There have been a lot of rumors floating around about a mid-engine Mustang being revealed at Monterey car week. While Ford did just unveil a hardcore variant of the new Mustang, we’ll quickly acknowledge that it does not use a mid-engine layout. It is, however, the most hardcore Mustang ever made for the road.

The Mustang GTD is more race car than road car, but it’s street legal

Under the hood, the Mustang GTD has a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that Ford expects to output more than 800 horsepower. It features a dry-sump oiling system to ensure that lubrication is consistent throughout the most demanding track conditions. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle. The real crazy engineering, though, is at the back.

The rear suspension setup is downright wicked. With horizontally mounted coilover springs and adaptive shock absorbers mounted to a full tubular rear end, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re looking at the suspension assembly of a true GT3 race car. Better still, the suspension can actively adjust ride height and stiffness to ensure corning perfection.

“The hardware has been carefully selected and developed to enable blistering lap time performance. The target for this project was clear – go much, much faster than we’ve ever gone before with a targeted sub-7-minute Nürburgring time. This makes it the fastest roadgoing Mustang ever from Ford,” said Greg Goodall, Ford’s chief program engineer.

Aerodynamics that are illegal in racing make the GTD a track monster

The track width of the Mustang GTD is over four inches wider than that of a standard 2024 Mustang GT. It isn’t just for show, either. The aerodynamics of the Mustang are carefully crafted to ensure maximum downforce and cooling efficiency. Better still, the majority of the body components are made from carbon fiber to ensure it stays lightweight and has a low center of gravity.

The space where you’d typically find a trunk houses a transaxle cooling system as well as the semi-active rear suspension. A cover featuring two air scoops in place of the trunk lid, alongside an intake on either side of the body, funnel air into the rear to keep the transaxle, differential, and associated components cool. This, likely, is where the assumption of a mid-engine layout stems from.

Perhaps the most over-the-top feature, though, is the available aero package. It includes hydraulic front flaps that manage airflow to ensure aerodynamic balance with the active rear wing.

The Mustang GTD is built by Multimatic, just like the Ford GT

Ford states that the Mustang GTD will start life at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. Then, the GTD Mustangs will be sent to Multimatic in Markham, Canada, where Ford Performance and Multimatic will hand-build them into the closest thing to a genuine race-ready Mustang GT3 that will ever be properly road legal.

GTD customers have the option to add 3D-printed titanium paddle shifters, rotary dial shifter, and a serial plate made from retired Lockheed Martin F-22 titanium parts. Yes, seriously. Customers will also have the ability to order the GTD in any color, including matching to a customer-provided sample. It certainly comes at a cost, though.

Ford says the GTD production will be limited, and pricing is expected to begin at $300,000. If you’re willing and able to purchase one, you should reach out now. They’ll be available in the range of late 2024 to 2025. It certainly won’t hurt to throw your name in the ring now.