A stunning new motorsport hero may assist save the petrol-powered Ford Mustang from extinction.

The most recent racing model of the Mustang, referred to as the GT3, is being readied to race throughout the globe in a program that will probably be focussed on the Le Mans 24-Hour race in 2024.

The Mustang GT3 may even compete in Australia from 2025, in a program completely separate from the Blue Oval model’s involvement in Supercars racing.

The important thing to the GT3 program is that, as a substitute of costing Ford cash from its advertising and marketing finances, it is going to turn into a revenue centre.

Tons of of Mustang GT3 racers will probably be constructed over the lifetime of the mannequin, all of them offered to personal groups, and the halo impact may very well be much like the racing connection that has saved the Porsche 911 alive and thriving.

Porsche is without doubt one of the most profitable manufacturers in GT3 racing, however the road-based racers additionally embody automobiles from Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini and McLaren.

“This actually does take Mustang international. It’s telling the world our dedication, as we’re pursuing all these cool electrical autos that are essential for us as an organization and for the world, there’s nonetheless additionally a spot for inner combustion engines and sports activities coupes,” the worldwide head of Ford Efficiency, Mark Rushbrook, advised CarExpert.

“Having the seventh-generation Mustang in racing offers us a pleasant lengthy runway on the street automobile. It offers us that very same lengthy runway with race automobiles as properly.

“GT3 (racing) is a world class. It’s in Europe and South-East Asia and the ’states.”

Mr Rushbrook attracts a direct connection between racing the Mustang and preserving the mannequin alive, even because the Mustang Mach-E begins the push for a variety of battery-electric fashions that may very well be offered underneath the Mustang sub-brand.

“It is vital, as we provide a full ladder of Mustang street automobiles, to supply the identical full ladder of Mustang race automobiles,” he mentioned.

“And to have that chance to inform the story of street coupes that race.

“So folks will nonetheless have Mustangs on the street and so they’ll be capable to go to the racetrack and see them race, or race themselves. There’s lots of people that need to do this.”

The primary Ford Mustang to compete with the seventh-generation bodywork, coming to Australian showrooms quickly, was the Supercars racer that now goes head-to-head with the competitors model of the Chevrolet Camaro.

However these are custom-built race automobiles with silhouette bodywork to reflect the Ford and Chevrolet street automobiles.

The Mustang GT3 has a way more radical look, however is constructed from the fundamentals of the street automobile with its Coyote V8 engine.

The identical will probably be true of the Mustang GT4 – which could have fewer modifications – that may comply with the GT3 racer.

“The race automobile begins as a body-in-white just like the manufacturing automobile. There are clearly modifications … to be able to get the precise construction and optimised suspension,” he mentioned.

Mr Rushbrook mentioned the Mustang GT3 is much extra radical than the Supercars contender, and describes it because the most-advanced Mustang but.

“Completely. By an element. I’m simply it, in comparison with a Supercar, and it’s from a distinct planet,” he mentioned.

Mr Rushbrook can’t get into the monetary particulars of the Mustang GT3, both the worth or the variety of automobiles that will probably be inbuilt a partnership with British firms Multimatic (our bodies) or M-Sport (engines), however he’s bullish about this system.

“We’ve plenty of curiosity. There are folks in Australia. And in addition for the Mustang GT4,” he mentioned.

“There’s plenty of curiosity around the globe for these automobiles. Once we first mentioned we have been going to do that, which was January of 2022 – and in addition with the Darkish Horse (mannequin) thrown in – there may be plenty of curiosity.”

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