Ford has announced that it’s hitting the grid with a new Mustang GT3 race car that’ll compete in IMSA’s GTD Pro class. It’ll make its debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024 and be developed by both Ford Performance and Multimatic. The latter is the Canadian manufacturing and engineering firm that previously assisted the Blue Oval in building its GT supercar. They also raced a GT Le Mans-spec version of that car in years prior, so the two parties are no strangers to competing together.
Unlike that six-cylinder GT, however, the Mustang GT3 will use a 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated, Coyote-based V8 optimized for endurance racing. Other confirmed technical details consist of bespoke short-long arm suspension, a rear-mounted transaxle, carbon fiber body panels, and unique aero parts. Said aero parts naturally include a very large GT3-style rear wing and what appears to be some properly aggressive front fenders.
The news is huge since a Chevy Corvette GT3.R is also on the way for 2024, meaning the two makes will duel each other with their most recognizable models. Other manufacturers like Aston Martin, BMW, Lamborghini, Lexus, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche are also involved in the same category, so it’s monumental to see Ford re-entering the fray with a Mustang.
The fact that it’s a factory-backed effort is key as well, as Ford plans to showcase the car’s potential in order to market it to other teams. It’ll be made available to outfits in the pro-am GTD class as well, with this Mustang fitting the criteria for many other global GT3-spec series.
This being a Mustang racer slated to hit the grid two years from now, it’s almost a given that the car will be based on—or at least resemble—the next-generation S650 Mustang rather than the one we know now. That future street-spec Mustang is expected to launch next year as a 2024 model.
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