Ford’s $1.7 Million Car Just Set an American Speed Record

Tucked in the middle of Germany’s Eifel mountains is a ribbon of asphalt that is the center of the sports car universe.The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a 12.9-mile racing circuit with 1,000 feet of elevation change and more than 150 corners by some counts. It twists and turns so much that the exact number of curves is a matter of debate.The Nürburgring complex originally opened in 1927 as a competition and test venue meant to emulate cross-country road racing. Once stretching 17.5 miles, it has been redesigned several times over the past century to address safety concerns, but with limited success.Formula 1 stopped racing on the Nordschleife following an infamous event in 1976, when reigning world champion Niki Lauda crashed and was critically burned, and at least 70 have died in competitions, but lower racing classes continue to use the treacherous track known as “The Green Hell.”The Ford Mustang GTD Competition set a new Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for street-legal American cars. FordProfessional drivers aren’t the only ones who take on the challenge. The circuit is treated as a one-way, unrestricted toll road and open to the public on many days throughout the year. It is a bucket list destination for car enthusiasts and is often used by automakers to develop new vehicles.A lap of the “Ring” is considered the benchmark for performance cars, and America’s automakers regularly make the trip to prove the mettle of their latest models. Ford and Chevrolet, in particular, have been locked in a battle for bragging rights over the past few years with the top versions of the Mustang and Corvette.The 815-horsepower Mustang GTD started things off by becoming the first American car to break the seven-minute lap barrier with a best time of 6:52, which was later eclipsed by the 1,250-horsepower Corvette ZR1X’s 6:49. After hearing about Chevrolet’s achievement, Ford CEO Jim Farley congratulated his rival on social media, adding “game on!” It wasn’t an empty gesture.Ford returned to the Nordschleife this spring with a new Mustang GTD Competition model that features improved horsepower and aerodynamics, and it did a 6:40 lap with Ford Racing driver Dirk Müller behind the wheel. Mr. Müller is something of a ringer, as the German driver is very familiar with the circuit and a past winner of the prestigious Nürburgring 24 Hours race.The Ford GT Mk IV is the third-fastest car to ever lap Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife race track. FodThe Mustang GTD Competition’s mark is the sixth fastest of all-time and second among cars designed to street legal specifications. Chevrolet hasn’t said if it plans to try to beat it, but if it does, there’s an even faster Ford that may be out of reach.The Ford GT is a mid-engine supercar that first went on sale in 2027 for $450,000. Its production run is wrapping up this year, but Ford designed a very special version to cap things off.The $1.7 million GT Mk IV is essentially a racecar built without any series rules to adhere to. It is what is known as a “track day car” and not meant for competition, but for driving flat out on closed circuits, purely for the fun of it.Ford replaced the street GT’s interior with a racing-style cockpit, reengineered the suspension without regard to comfort, boosted the power of its turbocharged V6 from 660 horsepower to more than 800 horsepower and redesigned the bodywork and wing to generate far more aerodynamic downforce than the lightweight car weighs.Ford equipped the GT Mk IV with racecar-style equipment to optimize its track performance. FordFord handed it over to Frédéric Vervisch, a two-time Nürburgring 24 Hours winner, and he piloted it around the track in a blistering 6:15.977. That is the third-best time in history, behind two prototypes that were built specifically to set records and are not offered for sale. It is also the fastest of any American car and the fastest car powered only by an internal combustion engine, as the two ahead of it on the list used electric and hybrid powertrians.“Driving the Ford GT Mk IV at the Nürburgring is an experience unlike any other,” Mr. Frédéric wrote of the experience. “The car is an absolute weapon, a true extension of your will. Every input is met with an immediate, precise response.”Ford is building a total of 67 GT Mk IVs as a tip of the hat to its classic 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning GT40 Mk IV, and it still has a few left for purchase. If you are interested, you might want to get one while they’re hot, before Chevrolet has a chance to pour cold water on it.

Ford’s $1.7 Million Car Just Set an American Speed Record

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