The first Mustang GTD aspires to negotiate the 73 turns of the Nürburgring in less than seven minutes, thanks to active aero technology never before used in a Ford street-legal car or a non-legal 3GT race car.
At the core of the Mustang GTD’s aerodynamic performance is drag reduction technology, which uses a hydraulic system that can change the angle of the rear wing and activate the flaps under the front of the car to find the perfect balance between airflow to increase speed and downforce to enhance road stability, depending on driving conditions.
Mustang GTD chief program engineer, Greg Goodall, said: “Every surface and vent in the Mustang GTD’s chassis and underbody is working effectively. Some of the air is directed for cooling and some to enhance aerodynamics and downforce, all to help the GTD go faster and grip the road no matter what. “It was the circumstances.”
When the Mustang GTD encounters sharp turns and grip becomes more important than speed, the drag reduction system closes the main wing and flaps to create a compact wing and generate additional downforce at the rear of the car, helping the GTD negotiate corners at a higher speed without losing control. Meanwhile, the front lower section is designed in the form of a beam that helps exhaust air entering through the front wheel chambers and large fender vents to create a low-pressure area that acts as an air intake source and helps keep the front of the car stable in corners.
Goodall added: “We always control the center of air pressure in the car, so that the front and rear balance can be maintained. The ability to do this is not allowed in racing, where the systems do not allow the air flow to be managed continuously.”
Under normal road driving conditions, the vehicle’s chassis allows it to negotiate various obstacles, such as speed bumps, and when maximum performance is required on the track, the Mustang GTD’s suspension system can lower the chassis by 40 millimeters, which helps improve airflow over and around the chassis.
The Mustang GTD team continues to improve the aerodynamics of the high-speed car by simulating virtual airflow in powerful computers for thousands of hours, in addition to testing it on numerous tracks around the world, from the famous Atlanta Road in the United States to the Spa track in Belgium.
Goodall concluded by saying: “Ford drivers at Le Mans will certainly want to have the technology that the Mustang GTD possesses on the track or on the streets.”
