Ford Mustang GTD is the FASTEST American car around the Nurburgring

The Ford Mustang GTD – Ford’s track-focused ‘Super’ Mustang – is the fastest US car around the Nurburgring with a time of 6:57:66.

The received wisdom is that American cars don’t appeal to UK and European petrolheads because, although some are quick in a straight line, they all fall apart when you get to the twisty stuff.

Of course, there have been exceptions to the rules even as far back as the Ford GT40, and last year the Ford Mustang GTD was revealed as a track-focussed Mustang on which Ford’s Jim Farley said at its launch, “I want to see Porsche, I want to see Aston Martin, I want to see Mercedes sweat.”

With over 800bhp going to the rear wheels through an eight-speed transaxle box, active titanium exhaust, hydraulically controlled front flaps, an active rear wing and 20? wheels covering ceramic brakes, the GTD is effectively a road-legal version of Ford’s Mustang GT3 and, on paper, looked likely to fulfil Jim Farley’s hopes.

Now, Farley’s wish has come true as the Mustang GTD hits the Nurburging and manages to post a sub-seven minute time – 6:57:66 – the first American car to lap so quickly.

Despite the new record for the GTD, Farley reckons there’s more to come, saying:

The team behind Mustang GTD took what we’ve learned from decades on the track and engineered a Mustang that can compete with the world’s best supercars. We’re proud to be the first American automaker with a car that can lap the Nürburgring in under seven minutes, but we aren’t satisfied. We know there’s much more time to find with Mustang GTD. We’ll be back.