And its first public shakedown at Sebring is V8 music to a gearhead's ears.
We've finally been given our first official look at the Ford Mustang GT3 after Ford Performance gave it its first public shakedown this week at the Sebring International Raceway in Florida.
Company CEO Jim Farley posted a video to Twitter demonstrating the incredible abilities of the racer during a test run while also putting the question out there of whether a street-legal version should be built. We say hell yes! Based (loosely) on the new Mustang Dark Horse, the V8 soundtrack has been turned all the way up, and at Sebring, it echoes off the concrete barriers in eargasmic fashion.
We've already heard the sonorous sound of the naturally aspirated V8, but the footage of the GT3 on the track makes this all the more exciting.
Should we make a road version? https://t.co/LxaK6AjvD6
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) March 22, 2023
Co-developed by Ford Performance and Multimatic Motorsports, the Mustang GT3 isn't ready to hit the track competitively and is still undergoing strenuous testing.
Earlier in February, Ford Performance teased a rear wing that we assumed belonged to the Mustang GT3. But it ended up being a Red Bull-liveried version of the Mustang Mach-E 1400 used to announce Ford and Red Bull as partners in F1 from 2026.
The Mustang GT3 is just one of many racing 'Stangs to be spawned from the S650-generation 2024 Mustang family. At the time of the new car's launch, Ford announced a global racing offensive that would include GT3, GT4, NASCAR, NHRA Factory X, and Australian Supercar racing. The Mustang will even race at Le Mans, with the Mustang GT3 being eligible for that particular competition.
Who doesn't love a thoroughbred?
The Dark Horse-based #FordMustang GT3 is turning its first test laps this week at one of the toughest testing grounds around, galloping towards a global racing effort starting in 2024 ???? pic.twitter.com/pQIAgb45Rt
— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) March 22, 2023
While the full and final details are yet to be made public, we do know a few things. For instance, instead of the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 found in the roadgoing Mustang Dark Horse, the GT3 will feature a Coyote-based V8 with a 5.4-liter displacement.
The widebody kit allows wider front and rear tracks for added stability, while the top-hung rear wing will give it immense stability and downforce at high speeds.
Based on the Mustang Dark Horse, we can assume it'll inherit many of the upgrades from the Dark Horse S and R customer racing variants. These include an FIA-certified safety cage, fuel cell, and strategic seam welding to increase structural rigidity.
The Mustang GT3 will make its racing debut in 2024 at the 24 Hours of Daytona. From there, it will travel across the globe and partake in various motorsport events where it will fly the flag for the Blue Oval. While a roadgoing version is highly, highly unlikely, we can't help but dream.
Keyword: 2024 Ford Mustang GT3 Racecar Is A Widebody 'Stang With A Wicked Wing And Carbon Fiber Body