A stunning new motorsport hero may assist save the petrol-powered Ford Mustang from extinction.
The most recent racing model of the Mustang, referred to as the GT3, is being readied to race throughout the globe in a program that shall be focussed on the Le Mans 24-Hour race in 2024.
The Mustang GT3 can even compete in Australia from 2025, in a program completely separate from the Blue Oval model’s involvement in Supercars racing.
The important thing to the GT3 program is that, as a substitute of costing Ford cash from its advertising finances, it’ll turn into a revenue centre.
Tons of of Mustang GT3 racers shall be constructed over the lifetime of the mannequin, all of them offered to non-public groups, and the halo impact could possibly be much like the racing connection that has saved the Porsche 911 alive and thriving.
Porsche is among the most profitable manufacturers in GT3 racing, however the road-based racers additionally embody vehicles from Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini and McLaren.
“This actually does take Mustang international. It’s telling the world our dedication, as we’re pursuing all these cool electrical automobiles that are necessary for us as an organization and for the world, there’s nonetheless additionally a spot for inner combustion engines and sports activities coupes,” the worldwide head of Ford Efficiency, Mark Rushbrook, informed CarExpert.
“Having the seventh-generation Mustang in racing offers us a pleasant lengthy runway on the highway automobile. It offers us that very same lengthy runway with race vehicles as properly.
“GT3 (racing) is a worldwide class. It’s in Europe and South-East Asia and the ’states.”
Mr Rushbrook attracts a direct connection between racing the Mustang and conserving the mannequin alive, even because the Mustang Mach-E begins the push for a spread of battery-electric fashions that could possibly be offered underneath the Mustang sub-brand.
“It’s important, as we provide a full ladder of Mustang highway vehicles, to supply the identical full ladder of Mustang race vehicles,” he mentioned.
“And to have that chance to inform the story of highway coupes that race.
“So individuals will nonetheless have Mustangs on the highway and so they’ll be capable to go to the racetrack and see them race, or race themselves. There’s lots of people that wish to do this.”
The primary Ford Mustang to compete with the seventh-generation bodywork, coming to Australian showrooms quickly, was the Supercars racer that now goes head-to-head with the competitors model of the Chevrolet Camaro.
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Mustang Supercar
However these are custom-built race vehicles with silhouette bodywork to reflect the Ford and Chevrolet highway vehicles.
The Mustang GT3 has a way more radical look, however is constructed from the fundamentals of the highway automobile with its Coyote V8 engine.
The identical shall be true of the Mustang GT4 – which may have fewer modifications – that can comply with the GT3 racer.
“The race automobile begins as a body-in-white just like the manufacturing automobile. There are clearly modifications … with the intention to get the precise construction and optimised suspension,” he mentioned.
Mr Rushbrook mentioned the Mustang GT3 is way extra radical than the Supercars contender, and describes it because the most-advanced Mustang but.
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Mustang Darkish Horse
“Completely. By an element. I’m simply it, in comparison with a Supercar, and it’s from a unique planet,” he mentioned.
Mr Rushbrook can not get into the monetary particulars of the Mustang GT3, both the value or the variety of vehicles that shall be inbuilt a partnership with British firms Multimatic (our bodies) or M-Sport (engines), however he’s bullish about this system.
“We’ve quite a lot of curiosity. There are individuals in Australia. And likewise for the Mustang GT4,” he mentioned.
“There’s quite a lot of curiosity around the globe for these vehicles. After we first mentioned we had been going to do that, which was January of 2022 – and in addition with the Darkish Horse (mannequin) thrown in – there’s quite a lot of curiosity.”
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