Ford Performance close to announcing details of track-day Mustangs and GT racers
Ford Performance is close to announcing details of its racing and track-day versions of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang, which has already debuted in the Australian Supercars Championship and goes on sale Down Under in the third quarter of this year.
As it announced when the S650-series pony car was unveiled in September 2022, Ford Performance will offer at least four racing versions of the new Mustang, which will compete in motorsport categories globally including Supercars, NASCAR, NHRA drag racing, international GT3 and GT4 sports car competition and other grassroots racing.
The track-only Mustang line-up starts with the Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R and will be topped off by FIA-homologated GT4 and GT3 variants, but Ford Performance last month teased a GT3-based road car ahead of its imminent reveal.
Should we make a road version? https://t.co/LxaK6AjvD6
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) March 22, 2023
The 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse – the flagship of the street-legal Mustang range – took centre stage on Ford’s 2023 New York International Auto Show stand overnight, when carsales collared Ford Performance global boss, Mark Rushbrook.
Rushbrook confirmed announcements regarding Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R track cars were close.
“We announced Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R in September when we announced the seventh-generation Mustang for the street. [But] We will be announcing more details of exact specifications for those cars in the near future,” Rushbrook told carsales.
He also confirmed Aussies will be able to order the track-only, left-hand-drive-only motorsport models.
“It’s our intent is to sell those globally,” Rushbrook confirmed.
“The Dark Horse S is a dedicated track car, so it won’t have a VIN… but it’ll come with a full roll cage, racing seat, racing suspension and everything. People can use that as a track-day car.
“Dark Horse R also will be available globally and really that’s a Dark Horse S plus some extra equipment that you would have for a specific race series… Like a fuel cell and a few other things like that.
“So those will be something that in the United States, you could go to [race] in SCCA [classes]. But we’ll announce a spec series specifically for those cars in the USA. And we’re certainly open to looking at that globally as well,” Rushbrook explained.
In terms of the GT4 and GT3 racers, Rushbrook said Ford Performance is aiming to complete homologation on both by the end of 2023, ahead of first deliveries starting in early 2024.
That timeline and strong interest in both racers from local teams could see Mustangs racing in both classes in Australia in 2024 – not 2025 as previously targeted.
Rushbrook stated the recent testing of the GT4 and GT3 racers at Sebring in Florida was instructive.
“It went well. It’s a test, so you always learn something. But [what we] really understood is that we have a great foundation… and we can’t wait to finish the homologation.
“I guess TBD [to be determined],” Rushbrook stated when quizzed on the 2024 debut for the Mustang GT racers.
“It’s depending on when we actually finish the homologation – as the parts supply comes online… We’re gonna build as many cars as, as fast as we can,” Rushbrook stated.
“There’s interest from every part of the world to race these things. We just need to figure out, as we ramp up, where will they go? Certainly, we want those cars racing in Australia. It’s important for us,” the Ford Performance boss stated.
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Keyword: Racier new Ford Mustangs ramp up