The Ford Mustang GTD is by no means a cheap car; with an estimated price tag of $325,000, it is the most expensive Mustang ever to be offered. It features absurd aerodynamics that are too much to be applied on race cars and exquisite suspension, designed to work together remarkably for the car to adjust to different driving conditions, be it track use, curvy roads, or whatever else the driver may throw at it. The Mustang GTD will hug the pavement and offer a spectacular driving experience unlike any other.
It turns out that the state-of-the-art suspension is so spectacular that Ford doesn’t want to keep it hidden. Instead, it is displayed at the back of the cabin, like the flux capacitor for the time-traveling Delorean. Ford isn’t wrong, though; while the suspension does have a purpose, it’s also beautiful to look at, which is why the company built a suspension window for the car, enabling owners to admire the blue and gold accents on the dampers without having to remove the tech panel. If you’re a passenger, you can watch the suspension do its job while the car is on the move.
The display measures roughly 24 inches wide by 10 inches tall and is comprised of polycarbonate with a scratch-resistant coating added to both sides. The suspension window puts the hard work of the engineering teams on display for everyone to enjoy, like a finely crafted precision timepiece. It’s a beautiful touch to a beautiful car. The display can be seen through the back window of the car.
The pushrod suspension design itself is derived from Ford’s motorsports learnings, and that even does things that wouldn’t be allowed on the track, with the capacity of changing from the softest to firmest damper setting in just 15 milliseconds. The ASV dampers continuously adapt based on the drive mode, road surface, and driver inputs to maximize the Michelin tires’ contact with the road. Each damper has two springs, and when driving on the street, they work together to allow a comfortable ride. Activating the driver-selectable Track mode hydraulically compresses one of the springs, nearly doubling the spring rate overall and lowering the vehicle by approximately 1.6 inches to maximize capability on the track.
Just as the Ford Mustang GTD’s active aerodynamics press down on the car at high speeds, the firmer spring rates of Track mode counter aerodynamic squat and help keep the tires’ contact patch as broad as possible while accelerating, braking, and cornering.
If you wish to see the Ford Mustang GTD in person, it will appear at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June before heading to the 24 Hours of Spa and the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It will also spend the summer testing in Europe before attempting an official times sub-seven-minute lap of Germany’s legendary Nürburgring later this year.
The rest of the Ford Mustang GTD interior has yet to be revealed, but if this suspension showcase is anything to go off of, the cabin (said to feature F-22 parts) is going to be pretty special,
