Mustang GTD Spirit of America is a Love Letter to Speed

Ford just introduced the Mustang GTD Spirit of America, a special edition version of an already special Mustang.

Designed to commemorate the Mustang's long list of achievements—from the car’s inaugural win in the 1964 Tour de France, all the way through to becoming the first American car to lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes a few weeks ago.

Ford says the project is as much a celebration of the Mustang's 60th birthday as it is a callout to America's spirit of innovation and ingenuity.

Changes to the 2025 Mustang GTD Spirit of America are mostly cosmetic. The exterior draws from the Mustang's tribar logo, with thin, twin Race Red and Lightning Blue racing stripes over the car's Performance White paint,

Like "regular" versions of the Mustang GTD, Spirit of America cars also rock exposed carbon-fiber elements, including the front splitter, rear diffuser, and spoiler. The spoiler features Race Red end plates and a bright “MUSTANG” wordmark underneath, for a touch of race car. The giant Brembo brake calipers and carbon-fiber mirror caps are also painted Race Red.

Inside, the cabin was given leather-trimmed seats with Dinamica inserts, finished in Black Onyx with a Race Red gradient stripe and Victory Blue contrast stitching. For the real anoraks, the paddle shifters, shift rings, and IP badge are available in 3D-printed titanium.

Spirit of America cars come standard with Ford’s Mustang GTD Performance Package which includes a larger splitter and front aero treatment, along with a drag reduction system employed by the rear wing—including underbody flaps. There's also less sound-deadening material in the cabin and 20-inch magnesium wheels.

Under the hood, the 5.2-liter V8 still makes 815 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, is still hooked to an 8-speed DCT transaxle, and still propels the car to a top speed of 202 mph.

During the announcement, Ford honored Craig Breedlove, a former structural engineering technician from the aerospace industry, who purchased a $500 jet engine from a Korean War fighter plane 60 years ago and became the first person to break both the 500- and 600-mile-per-hour barriers on land.

Breedlove's groundbreaking achievements in a sport traditionally dominated by European aristocrats and playboys served as a beacon of inspiration for generations of American designers, engineers, and innovators—including members of the Mustang GTD program.

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