, the brand hasn’t yet hinted at a plan to attempt an officially timed lap there.
TopSpeed’s Take
Ford is aiming for the moon with the Mustang GTD program. The specs suggest it should be more than capable of hustling around the ‘Ring in under seven minutes. We look forward to seeing just how low of a time the car achieves.
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