Holy Wow! Wicked Ford Mustang GTD Racer For the Road Leaked!

Whenthe 2024 Ford Mustang made its appearance as a GT3 race car, company CEO Jim Farley asked a very interesting question on social media: would folks want a road-going version? It was an interesting question, enough so that there's now a rumor with some images going around that there will be one showing up during Monterey Car Week called the GTD. We can't say with 100-percent certainty that the GTD is real, but we know something is cooking at Ford with the Mustang.Update:Ford confirmed and revealed the GTD this week, promising 800 horsepower with a price tag over $300,000-check out our First Look now!

What Would A Mustang GT3 or GTD Even Look Like?

That is sort of the ultimate question, just what would a GT3 or GTD—which is the name of the IMSA class the racecar Mustang GT3 will compete in—look like and how would it compare to the Dark Horse? How much wilder can a Mustang be when compared to the Dark Horse, with its 500-hp, 5.0-liter V-8? Well, there are some additions that can be taken from the GT3 racer and added to a Dark Horse. For one, weight could be dropped below its current 3,993 pounds with some liberal use of carbon fiber to replace metal body panels and the wheels, similar to the optional available wheels for the previous Mustang Shelby GT500 and GT350R.

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That said, the leaked GTD images (courtesy of YouTube user StangMode) show aluminum or silver colored wheels with some crazy looking cuts in its spokes. While it's possible Ford has painted these super light wheels, most carbon fiber wheels aren't made to work with designs like that without making the face out of metal. Carbon wheels could also be an option like it was with the GT350R. The carbon body would also be an opportunity to add some width and extra aerodynamic features like air outlets around the front tires and bigger cooling ducts. Regardless, the Mustang GTD must look like a race car turned into a street car to drastically differentiate itself from the Dark Horse.

Keeping It Planted

The Mustang GT3 race car does come with "bespoke" suspension pieces and, if the carbon body panels add some girth to the Mustang, we could see a street version of these bits. Then add in some functional aerodynamics on the front and rear and you'll have a pretty awesome Mustang GT3, or GTD, or whatever Ford decides to call this ultimate Mustang.

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But, What About The Engine?

Now this is going to be the fun part. The GT3 racer comes stuffed with a 5.4-liter V-8 based on the same architecture as the Coyote 5.0 liter in the Dark Horse. There is a chance that we'll see that but as a street-legal, emissions compliant version. If Ford makes it a naturally aspirated and street-legal version of the GT3 engine, it would mark the return of a road-going Mustang with a 5.4 liter V-8 since the last legendary race car for the street Mustang, the 2000 SN95 Cobra R. However, rumors abound that the V-8 under the hood of the "GTD" will be supercharged or turbocharged. Either way, expect more than 500 hp from this unique Mustang.

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Then there is the potential for adding a paddle shift system with a proper DCT to make it more like the GT3 car, which would make the shifting very quick and direct. It wouldn't be the first time a high-horsepower Mustang got a proper flappy paddle transmission and would be another callback to the Shelby GT500. What would be wild is where that transmission would be placed. The race car features a transaxle gearbox and, with GT3 cars being so close to their street cars, maybe we'll see a transaxle with DCT on this Mustang GTD.

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When Will We See It?

If the rumors hold true, we expect the Mustang GT3 or GTD to debut this week during Monterey Car Week. The last time Ford did a debut, it was for the 2022 GT 64 Heritage Edition, one of the many Ford GT models to come out well past its expiration date. The last Mustang was the GT Le Mans tribute in the iconic Gulf livery. This would be the first proper, brand new and wild debut for Ford during the celebration of rare and vintage cars and racers.