April 6, 2004

New York auto show
Ford shows Mustang GT-R racing concept

New York, New York - Ford took the wraps off a Ford Mustang GT-R race-car concept at the New York auto show that the company says is a "potential future race car."

"The Mustang GT-R blends today's breathtaking design, Ford Racing's unmatched history and the most advanced racing technology into the ultimate Mustang," says J Mays, Ford group vice president, design. "Mustang's iconic image grew with every checkered flag so we think the Mustang GT-R is an appropriate tribute to the car's 40th anniversary, and a hint at what's to come."

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The bright Valencia Orange car - inspired by the famous Grabber Orange 1970 Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am race cars (the Yellow Mustangs) piloted by race legends, including Parnelli Jones - is a technological showcase that, when peeled back, reveals a number of existing or production-feasible racing parts.

The Mustang GT-R features Ford Racing's 440-horsepower "Cammer" crate engine that already is affordably available to grassroots racers, and can be tuned to produce more than 500 horsepower under certain race series rules. Last year, a tuned 505-horsepower version of the "Cammer" notched world-class performance and endurance credentials by powering a Focus Daytona Prototype to victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona race.

"The GT-R is the Mustang racers would build if they weren't bound by various road racing rules," says Dan Davis. "We were fortunate to start with a rigid, well-balanced production Mustang that was proven on the track by some of the same people who, in previous jobs, helped Ford Racing win on Sundays.

"The Mustang GT-R could be adapted to conform to different series and budgets but, in this variation, serves as a dream machine. We took the ‘Cammer' engine from the Ford Racing catalog and built a race car around it with the best parts we've researched and tested through our unmatched global racing program," Davis says.

While conceptual in spirit, the Mustang GT-R is built by racers and is a capable performer with an eye on stepping up Mustang's road-racing presence. Several racing series - American LeMans, SCCA Trans-Am, GrandAm Cup and the FIA - could easily accommodate the Mustang GT-R. For example, the car could meet some series rules with basic modifications to the brakes, wheels, tires and body parts.

The Mustang GT-R also hints at a turnkey grassroots-racing package that could be retailed through Ford Racing's parts' catalog and distribution network.

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