The Ford Mustang GTD Competition, a modified variant of the Blue Oval brand’s ultimate pony car, beat the Chevy Corvette ZR1X’s lap time around the Nürburgring. This is the second time so far this year that Ford has officially beaten GM at the Green Hell, and it was expected to happen after a specially prepared GTD was spotted circling the circuit.
Last month, Ford recorded a lap time of 6:15.977 in the 2023 Ford GT Mark IV, claiming the title of fastest American car around the ‘Ring and solidly beating the ZR1X’s lap record of 6:49.275 announced in July 2025. Not a surprising result, considering the GT Mark IV was a track-only race car, of which 67 were produced, and each cost around $1.7 million new. GM’s crosstown rivals also say it’s the fastest Nürburgring-capable American car you can buy. Oh, Come on.
This time the fight was more serious. The Ford Mustang GTD Competition, driven by Ford Racing and Multimatic factory driver Dirk Müller, recorded a lap time of 6:40.835 and beat the Chevy Corvette ZR1X by more than 8 seconds. To achieve this, engineers applied hardware and tuning updates to the GTD’s 5.2L supercharged V8 engine, claiming increased output compared to the regular Mustang GTD’s 815 horsepower. Ford didn’t say how much power the Competition variant boasts.
The Mustang GTD Competition also gets a modified rear wing, more dive planes up front, and a carbon fiber aero disc in the rear for increased downforce. According to Ford, this is done without disrupting the car’s efficiency or aero balance. Weight is further reduced by installing magnesium wheels wrapped in gripper high-performance tires, carbon bucket seats and lighter dampers, among other things.
“The Mustang GTD Competition is more than just a world-class supercar,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley. “This is a manifestation of our team using all its experience to get every detail just right. They were excellent, and their 6:40.8 time proved it to the world.”
By comparison, Ford Racing engineer Steve Thompson, who appears to have little experience on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, recorded a lap time of 6:49.337 in the Mustang GTD Competition – less than a tenth of a second behind the Corvette ZR1X. If it’s any consolation to GM, it suggests that with a few tweaks, a professional driver behind the wheel, not an engineer, and a multimillion-dollar team-building trip to Germany, the 1,250-horsepower Corvette might have a chance to beat the GTD again. It all depends on how much untapped potential the ZR1X has left.
There is one caveat here. The Mustang GTD Competition is not a production car, so it is not for sale. At least not yet. That means the Corvette ZR1X remains the fastest American car at the Nürburgring you can get actually buy from the showroom floor. With dealer markup of course.
Today is the 62nd Ford MustangAnd birthday, and to celebrate both milestones, the automaker is opening a new application for prospective buyers of the Mustang GTD – the regular GTD, not the record-breaking Competition. Prices should start at around $325,000, according to Ford’s website.
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