Ford Mustang GTD Competition Sets New Nürburgring Record

The high-performance Mustang variant laps the Green Hell in 6:40.835, cementing Ford's dominance of American Nürburgring records.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:35am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An abstract, blurred image of a Ford Mustang GTD Competition racing around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with vibrant streaks of color representing the car's incredible speed and power.The Ford Mustang GTD Competition's record-breaking Nürburgring lap showcases the car's incredible performance capabilities and engineering prowess.Fenton Today

The new Ford Mustang GTD Competition just set a new Nürburgring lap record of 6:40.835, shattering the previous benchmark by over 11 seconds and becoming the fastest American production car to ever lap the legendary circuit. Driven by Ford Racing and Multimatic factory driver Dirk Müller, the GTD Competition secured the sixth fastest time ever recorded in the Nürburgring Pre-Production and Prototype class, outpacing even some of the most extreme track-focused hypercars.

Why it matters

This achievement further solidifies Ford's position as the dominant American brand on the Nürburgring, with the Mustang GTD Competition and the Ford GT Mk IV now holding the two fastest Nürburgring lap times ever set by a U.S. automaker. No other American manufacturer has come close to this level of performance on the world's most demanding racetrack.

The details

To shave more than 11 seconds off its own previous record, Ford's engineering team focused on four key areas: more power from the supercharged 5.2L V8, advanced aerodynamics, increased grip from new high-performance tires, and significant weight reduction. The result is a Mustang that looks similar to the standard GTD but performs in an entirely different league.

  • On April 17, 2026, the Ford Mustang GTD Competition set a new Nürburgring lap record of 6:40.835.
  • Two weeks prior, the Ford GT Mk IV set a Nürburgring record of 6:15.977, the fastest time ever for an American production car.

The players

Ford Motor Company

The American automaker that developed the record-setting Mustang GTD Competition and Ford GT Mk IV.

Dirk Müller

A Ford Racing and Multimatic factory driver who piloted the Mustang GTD Competition to its new Nürburgring record.

Steve Thompson

A Ford Racing engineer who lapped the Nürburgring in the GTD Competition faster than the car's previous record, despite having fewer than 40 career laps on the circuit.

Lasco Ford

One of the select Ford dealers authorized to sell the Mustang GTD and GTD Competition models in the United States.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“After becoming the first car from an American brand to break the 7-minute barrier, the Mustang GTD shattered its own record with a new 6:40.835 lap time.”

— Ford Motor Company

“Ford Racing engineer Steve Thompson piloted the GTD Competition to 6:49.337 — faster than the original GTD record — with fewer than 40 career laps at the Nürburgring.”

— Ford Motor Company

What’s next

Ford is reopening the application window for North American customers who want the opportunity to purchase the limited-edition Mustang GTD Competition. With under 2,000 original Mustang GTDs expected to be built and the Competition being an even more exclusive derivative, allocation will be extraordinarily tight.

The takeaway

This record-breaking performance from the Mustang GTD Competition solidifies Ford's dominance of American Nürburgring records, with the company now holding the two fastest lap times ever set by a U.S. automaker. The car's engineering upgrades have made it not just the fastest American production car around the Green Hell, but one of the quickest track-focused vehicles in the world.