[RUMOR] Ford Mustang GTD Lite Under Consideration

[Loucas]

The cost of that would make it the same cost as the GTD if not more. We all want to have a chance at buy the car so I don't see Ford doing that for a car they want to produce a lot of. They would do that to the GTD

Yeah, it's a lot to ask, but Corvette did it at a reasonable cost. I don't think the Vette has a dry sump, nor is it AWD, but other than that they nailed it.

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[Tomster]

What's to say the active aero won't be part of a package, or that the magnesium wheels won't make it over? If the R&D costs have been eaten by the GTD I can envision a situation like with the GT500 in which it might be part of a CFTP-equivalent.

Also, with the magnesium wheels, I'm not sure the 325/345s won't make it over from the GTD. The 305/315s were standard on the GT500 and optional on the M1/DH. I don't see Ford neglecting to improve on that if they already exist in their parts bin.

Also keep in mind there is a possibility we're getting the transaxle as well, which will likely change a good part of the dynamics of the car. That in itself will make it stand out from the GT500, if it's done correctly.

We are speaking in hypotheticals, of course. The car isn't official and I'd be surprised if Ford actually built a scaled down version.

Why? My guess is that all of the parts and components that comprise the GTD are those things that make the GTD special. Look at the parts difference between the GT500 and the CFTP. Ford goes a long way to keep the CFTP special. Go and try to buy the wing. That's $17,000 if you walk into your Ford parts store. Do you think that the wing cost is anywhere near that to produce and distribute? NO. Same with the wheels. There is a reason they do this and it's to keep the car they made special.

I know the GT3 goes to Multimatic to get chopped and refabricated. I'm not sure that the transaxle and the rear suspension are drop in parts which will require work outside of Flat Rock. So there's that. If they could build the GTD on the Flat rock line, Ford would.

Active aero in the lite version? Maybe, probably not. Again, they are building the GTD to be all that. For the same reason that they didn't offer a CFTP wing on a base GT500, they probably wouldn't do that on a GTD variant as well. Likewise with many of the other parts.

What makes the GTD special are all the unique parts and engineering as a whole. You may see some carryover of some stuff, but the lite version (if they build it) will probably just be a GT with a supercharger and some mild enhancements.

Also, keep in mind, the GTD is optioned out. The active aero, magnesium wheels, carbon ceramic brakes and more are probably going to be options. In my humble opinion,
A GTD lite would be a GTD without checking all of those boxes leaving you with an inferior version.

This rumor is just that. I would be surprised if Ford went out on this venture because they have historicaly protected a special car to preserve that uniqueness. Think of it from a marketing perspective as well. GTD LITE doesn't sound right.

The GTD isn't a car built for the masses. It's a Halo car that is purpose built for a specific task and all of the parts and engineering and weight reduction cost a boat load of money. If you start diluting that brand and name, it will detract from the reason the built this car.

So again, you might see a variant come from the GTD, but it will most likely be called something else and be a simple(r) car like a GT with a supercharger with a few gee whiz enhancements.

Again, all of this is hypothetical and pure speculation.

 

[agreywolfe]

This interests me. Is this a thread we can see, or is it something internal?

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/th...ang-stable-coming-in-2025.160971/post-3276567

you can clearly see there testing something with the GTD rear end.

 

[NegativeMultiplier]

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/th...ang-stable-coming-in-2025.160971/post-3276567

you can clearly see there testing something with the GTD rear end.

So, as you mentioned in that thread if this isn't just a mule to test the transaxle by itself for the GTD - which it likely isn't, given how far along the GTD is in development - this pretty much confirms, in my eyes, that there will be a transaxle in the GTD lite.

I hope I somehow get a chance to see this car up close, even if by chance. I'm curious to what's on those stickers on the rear windshield - they'd identify exactly what this is, though at this stage that seems pretty clear.

 

[Karguy]

If the rumors are true and the want to make a GTD Light for people who cant spend Ferrari money and are only able to afford lets say a cheaper $150K as a track toy they probably put the N/A 5.4 race motor in it which saves weight and on heat issues and the CF-body will be substituted by a cheaper material...All the other stuff like AWD to actually put the power down would be great for a street car but would make it even more expensive...

 

[Marty1000]

I say to Ford just skip the GTD lite and make RTR-800hp with 6 speed TREMEC for 85K instead or how about a 4 door V6 Turbo to compete with 2025 ICE Charger?

 

[Karguy]

I say to Ford just skip the GTD lite and make RTR-800hp with 6 speed TREMEC for 85K instead or how about a 4 door V6 Turbo to compete with 2025 ICE Charger?

Everything above 550-600 hp you need AWD to actually put the power down...Otherwise a 5.8 RTR with 550 hp and decent low to mid range torque and a Tremec for DH money would be way cooler than any GTD and would generate SALES ! As these halo cars end up in garages of some well heeled collectors but dont mean much to the majority of automotive enthusiasts....$$$

 

[agreywolfe]

Everything above 550-600 hp you need AWD to actually put the power down...Otherwise a 5.8 RTR with 550 hp and decent low to mid range torque and a Tremec for DH money would be way cooler than any GTD and would generate SALES ! As these halo cars end up in garages of some well heeled collectors but dont mean much to the majority of automotive enthusiasts....$$$

the fact that two of the top 3 lap records for the nurburgring are 700HP RWD cars says otherwise, the issue isnt the power, its the weight distribution. its why American muscle cars love to do burnouts, its why the Corvette went mid engine, and its why Ford went with the transaxle in the GTD. 800HP is doable when you get enough weight over the rear.

 

[Zig]

I say to Ford just skip the GTD lite and make RTR-800hp with 6 speed TREMEC for 85K instead or how about a 4 door V6 Turbo to compete with 2025 ICE Charger?

An eco8 would be nicer. Let’s see, twins on a four or two on an 8? Add extra battery weight to the rear and run some wires up front for an electric assist out of the hole and for the ‘occasional’ vectoring….

 

[Upacurb]

Red Bull F1 car with a Mustang body… basically part of the partnership with Ford is Ford gets to use the RB19 …

I mean so many crazy dreams in here … I mean magnesium wheels transaxle and carbon fiber for 100k why stop there? I say RB19

 

[Hack]

If the rumors are true and the want to make a GTD Light for people who cant spend Ferrari money and are only able to afford lets say a cheaper $150K as a track toy they probably put the N/A 5.4 race motor in it which saves weight and on heat issues and the CF-body will be substituted by a cheaper material...All the other stuff like AWD to actually put the power down would be great for a street car but would make it even more expensive...

AWD is not really needed so much with a transaxle. And I would use something NA like you are suggesting as well to improve usability even more. I think the less costly NA mill with a cheaper manual transaxle and the GTD SLA front and rear suspension would be a much more compelling package for the masses and it would keep the GTD by itself with the special high HP number.


Leave the supercharger to the last GT500 and the GTD. Use an NA engine, ideally with larger displacement to keep cost lower. More of a GT350 pure handling type of setup rather than another GT500.

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