So the rumours have been put to rest. As per a media report, it has now been confirmed that the Ford Mustang GTD used street-legal tyres to shatter the Nurburgring record and set a lap time of 6:40.835.
To discard speculations that slick racing tyres were used, Ford showcased the exact record-setting car at Monterey Car Week fitted with road-compliant Michelin Pilot Sport Cup FR tyres. The rubber displayed clear outer-edge heat wear and rubber feathering sustained during the Nordschleife attempt.
Driven by Multimatic racer Dirk Müller, the GTD Competition shaved over 11 seconds off the standard GTD’s previous benchmark. In doing so, it surpassed the rival 1,250-hp, all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X (6:49.275) by more than eight seconds, cementing its status as the fastest American production vehicle ever to lap the Green Hell.
The Competition package introduces extensive track-focused revisions to extract maximum performance. Engine output from the supercharged 5.2-litre V8 pushes beyond the base model’s 815 horsepower, paired with secondary front dive planes, carbon-fibre rear aero discs, and a recalibrated Drag Reduction System (DRS). Weight-saving measures include magnesium wheels, carbon-fibre bucket seats, and lightweight active dampers.
Source: The Drive
