Ford Mustang GTD Is The Most Powerful Production Pony Car Ever With 815HP

Ford has finally pulled back the curtain on the SAE-certified performance figures for the Mustang GTD—a full 13 months after the flagship muscle car first roared into the spotlight. The supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine is now officially rated at 815 hp (608 kW / 826 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. This makes it the most powerful production Mustang to date, pushing it firmly into supercar territory.

More: This Is The Interior Of The $325,000 Ford Mustang GTD

The V8 engine, which reaches up to a screaming 7,650 rpm, benefits from a suite of performance upgrades, including a new dry-sump oil system, an overhauled intake and exhaust, a smaller supercharger pulley, and a shiny titanium exhaust system.

With all this power, the Mustang GTD rockets to a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h), partially thanks to its Drag Reduction System and active aerodynamics. While that’s a record for the Mustang lineup, it still falls short of the GT supercar’s 216 mph (348 km/h) top speed.

To harness all this power and achieve the highly touted sub-7-minute lap time at the Nurburgring, the Mustang GTD features an extensive array of performance enhancements. The vehicle comes with a custom wide bodykit designed to improve aerodynamics, carbon-ceramic brakes for superior stopping power, and a motorsport-inspired chassis setup. This includes an inboard rear suspension and semi-active dampers, all of which work in concert to enhance both handling and stability at high speeds.

However, for those chasing the ultimate in aerodynamic efficiency and additional weight-saving features, such as the magnesium 20-inch wheels shown in the promotional images, there is an optional Performance Pack. This pack, which offers a range of advanced enhancements, is not included in the $325,000 base price of the standard GTD, so buyers should be prepared for additional costs if they want these top-tier upgrades.

More HP Per Liter Than A 911 GT3 RS

Greg Goodall, the Chief Program Engineer for the Mustang GTD, emphasized the car’s ambitious goals: “We’ve been laser focused since day one to make Mustang GTD the first-ever supercar with world-class performance and the soul of a Mustang. GTD’s heart is its supercharged 5.2-litre V8, packing more horsepower per liter than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS.”

If you’re already reaching for your calculator, here’s the breakdown: the Mustang GTD’s V8 cranks out 156.7 hp per liter, while the 911 GT3 RS’s 4.0-liter flat-six manages 129.6 hp per liter. Of course, there’s a little detail worth mentioning here—whereas Ford’s V8 is force-fed with a supercharger to achieve those figures, Porsche’s 518 hp boxer engine that revs to 9,000 rpm does so in naturally aspirated form.

Goodall’s reference to the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is intentional, positioning it as the primary rival to the Mustang GTD. He elaborated on the engineering effort: “We’ve combined the work of talented engineers and designers, as well as an extremely capable driver, with Mustang GTD technology, power and aerodynamics. We can’t wait to deliver on our sub-7-minute promise to GTD customers.”