Laguna Seca debut for Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon
Need even more carbon fibre than a GTD Carbon Series? Boy, has Ford the Mustang for you
Ford is certainly embracing the customisation theme when it comes to the mind-blowing new Mustang GTD. A little like the old GT supercar in fact, it seems that almost every GTD is going to be unique. Even before any customer deliveries, we’ve had confirmation of a Performance Pack, a Carbon Series option, plus the Spirit of America edition. Now there’s this: the Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon, a car that ‘skips a trip to the paint booth to amp up aerodynamic, race-derived style while sacrificing none of the extreme on-track performance.’
It’s very much as might be expected for a car called the Liquid Carbon, with exposed composite everywhere as if it’s some kind of crazy custom build rather than a production model from Ford. There really isn’t a speck of paint on it anywhere, either, which is pretty astonishing. In addition to the usual array of carbon parts on a Carbon Series GTD - bonnet, roof, rear deck, rear wing - the wings and side panels also join in the fun, the weave all neatly lined up for ‘a cohesive pattern in the carbon fibre bodywork’. It all makes for one incredible Mustang to look at, like some kind of one-off movie commission. But people really will be able to buy it, presumably for many hundreds of thousands of dollars, with first deliveries in the US due in a couple of months.
There’s a small weight benefit to the Liquid Carbon, too; ditching paint and replacing the metal in the doors with bonded carbon saves ‘about 13 pounds’ - or a little less than six kilos. Not really enough to be of any consequence (and you’ll have to add some back for the PPF), but something to chat about with the owners’ club.
As with the Spirit of America, the Performance Pack is standard for the Liquid Carbon. Extras bits and bobs include black calipers and black GTD script, so as not to spoil the exterior aesthetic. Indeed, the only colour to be found on a GTD LC is inside, with Hyper Lime contrast stitching found on the wheels, seats, door panels, dash, and centre console.
“Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon is the ultimate expression of the Mustang GTD’s high-tech, high-performance construction and is a reminder of the race-derived, cutting-edge capability that sits beneath the surface of every Mustang GTD,” said Chief Program Engineer Greg Goodall. “Mustang GTD is a great-looking car and now it stands out even more with its striking exposed carbon body and functional aero elements.”
So, for now, the Mustang GTD line-up is complete; Ford says that with this one, the standard GTD, the Spirit of America, and the Carbon Series, ‘owners can have as much or as little exposed carbon fibre as they want.’ Very thoughtful of them. But with the Corvette having gazumped the Mustang’s Nürburgring time, we’d be very surprised if Ford is totally done with GTD variants yet.
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