StangMode recently took delivery of a Grabber Blue-painted 2024 Ford Mustang, namely a fastback-bodied GT with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It also features the optional exhaust system, which makes the 5.0L V8 sound better and crank out a few more ponies.
Lovingly baptized Papa Smurf because of its exterior paint color, the car in the video below isn't optioned with the $4,995 Performance Package. Had it been, the superb-looking coupe would have sported an upsized rear sway bar, a 3.55 Torsen diff-equipped rear axle, a small rear wing, heavy-duty front springs, a K brace and a strut tower brace, Brembo-supplied brakes, and – most importantly – summer tires instead of all-season rubber.
StangMode took his Mustang to the drag strip, and – obviously enough – he changed the rears with a set of ET Street S/S drag radials from Mickey Thompson. Over the course of two runs, the vlogger posted 12.4 and 12.3 seconds in the quarter mile. As for the speeds carried over the finish line, make that 115.61 and 116.84 miles per hour (186.05 and 188.03 kph), respectively.
Not bad for a relatively brand-new car, but you know the Coyote powerplant can do better in this application. For example, StangMode's previous-generation Mustang GT – a 2018 model dubbed Black Mamba – clocked 12.1 seconds at 119 miles per hour (191.5 kph). Had it featured more aggressive drag radials instead of DOT-approved streetable Mickey Thompsons, maybe this S650 would've cracked into the high 11-second range.
With 486 horsepower at 7,500 revolutions per minute and 418 pound-feet (567 Nm) developed at 4,900 revolutions per minute, the Mustang GT with the active-valve exhaust is the highest-performing GT available for the 2024 model year. The next step is the Dark Horse, a GT-based thriller with Shelby GT500 bits and pieces for 500 horsepower and the same 418 pound-feet of twist.
The regular GT is no slouch either, for it packs 480 horsepower and 415 pound-feet (563 Nm). Come 2024 for the 2025 model year, the S650 will be elevated to an estimated 800 ponies. Inspired by the Mustang GT3 racing car, the Multimatic-built Mustang GTD will be produced in very limited numbers at $300,000 apiece.
That's huge money for a Mustang, yet bear in mind that a maximum of 2,000 units will ever be produced. The biggest selling point of the Mustang GTD isn't its almighty supercharged V8, though. It's the promise of lapping the Nurburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes, which is 991.2-gen Porsche 911 GT3 Manthey Performance territory. Truth be told, the 991.2-gen Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Racing pulled off 6 minutes 38 seconds with Lars Kern behind the wheel.
As for straight-line performance, there's no denying the Shelby GT500 will return with a vengeance. Chances are Ford plans to roll out the slithering serpent after Multimatic finishes the Mustang GTD's relatively short run. In other words, maybe for the 2026 model year?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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