Photo: Ford / edited
The seventh-generation Mustang was designed from the outset for on-track duties. Back in January 2022, when Ford Performance teased the new GT3 under a cover, the Blue Oval confirmed GT4, NASCAR, and NHRA Factory X derivatives as well. The S650 has also been adapted for Australia's well-known Supercar Championship, in which the S550 dukes it out with the soon-to-be-canned Chevrolet Camaro.
Regarding the Camaro's fate, General Motors has confirmed that production will come to a screeching halt in January 2024 after a very short model year. The Ford Motor Company's crosstown rival has further confirmed that its long-running nameplate won't be retired for good. An electric sedan is rumored to replace the pony car in the near future, based on the BEV3 electric vehicle platform of the new Blazer EV.
Considering Ford's redesign of the S550 into the S650, the Dearborn-based automaker is more cautious with pony car enthusiasts than General Motors. In truth, less competition means a lot more chances to win on the racetrack. The larger automaker is pulling the plug on its GT4 program after the 2023 season, much to the delight of Ford, which is preparing to unveil the new Mustang GT4 for the 2024 racing season.
Teased prior to its June 28 debut at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the GT4 will be revealed by the Ford Performance global motorsports director Mark Rushbrook and SRO Motorsports Group head honcho Stephane Ratel. Those unfamiliar with the latter organization, fret not. SRO promotes and runs a handful of series and events, including the GT4 series, including the European and American series.
Similar to the recently unveiled GT3, the GT4 rocks slick tires and trick aero up front. We can further see a set of high-performance brakes and some vents in the hood. There's no technical information available on the GT4 at press time, although we're pretty certain the naturally-aspirated V8 engine is a Coyote-based unit similar to that in the GT3.
It displaces 5.4 liters rather than 5.0 liters in the road-going Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse. It's also put together by M-Sport in the United Kingdom, and it's connected to a rear-mounted transaxle instead of a conventional torque-converter automatic or a good ol' manual transmission.
Another similarity with the GT3 is that Ford Performance developed the GT4 in partnership with a Canadian company. The partner in question is Multimatic, which is also the company that produced the V6-engined GT on Ford's behalf. The second generation stopped production last year, with the peeps at Multimatic finishing a total of 1,350 vehicles.
The new GT4 will replace the S550-based car, also designed in partnership with Multimatic. The outgoing GT4 uses a Roush-Yates Engines 5.2-liter V8 with a cross-plane crankshaft à la the GT500 instead of the GT350's flat-plane crankshaft.
Considering Ford's redesign of the S550 into the S650, the Dearborn-based automaker is more cautious with pony car enthusiasts than General Motors. In truth, less competition means a lot more chances to win on the racetrack. The larger automaker is pulling the plug on its GT4 program after the 2023 season, much to the delight of Ford, which is preparing to unveil the new Mustang GT4 for the 2024 racing season.
Teased prior to its June 28 debut at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the GT4 will be revealed by the Ford Performance global motorsports director Mark Rushbrook and SRO Motorsports Group head honcho Stephane Ratel. Those unfamiliar with the latter organization, fret not. SRO promotes and runs a handful of series and events, including the GT4 series, including the European and American series.
Similar to the recently unveiled GT3, the GT4 rocks slick tires and trick aero up front. We can further see a set of high-performance brakes and some vents in the hood. There's no technical information available on the GT4 at press time, although we're pretty certain the naturally-aspirated V8 engine is a Coyote-based unit similar to that in the GT3.
It displaces 5.4 liters rather than 5.0 liters in the road-going Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse. It's also put together by M-Sport in the United Kingdom, and it's connected to a rear-mounted transaxle instead of a conventional torque-converter automatic or a good ol' manual transmission.
Another similarity with the GT3 is that Ford Performance developed the GT4 in partnership with a Canadian company. The partner in question is Multimatic, which is also the company that produced the V6-engined GT on Ford's behalf. The second generation stopped production last year, with the peeps at Multimatic finishing a total of 1,350 vehicles.
The new GT4 will replace the S550-based car, also designed in partnership with Multimatic. The outgoing GT4 uses a Roush-Yates Engines 5.2-liter V8 with a cross-plane crankshaft à la the GT500 instead of the GT350's flat-plane crankshaft.
Google News