Official: Mustang GTD laps Nurburgring in 6:57.685

[DeluxeStang]

Personally, I would find the ZR1 beating the GTD to be a bigger achievement. The ZR1 will be a standard production car that anyone with the funds for can buy, and it shares a hell of a lot more with the base Stingray than the GTD does with any other Mustang. Not to mention that it'll be half the price and you don't have to submit an application and hope you can beat some moronic YouTuber to buy one.

Ford would still have done it first though, and nobody will be able to take that away from them.

You seem to be more of a Corvette fan than a mustang fan. You're working really hard to praise the corvettes while attacking things like the GTD.

Sponsored

 

[Dragster]

You seem to be more of a Corvette fan than a mustang fan. You're working really hard to praise the corvettes while attacking things like the GTD.

I'm really not; I've never owned a Corvette and I've had multiple Mustangs. If you notice, I already said that what Ford has done with the GTD is a great accomplishment and nobody can take that away from them. But I do think what GM has done with the C8 is huge. They invested heavily and it has paid off. Everything from the Stingray to the Z06 to the ZR1 are absolutely fantastic cars and it shows what happens when you invest in your products. That's what I want Ford to do with the Mustang. That's what it felt like when the S550 came out.

 

[Dragster]

I'm not saying the GTD is a big standard mustang, or even has a reasonable price, but you're crazy If you think the ZR1 isn't just as modified as the mustang is.

We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one, and that's fine.

 

[GripTime]

I'm really not; I've never owned a Corvette and I've had multiple Mustangs. If you notice, I already said that what Ford has done with the GTD is a great accomplishment and nobody can take that away from them. But I do think what GM has done with the C8 is huge. They invested heavily and it has paid off. Everything from the Stingray to the Z06 to the ZR1 are absolutely fantastic cars and it shows what happens when you invest in your products. That's what I want Ford to do with the Mustang. That's what it felt like when the S550 came out.

Anytime you make a big change to the approach of a vehicle it requires huge investment. If Chevy didn't move the engine obviously they probably wouldn't have had to make that big of an investment. I still haven't heard a good argument for changing the Mustang. AWD & lighter is really all I hear. Not really sure what my opinion is on how Ford can really change the car and make it worth it. The S550 was really an great recipe with a great engine. RWD V8 Manual Mustangs are just a blast to drive. Revolutionary, not really. Fun, yes IMO.

 

[DeluxeStang]

I'm really not; I've never owned a Corvette and I've had multiple Mustangs. If you notice, I already said that what Ford has done with the GTD is a great accomplishment and nobody can take that away from them. But I do think what GM has done with the C8 is huge. They invested heavily and it has paid off. Everything from the Stingray to the Z06 to the ZR1 are absolutely fantastic cars and it shows what happens when you invest in your products. That's what I want Ford to do with the Mustang. That's what it felt like when the S550 came out.

I see where you're coming from, but that day is coming friend. The mustang will get a new platform, I mean, from what I've heard, it basically has to if Ford wants to offer a hybrid and sedan variants. I've been told the current platform isn't flexible enough to accommodate those changes. Ford's CEO has also said he wants the mustang to get lighter, without relying on super expensive materials.

I believe the core structure of the s650/550 is steel, even if many of the body panels are aluminum, could be wrong. But adopting a full aluminum structure would probably shave off a few hundred lbs just by itself. But again, that requires a new platform. The designers also wanted to make s650 lower, and more exotic, but couldn't due to cost and platform limitations. I see that changing in the future as well.

 

[IceGamer]

Anytime you make a big change to the approach of a vehicle it requires huge investment. If Chevy didn't move the engine obviously they probably wouldn't have had to make that big of an investment. I still haven't heard a good argument for changing the Mustang. AWD & lighter is really all I hear. Not really sure what my opinion is on how Ford can really change the car and make it worth it. The S550 was really an great recipe with a great engine. RWD V8 Manual Mustangs are just a blast to drive. Revolutionary, not really. Fun, yes IMO.

There are several arguments: the platform was outdated when the S550 was built on it and therefore, a lot of stuff isn’t happening because it would require too many changes = wouldn’t be cost-efficient.
Just a few things that would make a new Mustang much more desirable:

• Lightweight (really improves everything from fuel economy to handling, performance and feeling)
• Bigger engine / more displacement
• Optional AWD
• Different wheelbase (I don’t think it’s bad but it’s just another thing that could be modified on a different platform and some prefer a shorter wheelbase as a ‘proper’ sports car and others may want two additional doors)

There is just no downside to a new platform except the initial investment but since Ford hasn’t really invested anything substantial into the Mustang for at least 10 years it’s time to do so without ripping off future customers.

 

[Q6543]

My money is on lightweight being nothing more than a fantasy… especially if hybrid is being involved…

are you ready for a 4700lb base GT…

 

[zpduff]

Finally watched and that was a cool video. Couldn't imagine being a Mustang fan or a Ford fan and not liking it.

 

[GripTime]

There are several arguments: the platform was outdated when the S550 was built on it and therefore, a lot of stuff isn’t happening because it would require too many changes = wouldn’t be cost-efficient.
Just a few things that would make a new Mustang much more desirable:

• Lightweight (really improves everything from fuel economy to handling, performance and feeling)
• Bigger engine / more displacement
• Optional AWD
• Different wheelbase (I don’t think it’s bad but it’s just another thing that could be modified on a different platform and some prefer a shorter wheelbase as a ‘proper’ sports car and others may want two additional doors)

There is just no downside to a new platform except the initial investment but since Ford hasn’t really invested anything substantial into the Mustang for at least 10 years it’s time to do so without ripping off future customers.

I want all of this too but IMO these are just "specs." The American Mustang means something. The car has an identity. The posi rear end, the V8, the sound. the burnouts. Goodness I have never seen so much complaining about the cost of a car, I can't imagine if the thing is 1 penny more. I am not sure how to keep the car in the same price range, maintain the identity, and drastically improve the performance. If you don't like a Mustang you can buy the new Integra Type R, maybe the new MR2 coming out. Not trying to be dense in this argument but people are turning the Mustang into a car that it is not. A C8 Corvertte or any Vette should have awesome performance. The Mustang formula is different. But I agree, if sales are gonna really suffer they will need to do something. That's why I am glad I got my DH now cause I don't want to take a chance on a "new" Mustang, I like the current formula. Other cars are lightweight and AWD.

 

[DeluxeStang]

There are several arguments: the platform was outdated when the S550 was built on it and therefore, a lot of stuff isn’t happening because it would require too many changes = wouldn’t be cost-efficient.
Just a few things that would make a new Mustang much more desirable:

• Lightweight (really improves everything from fuel economy to handling, performance and feeling)
• Bigger engine / more displacement
• Optional AWD
• Different wheelbase (I don’t think it’s bad but it’s just another thing that could be modified on a different platform and some prefer a shorter wheelbase as a ‘proper’ sports car and others may want two additional doors)

There is just no downside to a new platform except the initial investment but since Ford hasn’t really invested anything substantial into the Mustang for at least 10 years it’s time to do so without ripping off future customers.

They claim they're gonna invest a lot more into the mustang brand, so it would be kinda crazy for them not to do a new platform. I'd actually prefer a longer wheelbase lol. Not only would it look better, longer wheelbase tend to make cars more stable at high speeds and less prone to snapping. It would also give them more space to potentially push the engine behind the front wheels, effectively turning the mustang into a mid-engine car while retaining the look everyone loves.

 

[IceGamer]

I want all of this too but IMO these are just "specs." The American Mustang means something. The car has an identity. The posi rear end, the V8, the sound. the burnouts. Goodness I have never seen so much complaining about the cost of a car, I can't imagine if the thing is 1 penny more. I am not sure how to keep the car in the same price range, maintain the identity, and drastically improve the performance. If you don't like a Mustang you can buy the new Integra Type R, maybe the new MR2 coming out. Not trying to be dense in this argument but people are turning the Mustang into a car that it is not. A C8 Corvertte or any Vette should have awesome performance. The Mustang formula is different. But I agree, if sales are gonna really suffer they will need to do something. That's why I am glad I got my DH now cause I don't want to take a chance on a "new" Mustang, I like the current formula. Other cars are lightweight and AWD.

That's a miss conception. I'm not talking about taking something away but rather adding (no not weight) to the experience. Imagine having a 6.x or even 7.x L engine, pushing some 550 or 600hp with an overall weight of less than 1.7 tons and the option to choose between RWD and AWD by the switch of a button... Performance has always been a staple of muscle cars but not as of late...

And yes, you can have all of that for less than $50k if Ford wanted to. You cannot have it with a nice interior, high quality materials and an almost perfect build quality but that's not what muscle cars are known for...

 

[Jonyxz]

I'm amazed how people critizes Ford. They must suffer short time memory.

Ford revolutionized the car handling with the s550.
Managed to put the car in the same league as an M4 with the DarkHorse(I've owned both and much prefer the DH).
Further pushed the mustang boundaries to compete with top Porsches on the Nurburgring(their home)with the GTD.
By the way, I dont see any Ferrari or BMW with a better time on the Ring. Think about that.

I think its fantastic if they keep this improvement trayectory(and it looks they will). All other muscle car manufactures have ran away from the scene. Dont know what else people expect.

 

[RaceRedder]

Here are some facts:

- Was the track in good condition?
Not optimal but it wasn't wet.
There was some rain and they waited until the track dried up. The track dried up and there were no pools or anything on the track during the laptime. However, the track was not super dry to get the full grip experience.

- How about the video's that we saw some pools on the track?
The video's you guys talk about are not coming from the laptime race, but from the documentary, which was shot before the laptime when the track was still wet. During the laptime, there were no other vehicles or drones shooting the car from the outside.

- Did Ford made their statement come true by saying they are going to beat Porsche and their counterparts?
Not really. The older technology of Porsche still won against the new rechnology of Ford.

- Could the Mustang go faster on a better track day?
I would say between 3 and 10 seconds.

 

[young at heart]

That's a miss conception. I'm not talking about taking something away but rather adding (no not weight) to the experience. Imagine having a 6.x or even 7.x L engine, pushing some 550 or 600hp with an overall weight of less than 1.7 tons and the option to choose between RWD and AWD by the switch of a button... Performance has always been a staple of muscle cars but not as of late...

And yes, you can have all of that for less than $50k if Ford wanted to. You cannot have it with a nice interior, high quality materials and an almost perfect build quality but that's not what muscle cars are known for...

Right. And interior designers can outfit high end homes from the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Ummm, no.

Come on guys. It’s great to have pipe dreams and mental dalliances, but not if you think they’re real.

 

[young at heart]

I'm amazed how people critizes Ford. They must suffer short time memory.

Ford revolutionized the car handling with the s550.
Managed to put the car in the same league as an M4 with the DarkHorse(I've owned both and much prefer the DH).
Further pushed the mustang boundaries to compete with top Porsches on the Nurburgring(their home)with the GTD.
By the way, I dont see any Ferrari or BMW with a better time on the Ring. Think about that.

I think its fantastic if they keep this improvement trayectory(and it looks they will). All other muscle car manufactures have ran away from the scene. Dont know what else people expect.

You know, I started to quote this message and highlight the portions I really agreed strongly with and I thought were smack on the money. But I quickly realized I’d have to highlight your entire post.

I‘m glad somebody gets the significance of what Ford has done here without carping about what they didn’t!

Sponsored