Ford Mustang GTD to get dynamic debut at 2024 Festival of Speed

Conceived to be the ultimate uncompromising track weapon, the GTD is quite unlike any Mustang before it. In appearance, it shares much with the GT3 car – just look at the girth of it and that swan-neck wing – but in actuality, it’s so much more extreme, unshackled as it is by the strict rules of GT class racing.

That means it can pack a 800PS (588kW) supercharged V8 between those GT3-inspired blistered front arches and under that ventilated carbon bonnet. That power is sent through the rear wheels via a totally redesigned rear axle, complete with transaxle gearbox. That allows optimal weight distribution, with both the transmission positioning and the face of the engine positioned further back, though still ahead of the cabin – it’s a front-mid-engined car, effectively. 

It also has race-spec Multimatic-developed inboard suspension which cabin occupants can actually see through a window in the rear. The cabin also features parts made from recycled titanium from F22 Raptor fighter aircraft, because why not. These include rotary dials and even the shift paddles.

The car, of course, was first revealed last August, though serious dynamic testing has only recently begun, at least in view of the public. Since then, Ford’s taken over 7,500 US applications to buy the GTD in 2025 and 2026, with European applications set to begin soon. One in five applicants are from the world of motorsport, one in four have a Mustang, and one in five say they have ‘a competitor’s vehicle with a similar level of performance.’ We wonder what those competitors/benchmarks are?

So, this is Ford’s Mustang-flavoured take on something like a Porsche GT2 RS, only even more extreme. It’ll be fast, it’ll be loud, and you’ll be able to see it in action at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

The GTD will also be making appearances at the 24 Hours of Spa during a wider European campaign, as testing on Europe’s roads for the model continues. There’s talk of a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring lap attempt, too.

“We’ve tested the Mustang GTD in North America extensively, in service of engineering a car that can lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes,” said Mustang GTD Chief Program Engineer Greg Goodall. 

“Moving onto European roads and dedicated test sessions at the Nürburgring is the next step, ahead of a timed run later this year.”