The Ford Mustang GT3 race car will take on 'everyone' around the world
Competition car debuts next year
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It is a much faster horse.
The Ford Mustang GT3 unveiled in Le Mans, France, on Friday is a competition version of the new seventh-generation pony car that will be entered in racing series around the world next year.
It will also enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it will once again face off against Ferrari, as well as its American rival, the Chevrolet Corvette.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mustang GT3 is based on the production car, but has undergone significant modifications to get it ready for the track.
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The Ford Mustang GT3 will enter competition in 2024. (Ford)
Under the hood is a 5.4-liter version of the 5.0-liter "Coyote" V8 that powers the street Mustang.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mustang GT3 is powered by a 5.4-liter V8. (Ford)
It is connected to a paddle-shifted six-speed transaxle at the rear wheels.
A paddle-shifted transaxle replaces the production car's transmission. (Ford)
The car's body is constructed of carbon fiber and features unique vents, dive planes, splitters and rocker panels to optimize its aerodynamics for racing. A huge, downforce-generating wing is suspended from two arms at the rear.
The Mustang GT3 will compete in series around the world. (Ford)
"Ford and Le Mans are bound together by history. And now we’re coming back to the most dramatic, most rewarding and most important race in the world. It is not Ford versus Ferrari anymore. It is Ford versus everyone," Ford CEO Jim Farley said.
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The car will be fielded by Ford and customer teams, including Proton Racing, and will be eligible for the World Endurance Championship and the American IMSA series that includes the 24 Hours of Daytona, where it will make its competition debut.
The Mustang GT3 will make its competition debut at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona. (Ford)
Ford famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 to become the first American automaker to claim victory in the event, as recounted in the film "Ford v Ferrari," and also won the next three years in a row.
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It returned in 2016 to take first in the LMGTE Pro class with the Ford GT supercar on the 50th anniversary of its historic win.