Ford aims Mustang GTD at Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes sports cars

Ford is putting a $300,000, 800-hp halo atop its Mustang lineup that's taking aim at European supercars both on the track and in the streets.

The 2025 Mustang GTD is billed as the most powerful street-legal pony car ever and is based on the Mustang GT3 race car that will return to Le Mans next year. It includes carbon-fiber body panels, magnesium wheels, a rear-mounted eight-speed transaxle, a semi-active suspension and a special 5.2-liter V-8 engine.

"It's the pinnacle of the breed and the very best of both street and racing," said Jim Baumbick, Ford's vice president of product development operations and quality.

Ford said it will begin producing the GTD in partnership with Multimatic in late 2024 or early 2025 in "limited" quantities. The vehicle will be assembled at the Mustang plant in Flat Rock, Mich., before being finished by Multimatic in Markham, Ontario.

Executives say the idea for the vehicle came from CEO Jim Farley, who insisted on a road version when he saw the GT3. Farley teased the possibility on Twitter in March.

"I've always promised myself I would push my team to do things that were unnatural in the name of producing something that's really special," Farley said. "I want to see Porsche, I want to see Aston Martin, I want to see Mercedes sweat."

Ford says the car was entirely designed for performance.

The trunk, for example, has been replaced by the semi-active suspension, a hydraulic control system and a transaxle cooling system that uses a race-inspired cover to replace the trunk lid. Two scoops funnel air off the back glass and through the heat exchangers.

The rear transaxle provides nearly even weight distribution between the front and rear. An available hydraulically controlled active rear wing mounted on the C-pillar can increase aerodynamic performance.

Inside, the rear seating area has been removed to reduce weight and provide cargo space.

"Our design team worked in conjunction with the Mustang GT3 design team and the aero team, sharing solutions between race car and road car and vice versa," said Anthony Colard, Ford Performance design manager. "This is an aerodynamics-driven design."

The Mustang GTD continues Ford's strategy of offering derivatives of popular nameplates such as the Mustang, Bronco and F-150 that appeal to enthusiast buyers.

Ford said the GTD will be available with multiple interior color combinations and several "special option packages." It also can be ordered in any color and color-matched to a customer-provided sample.

Ford said there will be an application process for would-be buyers, similar to what it did for the last-generation GT supercar. Ford partnered with Multimatic on the GT as well.