Ford Mustang GT-R Concept: First Look

Based on the all-new 2005 'Stang that is set for release on American soil in the 3rd quarter of 2004, Ford's brash 5.0-litre GT-R is as much a race car as it is a celebration of the brand.

While GM may have borrowed its Australian operation's Holden Monaro as a base for its power-packed Pontiac GTO, Ford's classic cult car will be of a completely new design.

The eye-catching orange and black race car -- the livery of which was inspired by the famous 'Grabber Orange' 302-powered Trans-Am race cars of the early 1970s -- also honours four decades of automotive success as the Mustang celebrates its 40th anniversary.

While Ford will not conclusively say whether the new 5.0-litre V8-powered Mustang race car will be entered into official competition, the Blue Oval does acknowledge that "when peeled back, [the GT-R] reveals a number of existing or production-feasible racing parts."

Take what you will from that snippet, but regardless of whether the design study makes it to track and beyond, it has to be said that the next-generation GT-R is one very neat piece of work.

Outputting more than 300kW by employing a highly modified version of the marque's 4.6-litre 'Cammer' V8, the new GT-R is based on the Michigan-built 2005 model Mustang and was built by the same folks who came up with the Ford GT supercar.

Almost eight million Mustangs have rolled off FoMoCo's Dearborn assembly line, and Roman Krygier, the vice president of global manufacturing for Ford said: "Mustang can only come from Ford and that's why it still will be built in Detroit, the home of the muscle car." Take that Pontiac.

The GT-R is different to the new 2005 road going Mustang not only in powertrain terms, but also in relation to the chassis.

With a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, steering response and turn in get a big boost, and a stiffer body also helps in these areas while at the same time increasing crashworthiness.

The GT-R was initially stripped down to its shell and was strengthened via structural improvements and reinforcements including a roll cage and a Sparco racing seat complete with a five-point safety harness.

Ford reckons the suspension geometry of the factory model 2005 Mustang has been largely retained for the GT-R, but that key components have been substituted in order to reduce weight and increase reliability for the rigors of racing.

More durable race-proven dampers are coil-over fully-adjustable units and feature remote reservoirs, while a strut tower brace helps increase structural rigidity.

The bold new GT-R also gets plenty of aero aids to increase downforce and grip at high speed, including a massive rear wing, a rear splitter, a front spoiler with large air dam and even carbon fibre belly pans that reduce the racecar's underbody air turbulence.

Sitting underneath the GT-R's bulging carbon fibre bonnet is a 328kW (440bhp) 5.0-litre V8, built using componentry from Ford Racing Performance Parts.

The high-revving V8 mill is based is on the 'MOD' 4.6-litre 32-valve V8 engine family, and the motor's flanged cylinder liners provide larger cylinder bores (94mm instead of 90.2mm) creating 5.0-litres of displacement.

Major differences to the standard 4.6-litre powerplant include higher-lift camshafts, forged pistons, ported heads, beehive-shaped valve springs and a higher 11.0:1 compression ratio.

The V8 engine also gets higher-flow fuel injectors and a magnesium variable-geometry intake manifold, plus custom fabricated Tri-Y headers make the cut.

Feeding almost 330kW of power to the rear wheels is a custom composite aluminium driveshaft that combines with a 6-speed Ford Racing-supplied T-56 transmission, which is hooked up to the engine via a heavy duty clutch and flywheel assembly.

As far as the look goes, the new GT-R is quite the head-turner and, apart from the distinctive black and orange paint job, differences over the standard 2005 model Mustang include the covered rear quarter windows (blocked out to accommodate the fuel delivery system) and the chunky side exhaust pipes.

The rear end gets a wider brake light design, while the differential cooler mounted between the brake lights (behind a an aluminium grille) will be instantly recognisable to endurance racing fans.

Rounding out the low-slung racecar's image are 20-inch five spoke alloy rims shod with 275/35 profile tyres up front and 305/30 rubber at the rear.

Sitting inside the GT-R's wheels - or should that be rubber coated barrels? - are 363mm discs up front, clasped by heavy duty six-pot calipers, with 330mm discs and four-piston calipers making up the rear brakes.

The tuned and tweaked Mustang GT-R also gets a carbon fibre riddled interior, and there's even a Formula One-style steering wheel that has almost all vehicle controls and gauges displayed on its digital readouts, including the tachometer, gear selections, telemetry and warning signals, while the only gauges located on the instrument panel are for oil pressure and water temperature.

"Most racers cobble together interiors," said Doug Gaffka – the design director for the Ford Performance Group.

"The Formula One-style steering wheel significantly reduces dash gauges to help preserve Mustang's powerful instrument panel, which is the next evolution of our interior design leadership.

"The Mustang GT-R could be adapted to conform to different series and budgets but, in this variation, it serves as a dream machine. We took the ‘Cammer’ engine from the Ford Racing catalogue and built a race car around it with the best parts we’ve researched and tested through our unmatched global racing program."

Though conceptual in spirit, the Mustang GT-R is an extremely striking vehicle, and with the 2005 model's new look harking back to the mid-60s 'Fastback' days, it certainly lends the race car a nostalgic air, and could hint at future modifications for road-going use as well.

Ford's global vice president of design, J. Mays, said "The Mustang GT-R blends today's breathtaking design, Ford Racing's unmatched history and the most advanced racing technology into the ultimate Mustang.

"Mustang's legendary image grew with every checkered flag so we think the Mustang GT-R is an appropriate tribute to the car’s 40th anniversary, and a hint at what’s to come." The GT-R will make its world debut at the 2004 New York International Motor Show on April 7th.

The standard 2005 Ford Mustang is due to arrive in the 3rd quarter of 2004, and will be offered with two engines - a 300 horsepower (224kW) 4.6-litre V8 and a 149kW (202bhp) 4.0-litre V6, with the bent six expected to be offered for under $US20,000, or roughly $26,500 in Australian currency.