It’s a measure of just how serious Ford is about taking the fight to the Porsche that it’s testing the new Mustang GTD on the German firm’s home turf.
The 800 bhp supercharged pony car has been caught lapping at the Nürburgring and it’s not hanging about. In the spy video below the driver sends it over the kerbs, bottoms out in the kleines karussell and redlines its thunderous 5.2-litre V8.
The start of the video gives us a good look at the car’s rear aero and its trunk-mounted transaxle cooler, complete with twin fans to dissipate heat. Are those tail pipes part of the optional Akrapovič titanium system? It’s hard to say from the footage, but they sound like a roar from Thor himself.
The most track-focused Mustang ever appears to put its power down with precision thanks to its race-proven unequal length double-wishbone plus coilovers suspension, fitted with Multimatic’s Adaptive Spool Valve damping. The GTD’s unusual twin spring setup means it can quickly switch from a softer road spring rate and ride height to the stiffer and hunkered-down track setup put to good use on the ‘Ring.
Listen well and you’ll hear the rapid shifts at upwards of 7,500 rpm from the eight-speed automatic transmission which is driven via a carbon propshaft. Moving the transmission to the rear gives the GTD a 50:50 weight distribution for an ideal handling balance. It certainly looks pretty planted as it hauls ass through the Green Hell.
Brembo ceramic brakes slow the GTD down for the corners and its lightweight magnesium alloy wheels are clearly shod with some seriously sticky rubber as they barely protest even in the tightest of turns.
The first two years of GTD production for the USA are already sold out, with more than 7,500 people applying to own one of the £255,000 machines. The order book for Europe is opening imminently, and based on this showing at the ‘Ring it’ll fill fast.
