Mustang GT-R Concept Car
NEW YORK, April 7, 2004 ¨C The muscular Ford Mustang GT-R rekindles the legend¡¯s road racing glory and the magic of 5.0-liter Mustangs in a stunning racing concept making its world debut today. The Mustang GT-R signals a potential future race car, while honoring four decades of performance glory just days before Mustang¡¯s 40th anniversary.
The bright Valencia Orange car ¨C inspired by the famous Grabber
Orange 1970 Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am race cars (the Yellow Mustangs)
piloted by race legends, including Parnelli Jones ¨C is a
technological showcase that, when peeled back, reveals a number of
existing or production-feasible racing parts.
Built at Saleen Special Vehicles in Troy, Mich., the car was
developed by the same members of the Ford GT "Dream Team" who are
building sub-assemblies and painting body panels for Ford¡¯s first
supercar.
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 racecar is engineered to tackle the world¡¯s toughest road and
street courses with a stiff structure ¨C based on the all-new 2005
Mustang scheduled for sale this fall ¨C a collection of the most
sophisticated racing parts from many racing series and a Formula
One-inspired steering wheel. However, the Mustang GT-R could be easily
transformed into an affordable, competitive option for grassroots teams
because it uses 85 percent of the 2005 Mustang¡¯s body components
along with the same suspension setups and the already-attainable
"Cammer" powerplant.
"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.
Design
Doug Gaffka¡¯s ¨C design director, Ford Performance Group ¨C design inspiration for the Mustang GT-R was simple: Flex the 2005 Mustang shell to wrap the engine and retain 85 percent of the production car¡¯s solid structure.
The front end is a further evolution of the Mustang GT coupe and convertible concepts that stole the 2003 North American International Auto Show and foreshadowed the design of the 2005 Mustang. The Mustang GT-R features the classic pony in the grille, surrounded by modern materials like carbon fiber as well as advanced aerodynamic treatments like ground-hugging front and side splitters.
Doug Gaffka¡¯s ¨C design director, Ford Performance Group ¨C design inspiration for the Mustang GT-R was simple: Flex the 2005 Mustang shell to wrap the engine and retain 85 percent of the production car¡¯s solid structure.
The front end is a further evolution of the Mustang GT coupe and convertible concepts that stole the 2003 North American International Auto Show and foreshadowed the design of the 2005 Mustang. The Mustang GT-R features the classic pony in the grille, surrounded by modern materials like carbon fiber as well as advanced aerodynamic treatments like ground-hugging front and side splitters.
The classic Mustang rear quarter windows are blocked out to accommodate the fuel delivery "dry-brake" system on the driver¡¯s side. The doors are fully functional as required by many of the possible racing classes.
Probably the most striking design element, the prominent composite rear spoiler meets several road racing sanctioning body rules. The rear fascia, like the front, is a further expression of the GT concept design, with a wider taillamp execution. Endurance racers will instantly recognize the differential cooler mounted with an aluminum grille screen between the taillamps.
The Mustang GT-R¡¯s body retains 85 percent of the production car¡¯s body components that were stiffened by 30 percent as part of the Mustang¡¯s first full makeover ever. The only modifications include rear-mounted battery pods and a fuel cell relocated to the rear trunk.