Final 12 months, Ford took its 815-horsepower Mustang GTD to the Nürburgring, the place it set the file for quickest American manufacturing automotive to ever lap the legendary circuit. The 6-minute, 57-second lap was mighty spectacular, however Ford clearly wasn’t glad. So the corporate has taken the automotive again to the Inexperienced Hell and set a good faster time: 6 minutes, 52.072 seconds.

Ford says it discovered the additional 5 seconds by numerous enhancements to the automotive. There’s an up to date powertrain calibration, a revised chassis with extra torsional rigidity, a reworked ABS and traction management system, and a refined aero setup. 

The brand new time means the Mustang GTD is faster across the ‘Ring than the Porsche 918 Spyder, previously the general record-holder. It is also faster than the current-generation 911 GT3, the Ferrari 296 GTB, and the Lamborghini Aventador SV.

Whereas seeing a automotive as huge as a Mustang set such a powerful time, it is necessary to level out that that is no regular Mustang. The GTD is actually a ground-up construct with a Mustang physique, utilizing a rear-mounted eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, related to the engine through a carbon fiber torque tube. The semi-active suspension, developed by Multimatic, makes use of spool-valve dampers and a pushrod and rocker arm structure. To see comparable tech, you will have to go to your native race monitor.

Nonetheless, it is loopy to assume a Mustang is faster than the mighty 918. It is a signal of simply how far suspension and tire expertise have are available 12 years, and the massive dedication of Ford’s engineering crew. 

Ford has launched numerous photos from the day of the file run, however didn’t launch a full onboard video of the lap. We suspect the video to seem on YouTube someday this week, although Ford hasn’t given a timeline.

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Supply: Ford