Ford reveals new Mustang GT3 racer
Ford is set to return to global motorsport endurance events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with an all-new Mustang-based car to suit the FIA’s global GT3 category. Officially unveiled on the eve of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, the Mustang GT3 will race at Le Mans in 2024 as FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) events transfer from GTE regulations to GT3.
Ford’s most recent success at Le Mans was a class win with the GT supercar in 2016; a feat they’re aiming to equal with the Mustang GT3.
“Ford and Le Mans are bound together by history. We’re coming back to the most dramatic, most rewarding and most important race in the world,” said Jim Farley, CEO, Ford Motor Company. “Going back to Le Mans is the beginning of building a global motorsports business with Mustang, just like we are doing with Bronco and Raptor off-road.”
The debut GT3 unit features a livery created by Troy Lee, who’s better known for his association with the motorcycling world, specifically motocross, producing helmets and riding apparel under the ‘Troy Lee Designs’ label. The Mustang GT3 marks Lee’s first foray into the four-wheel competition space with Ford.
The GT3 presented at Le Mans also debuted new Ford Performance branding, with what the carmaker calls a cleaner, simplified look to be applied to all its factory racing ventures in the future.
According to Ford, the new branding is easier to integrate than past corporate ID efforts for Ford Performance and will be applied to parts, accessories, display assets, advertising, merchandise and apparel, as well as cars. Ford say they’re aiming to position Ford Performance as a “standout lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset”.
The Mustang GT3 is based on the all-new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse (which is turn is based on the seventh-generation S650 Mustang) and has been developed by Ford Performance in partnership with Multimatic (builders of the Ford GT) and WRC team M-Sport. Multimatic will assist with the construction of the GT3 and support the customer race programme, while M-Sport will assemble the 5.4-litre V8 that will power the competition cars. Whether these Coyote-based engines are bored or stroked from the Mustang Dark Horse’s 5.0-ltre V8 to achieve the extra capacity is unclear.
“For a project like the Mustang GT3, we turned to two of our most trusted partners in the motorsports world to help bring this vehicle and programme together," said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “I know we’ll all be as thrilled as Ford fans when Mustang begins racing at the highest levels of GT racing in 2024.”
As well as a larger, modified engjne, the Mustang GT3 also features a six-speed transaxle for better weight distribution, bespoke short-long arm suspension, carbon fibre body panels and an extensive aero package. Made to suit GT3 regulations, this includes a much smaller grille opening, broad front splitter, widebody treatment, side exit exhaust, a large rear diffuser and huge rear wing.
In the lead up to the 2024 Le Mans, Ford will provide the Mustang GT3 to customer teams to campaign in various GT3 series around the globe. Proton Competition, based in Ehingen, Germany, is the first squad to commit to the new racer, switching from Porsche 911s to run a pair of the all-new Mustang GT3s in next year’s WEC.
“This is a very important programme and an exciting moment for our organisation,” said Proton Competition team principal Christian Ried. “The Mustang is a great brand and this is an important step for our team. We look forward to joining with Ford, starting in 2024.”
In addition to supplying customer cars, Ford will also run a factory team, entering two Mustang GT3s in the IMSA GTD Pro class. Managed by Multimatic Motorsports, the factory team will make its debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, 2024.
While the Mustang GT3 will be eligible for the Bathurst 12 Hour and related Intercontinental GT Challenge, it’s unclear if the car will race at next year’s edition of the 12 Hour, which is scheduled for 16-18 February.
