Is the Ford Mustang GTD Spirit of America the most extreme Mustang ever?
The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD was already a monster, but now a special edition pony car proves that American muscle goes hand-in-hand with the American spirit.
There’s no vehicle moniker more synonymous with performance than the Ford Mustang. The original pony car debuted in April 1964 and was an immediate success, with more than 260,000 models sold in its first year. In its latest special edition, which Ford covered in a press release, the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD Spirit of America honors the American ingenuity that has continued to push the limits of performance in the 60 years since the Mustang launched.
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The Mustang GTD Spirit of America is inspired by land speed record vehicles
Debuting at the 2025 Detroit Auto Show, the Ford Mustang GTD Spirit of America borrows its name from the jet-powered vehicles designed by racing legend Craig Breedlove that broke several land speed records.
To truly take performance to new heights, Breedlove bought a jet engine from a Korean War fighter plane and attached it to a specially designed car. With the jet engine at the rear, Breedlove went on to break the 500- and 600-mph land speed records.
“Mustang GTD is the pinnacle of Mustang performance. Mustang GTD Spirit of America celebrates the daring behind that performance,” said Jim Owens, Mustang GTD Brand Manager. “Mustang GTD wouldn't have been possible without people like Craig Breedlove, pushing the edge of the envelope and challenging the Goliaths of the day in an all-American way.”
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The Spirit of America comes with several design changes
A quick glance at the Mustang GTD Spirit of America makes it clear performance is at the forefront of the muscle car’s design. Exposed carbon fiber comes standard and is prevalent in the front splitter, rear diffuser, and spoiler.
The special edition Mustang features a body with a Performance White finish and twin racing stripes in Race Red and Lightning Blue. The racing stripes are a nod to both the 1964 Mustang’s red, white, and blue tribar and the overalls Breedlove wore when he broke the land speed barriers.
The rear spoiler features end plates in a Race Red finish and “MUSTANG” written on the underside. Race Red brake calipers come standard, and owners can choose between Race Red or carbon fiber mirror caps. The Mustang GTD Performance Package is also standard and includes active aerodynamic elements that reduce drag without sacrificing grip when cornering.
Inside, Ford added an all-glass cockpit and black leather-trimmed seats with Dinamica inserts. A Race Red stripe slides down the middle of the seat, while Victory Blue stitching provides noticeable contrast.
The 2025 Mustang GTD Spirit of America boasts over 800 horsepower
The Spirit of America Edition’s performance comes from the same engine that powers the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD. This absolute monster of a muscle car comes with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine that produces 815 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. Ford claims the standard GTD has a top speed of 202 mph, a new high score for a street-legal Mustang.
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Ford hasn’t released any details regarding production numbers, but it’s likely the Spirit of America special edition will be available in limited quantities. After all, the standard Mustang GTD is already a fairly exclusive model, with a limited production run of just 1,000 models. On top of the limited quantity, Ford won’t sell the GTD to just anyone, instead asking interested parties to submit an application and hope they’re selected.
Ford hasn’t named a price for the special edition Mustang just yet either, but a price tag north of $300,000 wouldn’t be unexpected.
Final thoughts
When Ford creates a special edition for the Mustang, they typically go all out, and the Spirit of America shows that the engineers aren’t holding anything back. As a model truly designed to push boundaries, the Mustang GTD Spirit of America takes performance and style to new heights. With the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger now discontinued, one could even say that this is Ford’s victory lap.
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