Ford Motor Company has announced that the Ford Mustang GTD has officially broken the seven-minute barrier at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack in Germany. Clocking an impressive time of 6:57.685, the track-focused road car achieved its goal with factory Mustang GT3 driver Dirk Müller behind the wheel. The Mustang GTD serves as a rival to high-performance machines like the C8 Chevy Corvette.
Ford proudly notes that the Mustang GTD is now one of only six production sports cars to lap the 12.94-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes. With its time of 6:57.685, the GTD claims the fifth-fastest time in its segment.
From the outset, Ford made clear its intentions of pushing the new Mustang to a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring lap. However, Ford President and CEO Jim Farley hinted at further potential, saying, “We’ll be back,” suggesting the automaker believes the track-focused road car can go even faster.
The record-setting achievement has been documented in a 14-minute video titled “Road to the ‘Ring.” The video features insights from key Ford personnel, including CEO Jim Farley, Mustang GTD Chief Program Engineer Greg Goodall, Ford Senior Design Manager Anthony Colard, Multimatic Special Vehicle Operations EVP Larry Holt, and driver Dirk Müller. Packed with track footage, the film captures the GTD’s quest to join the exclusive club of sub-seven-minute production vehicles.
At the core of the Mustang GTD is a supercharged 5.2L V8 engine capable of delivering around 800 horsepower. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Tremec dual-clutch transaxle connected by a carbon-fiber driveshaft. The high-powered ‘Stang also features a pushrod suspension system and an aggressive aero-optimized widebody design to maximize downforce and stability at high speeds.
Check it out in action right here:
Notably, German magazine sport auto recently tested the C8 Corvette Z06 at the ‘Ring, setting a time of 7:10.51. While still quite fast, especially for a street car, the time was nonetheless significantly slower than was initially expected.
Comments
You’d think Farley would be seen addressing the “bigger challenges” His company is slowly being engulfed in….
Congrats Ford! Amazing machine.
I never could figure Ford. The GT could have been a Corvette competitor That sold in greater numbers. But the limited it. Then a newer GT that you never see on the street for $750k.
I hope the $180k ZR1 in street trim eclipses the stang. The Z06 is already just 10 seconds off with less power.
A $339k Mustang just makes little sense. Collectors will buy them and sit on them. Few will make the streets.
The original TBird from 1956 was supposed to be the Corvette competitor.
The 2 seater Thunderbird is generally credited with keeping the Corvette in production after GM was ready to let it go. Then the 4 seater T-Bird left the market segment wide open for the further development of the Vette.
Thanks, Ford!
Let’s be real it is faster than the Mustang and so is the Camaro, but it was the driver. Let’s take the driver who did the Nurburgring record in the Camaro and have them do it in the new ZR one and see what happens.
While GM develops and cranks out an endless array of unwanted EVs, Ford succumbs to Farley’s infatuation with racing and cranks out an unlimited supply of go-fast cars and trucks that appeal to small niches. Both are going to be in big trouble, eventually.
With Carlos Tavares finally leaving Stellantis and the return of Tim Kuniskis to the company, along with some of their vehicles being able to be EV or ICE in the same platform, the future is looking MUCH brighter at Dodge/Chrysler/RAM/Jeep recently.
I think Ford has a shot still, they really need to work on their quality though.
gm seems too deep into EVs.
Ford needs to work on their quality??? Damn near everything Stellantis owns is that the bottom in quality rankings.
That’s what I’m saying Ford has the worst quality as far as like any car company that exists I mean, I would probably say lower than Dodge in Chrysler
Unlike Ford/ram/VW/Hyundai, GM has a 6th gen ICE engine ready. They were playing both sides while Ford VW jumped onboard EV land, and Stella did nothing, on either end, ICE or EV. Toyota and Mazda both have new ICE engines coming as well. GM’s well positioned, so is Toyota, but Ford and Ram and going to get hurt pretty bad. VW is desperate. They might be buying Toyota engines to keep their European business alive before it’s all said and done.
GM’s currently working on horsepower my guy
Damn a better time than the z06.
So 20 seconds better than a 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE.
The ZR1 with demolish that time.
Careful, everyone. Careful.
Let’s not be like the European makes. Spending decades seeing who could outdo who at Nürburgring… and resulting in generations of cars which excelled there, but were completely unsuitable for real-world/daily use.
Recently sold a Corvette that I owned for 33 years. I know no one that cross shopped Corvette vs Mustang.
I did in 2021. Now you know of one. 😉
Hee Hee
Mustang never has and never will be a competitor to the Corvette. It’s competition is the Camaro. The only competitor Corvette has is Ferrari.
What Camaro?
“The only competitor Corvette has is Ferrari.”
Ferrari is a bucket list car. Corvette is for the 65+ year old jorts crowd.
I’m 62 and looking for the just right c7 z06
I have a 2017 3LZ Z06, 7 speed, in Racing Yellow but will keep it to the end as the last of the 5 Vettes I’ve owned.
I bought my first Corvette (and first Harley, both used) in 1974 at the ripe young age of 18. I’ve owned one or the other, or both, for the last 50 years. I don’t wear jorts or white socks with New Balance sneakers either. Jeans, Harley t-shirt (usually black) and black Skechers are my go-to’s.
ANYONE can walk into a Chevy dealership and buy a Corvette. Ferrari has strict rules to own and buy one of their vehicles
Well, not bad! Congratulations to Ford!
To bad, that a GTD is NOT affordable for me..
I wonder, what time my „old“ 2022 Mach 1 would have done, if Ford would have offered it with a supercharger, at the fraction of the price of the GTD..
The regular Mach 1 did this track in 7:58, not bad either for a car less than 60‘ when new..
A small hint to Ford officials: Instead of canceling models and closing down factories (here in Germany), they should concentrate on affordable midsize cars. Not everybody wants to drive an EV, a midsize or large pick up truck, nor an SUV or an ugly crossover…
Mutimatic designs and builds good low volume street legal track/race cars. No question about it.
Big deal. Achieve the record by building a car that is “reasonably obtainable” by your customers and then you’ll have something to brag about.
Money would have been better spent developing a proper GT to compete with the Corvette. Also, monies would have been better spent developing a proper Lincoln LS, Continental and Mark 9 off S650. But Ford would rather dilute the Mustang name on everything instead. What’s next a Mustang Town Car or Town Truck?
7:16.04 for a ZL1 1LE that you can get for under 100 grand, in any colour. No thanks Ford. Fugly car.