Many automakers publish lap times at Germany's Nürburgring racetrack to highlight the performance of their vehicles, though Ford has traditionally shied away from the endeavor.
That changes next year with the arrival of the 2025 Mustang GTD, a street-legal track car that Ford predicts will lap the 'Ring in under seven minutes—the magic mark that top street-legal cars have only managed to beat in the last decade.
The Mustang GTD has a lot going for it. Revealed in August, the car is based on the latest seventh-generation Mustang but dons carbon-fiber bodywork, a new suspension including an inboard setup at the rear, and a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 whose output will hover around 800 hp.
The car will also benefit from active aerodynamics that Ford on Thursday confirmed will include a Drag Reduction System, similar to what's found in Formula 1.
2025 Ford Mustang GTD drag reduction system
2025 Ford Mustang GTD drag reduction system
On the Mustang GTD, the DRS will incorporate both the rear wing and flaps under the front and rear of the vehicle. These remain open during normal driving but when cornering at speed, they close to generate downforce.
Ford is developing the DRS as an active system able to find the ideal balance between streamlined airflow for speed and downforce for grip, based on the current driving situation.
Testing is taking place both in the windtunnel and in virtual simulations. Ford also plans to test the car at top racetracks around the world. The automaker mentioned Road Atlanta and Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps, and no doubt extensive testing will take place at the Nürburgring ahead of any attempt at setting a lap time. The current record for production cars at the 'Ring is the 6:35.183 set by the AMG One hypercar last year.
The Mustang GT3 will carry a price tag of more than $300,000. Production will be limited, though Ford hasn't said exactly how many of the cars it plans to build, and for how long it will build it. Production will be outsourced to Multimatic, the same Canadian outfit that built the most recent GT supercar for Ford.
