​It's finally official. Ford holds the record for the fastest United State production car at the Nürburgring event with the Mustang GTD. It went 6 minutes, 57.685 seconds, topping the Dodge Viper ACR by 4.3 seconds. It is the only car from the United States to turn a sub-seven-minute lap at the famed 12.9-mile Nordschleife loop. According to Ford, it's one of six production sports cars globally to break the seven-minute barrier.
The record-setting lap took place on August 7, 2024, so Ford has been keeping this news quiet for some time.
The Mustang GTD's lap time beats the Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce and Ferrari 296 GTB, and matches the Porsche 918 Spyder. Those are some big names, but Ford is still far from claiming the fastest front-engined production record. That currently belongs to the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which went 6:43.61 back in 2020. The current overall Nürburgring record for production cars is held by the Mercedes-AMG One at 6:29.09. As good as the GTD is, it would likely need some significant upgrades to challenge the AMG GT Black Series.
Ford CEO Jim Farley says there's more In store for the GTD. He pledges more laps will come in 2025.
“The team behind Mustang GTD took what we’ve learned from decades on the track and engineered a Mustang that can compete with the world’s best supercars,” said Farley. “We’re proud to be the first American automaker with a car that can lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes, but we aren’t satisfied. We know there’s much more time to find a Mustang GTD. We’ll be back.”
Let's look at the 2025 Ford Mustang
Now in its second year, the seventh-generation 2025 Mustang continues the course it charted when it was born back in the 1960s: deliver a thoroughly American take on the sporty coupe experience. Variety remains a key component of its success, with the 2025 ‘Stang available in varying levels of intensity from a 315-horsepower turbo four-cylinder to a 480-hp 5.0-liter V-8— not to mention the edgier 500-hp Mustang Dark Horse. The latter two can be optioned with a six-speed manual transmission to replace the stock 10-speed automatic, but the turbo four is an automatic-only affair. The traditional fastback coupe and soft-top convertible body styles return for 2025, and it wouldn’t be a Mustang without partaking in the celebrated American automotive tradition of special editions. The latest is the 2025 60thAnniversary Edition, which will be limited to 1965 units in reference to the year it was introduced—though it actually went on sale in April of 1964 as a 1965 model. Regardless, the carefree spirit of the Mustang remains, offering stylish, sporting transportation for two—or three or four, if they don’t mind folding themselves into the vestigial rear seats. With the Chevy Camaro out of production and the Dodge Challenger getting redesigned with only inline-six or electric powertrain options, the Mustang is the last V-8–powered domestic pony car standing.
What's New for 2025?
2024 marked the introduction of the new seventh-gen Mustang, so the anniversary edition is the big news for 2025. Exclusive to GT coupes and convertibles, it includes several cosmetic callouts including 20-inch wheels with red aluminum center caps. Sneaking in on the coattails of the anniversary edition is a new throwback digital gauge cluster that mimics the instrument panel look of the 1967 Mustang. It’s available via an over-the-air update for all 2024 and later Mustangs.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The price of the 2025 Ford Mustang starts at $33,515 and goes up to $69,870 depending on the trim and options.
The turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost has nothing to be ashamed of performance-wise, but we’re still at a point in time where a V-8 exists, and we recommend taking advantage of it— particularly with the six-speed manual in the GT coupe. Sure it’s $10k and change more than the four, but as it’s said, buy experiences, not things; with the Mustang GT you get both. You can also add a GT Performance package for roughly $5000 extra. That gives you 19-inch wheels, big Brembo calipers, a 3.73-geared Torsen differential, as well as some sweet appearance bits. Syracuse, New York Drivers can find the 2025 Ford Mustang at Bidleman Ford of Auburn. Check out our 2025 Ford Mustang promotional video here.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Mustang's base powertrain is a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine rated at 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque mated exclusively with a 10-speed automatic transmission. (Interestingly, that trails the last-gen EcoBoost Performance's 330-hp.) It’s a solid performing setup, but the 5.0-liter V-8 is the heart of the Mustang. Rated for 480 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, it can send power through either the ten-speed automatic or, preferably, a six-speed manual. Ford says an optional performance exhaust increases output to 486 horsepower and 418 pound-feet. The Mustang Dark Horse is a track-focused step up from the GT that uses a 500-hp version of the 5.0-liter V-8. Essentially an evolution of the beloved Mach 1 of the previous generation, it has adaptive dampers and 19-inch Pirelli P Zero PZ4s, but gummy Pirelli Trofeo RS track-worthy tires are available via an optional handling package. Ford has improved the ride and handling balance with every generation, and the latest Mustang shows improvements across the board, including better steering feel and feedback. The Dark Horse’s standard adaptive dampers go a long way to tame the brutality that is often part and parcel of performance vehicles wearing track-focused rubber.
0–60-MPH Times
At our test track, a Mustang GT with the performance exhaust system ripped to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds; the EcoBoost wasn't too far behind, hitting 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. At 4.1 seconds, the Dark Horse only shaved one second off the GT’s time, but it went on to cross the quarter-mile marker in 12.5 seconds at 115 mph. The Dark Horse did shine during our recent 0-to-150-to-0 speed test with a time of 29.7 seconds, beating a Toyota Supra 3.0.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Mustang's interior design is a mix of new and retro. We found the seats to be plenty supportive and the standard 12.4-inch instrument cluster is a massive leap ahead of the previous car's. The configurable display can be customized to fit the needs of most red, white, and blue patriots, with selectable colors, gauges, and even a “calm” screen that reveals only the most necessary details. If you're feeling nostalgic, the cluster can be configured to look similar to the 1987 Mustang's analog gauges—and a second analog throwback screen that takes its looks from the 1967 'Stang is available as an over-the-air update for all seventh-gen models. Ambient lighting and a driver’s display adapt to whichever drive mode you’ve selected. Base Mustangs come with cloth seats and available micro-suede vinyl inserts, while the Premium level adds stitched bits and pieces from door trim to dashboard. The Mustang GT gets leather inserts. Ford has also introduced a Remote Rev function that allows the car’s engine to blast up the RPMs with a simple click from the key fob while you admire the sounds from outside the car.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The 2024 redesign brought numerous improvements to the Mustang’s interior gadgetry. An available 13.2-inch infotainment screen using Ford’s Sync 4 software flows from the gauge cluster toward the center of the car behind a curved glass panel. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on this system, and an optional wireless smartphone charger helps drivers reduce the clutter of charging cables. Amazon Alexa and Ford Streaming allow voice commands to replace knob-turning or button presses, and every Mustang comes with Ford Power-Up software capability, allowing for over-the-air updates for later software and vehicle function improvements.
Bidleman Ford copyright @ 12/14/2024