What Ford has accomplished with the Mustang GTD is remarkable. Long viewed as a straight-line muscle car built for wide American roads, the Mustang has now pushed its way into true supercar territory. With 815 horsepower, a price north of $325,000, and performance that rivals Ford’s own legendary GT models, the GTD represents a dramatic shift for the nameplate.
To prove the point, Hagerty staged a head-to-head showdown between the all-new Mustang GTD, the 2020 Ford GT, and the original 2005 Ford GT—three generations of Ford performance colliding on the drag strip.
The Mustang GTD packs a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 that delivers immense power, and despite weighing close to 1,950 kg, it proved capable of running door-to-door with the much lighter Ford GTs. The 2020 GT, nearly 450 kg lighter, produces 660 hp from a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, while the 2005 GT’s supercharged 5.4-liter V8 makes 650 hp, though its older tire technology shows its age.
From a standing quarter-mile, the Mustang GTD recorded a stunning 10.8 seconds at 132 mph, narrowly beating the 2020 GT and comfortably ahead of the 2005 car. Rolling races told a similar story, with the GTD again on top, while the older GT edged the newer one, likely thanks to instant supercharged response versus turbo lag.
