It took the Blue Oval nearly one year to unveil the cockpit of the ultra-pricey Mustang GTD, but we can finally see it in a premiere. And we understand why Ford took this long to show it, as it's not that special.
As we suspected, the extreme muscle car's cabin is almost identical to one of the regular models (EcoBoost, GT, and Dark Horse). We can see the same dual-screen setup occupying a good chunk of the dashboard, albeit with unique graphics, the same air vents, door cards, buttons, knobs, etc. Heck, even the steering wheel soldiers on, save for the 12 o'clock marker, carbon fiber trim, and special paddle shifters. It also sports a pair of new buttons on the center console, one for the nose-lift system and the other as a shortcut to the Track Apps page in the infotainment.
We can see more naked carbon on the center console and dashboard panel. The new Ford Mustang GTD has a pair of bucket seats with integrated headrests and special embossing. At the rear, the Dearborn company installed a transparent panel that allows those inside to see the trick suspension at all times, a cool upgrade that might make some forget this model is not the rumored mid-engined Mustang enthusiasts were waiting for.
According to Ford, the Mustang GTD's clever suspension takes just 15 milliseconds to go from its softest to its firmest setting. The spring rate doubles in the dedicated Track mode and lowers the car by 1.6 inches (40 mm). The firmer springs are said to improve the car's aerodynamic grip and the mechanical one.
Photo: Ford
If you forgot, the Mustang GTD uses a tubular subframe inspired by motorsport, has carbon fiber body panels, an almost four-inch (~100 mm) wider track than the Mustang GT, a carbon fiber driveshaft, carbon ceramic brakes backing up the 20-inch forged magnesium wheels, and a very punchy motor under the hood that's more powerful than the S550 Shelby GT500.
Ford says the 5.2L supercharged V8 engine has a targeted output of 800+ hp (811 ps/597 kW). This gives it a 40 horsepower (41 ps/30 kW) advantage over the old S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which needs approximately three seconds to sixty mph (97 kph) and deals with the quarter mile in ten seconds with a perfect takeoff and a skilled person behind the wheel.
As you already know, everything is wrapped into an eye-watering expensive package that puts the Mustang GTD in the same financial league as real supercars. Ford is asking around $325,000 for this model, and its production will be capped to ensure its collectible status. So, if you could afford a GTD, what color would your Ferrari or Lamborghini be?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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