The Ford Mustang will compete against the Porsche 911, Audi R8, Ferrari 296 and Mercedes-AMG GT at race tracks around the world next year – before its debut at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2025.
The Ford Mustang GT3 race car has been formally unveiled at the 24 Hour of Le Mans, ahead of the US car giant’s return to the world-famous endurance race and international competition in 2024.
Ford first announced it would enter global GT3 racing competitions when the seventh-generation Mustang – codenamed S650 – was revealed in September 2022, alongside the unveiling of its Australian V8 Supercars machine.
The Detroit-based car-maker teased an unpainted Mustang GT3 testing at the Sebring Circuit in Florida in March this year, though it left fans waiting until now to reveal the car in full – in addition to its competition plans next year.
While few parts from the road-going Ford Mustang carry across to the GT3 racer, racing regulations require its engine to be based on that which powers the production car.
Under the bonnet of the Ford Mustang GT3 is a 5.4-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 – enlarged from the road car’s 5.0-litre offering – which sends drive to the rear wheels through a six-speed transaxle, incorporating the gearbox and differential in one unit.
The most immediate difference between Ford Mustang road car and the GT3 is the additional aerodynamic parts required for racing, which includes a front splitter, enclosed side-exit exhaust, a massive rear wing and an oversized diffuser.
The Mustang GT3’s grille is also significantly smaller than the production model – though the changes could also be seen in showrooms after Ford CEO Jim Farley hinted at building a ‘road version’ of the race car.
A vaguely camouflaged Ford Mustang GT3 road car was photographed on the streets of Detroit last month, with its grille and rear end partially covered – hiding a centre-exit exhaust and possible rear spoiler changes.
Ford intends to take the Mustang GT3 racing across the world in 2024.
From next year, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) – which incorporates events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans – will move away from GTE regulations for sports cars, instead adopting the GT3 criteria which has become more popular for manufacturers.
The car-maker won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright from 1966 to 1969 with the Ford GT40 – later inspiring the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari – while it also notched up a GTE-class victory in 2016, competing in a new Ford GT.
Germany-based team Proton Competition – which currently runs Porsche 911s in WEC competition and has Irish actor Michael Fassbender as a driver – has become the first customer to order a Ford Mustang GT3.
Ford itself will also compete in the North American IMSA competition with the car next year, running its operations through Multimac Motorsports, the firm responsible for the Mustang GT3 and Ford GT racer, among other projects.
The US company also announced its plans to race in the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance, though it will not be able to do so until 2025 as the Mustang GT3 will not be eligible for the 2024 race, due to international regulations.
As previously reported, the Ford Mustang road car’s Australian showroom arrival has been delayed by approximately six months, with the first examples now due in the first quarter of 2024 (January to March), rather than the third quarter of 2023 (July to September) as first planned.
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