First look: Mustang's racey GT-R concept

ON the eve of the series’ 40th anniversary, Ford in America is milking its Mustang nostalgia cow with the be-winged GT-R concept at this week’s New York auto show, which may yield future race car specials.

Inspired by the 1970 Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am race cars, the GT-R is based on the new generation Mustang due for a US launch in September, and is powered by a 328kW (440bhp) "Cammer" 5.0-litre V8 mated to a TTC T-56 six-speed manual gearbox.

Aimed at grassroots racing teams, the GT-R uses "sophisticated racing parts", according to Ford, and has 85 per cent body parts commonality with the production Mustang.

But while the GT-R shares its basic drivetrain set-up, it features significantly altered suspension components, a heavy-duty clutch, custom metal matrix composite aluminium driveshaft, race-spec differential with a 4.56:1 final drive ratio, big Brembo racing brakes enclosed in 20-inch wheels and carbon-fibre belly pans for better underbody air flow.