Listen to its Supercharged V-8

The GTD won’t be the only supercharged S650-generation Ford Mustang. Ford is also working on something else as a follow-up to the 2020-2022 GT500, and it sounds mean. Spy video from Ford Authority shows what looks to be a near-production-ready GT500 prowling around Metro Detroit, with its supercharged V-8 burbling away through a variety of exhaust setups.

There’s a test car with four rectangular-shaped exhaust pipes, another with four traditional round tailpipes, and one with just two pipes. Ford seems to be running all of these in an exhaust setting that mutes the engine somewhat, but the distinctive V-8 note comes through regardless. You can also hear the car shifting quickly.

We expect that this car will use a dual-clutch transmission of some sort. The old GT500 used a seven-speed DCT, while the new GTD uses a rear-mounted eight-speed transaxle. Both come from Tremec and are similar to the unit used in the C8 Corvette.

While you can’t hear any supercharger whine here, that was true of the last GT500. So, it’s reasonable to assume that this car will have the 5.2-liter “Predator” V-8 used in the old GT500 and in the GTD. In the GT500, this engine made 765 horsepower, while the GTD ups it to 815 hp thanks to a smaller pulley and revised intake and exhaust. We’re not sure what this new car’s output will be, but it’s reasonable to expect it to fall between the two. 

Interestingly, Ford Authority reported last year that Ford might not use the Shelby GT500 name for this car. Ford said previously that it created the Dark Horse name for the current top-trim naturally aspirated Mustang to appeal to a younger audience, so perhaps it’s moving away from older names like Shelby, Boss, Mach 1, etc. We’ll have to wait to find out.

Camouflage obscures a lot of the pertinent details of this new car, but it doesn’t look too different from a standard Mustang model. That said, it looks like the fenders are flared out to accommodate the wide tires that have become a modern hi-po Mustang hallmark. We also see some of these cars wearing Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, while others have Pirelli P-Zero Rs. Both ultra-sticky and ready for track work. 

Given that Ford is testing cars that look very close to production-ready, we shouldn’t have to wait long for this car, whatever it’s called, to make its debut. And we know it’ll sound great.