Watch The Ford Mustang GTD Smash Its Own ’Ring Lap By 5.6 Seconds

Look, it’s Tuesday, perhaps the least exciting of all the days of the week, and if you’re in the UK, you’re likely back at work after a long Bank Holiday weekend. You probably need cheering up.

What better way to do that than watching, and listening to, the Ford Mustang GTD chipping 5.6 seconds off its previous Nürburgring Nordschleife lap, neatly slotting itself into the top 10 fastest cars around the fearsome circuit in the process? Ford has just released the on-board footage of the run which it announced last week, and as these ’Ring laps always are, it’s a mighty impressive watch – especially when soundtracked with a seriously angry V8.

The GTD’s previous 6:57.685 lap meant it was already the first American car to break the seven-minute barrier at the ’Ring, but the new time of 6:52.072 lands it as the eighth-fastest production car ever around the circuit.

More crucially for its track car cred, it comes in faster than several big hitters from Porsche – the old 991 GT3 RS, the facelifted 992 GT3 with a manual, and the pre-facelift version with a PDK. Oh, and something called the 918 Spyder, too.

 Once again, the GTD was piloted by Dirk Müller, whose day job involves racing the Mustang GT3 in the IMSA Sports Car Championship.

Given the box of tricks the GTD is packing, we really shouldn’t be surprised by its ’Ring success. Obviously, there’s the small matter of a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 with 815bhp, but that’s just one part in a play also featuring actors like a full carbon body, DRS-equipped active-aero and semi-active spool valve suspension.

We’ll have to wait and see if this is the end of the GTD’s Nürburgring exploits or if Ford reckons it could have even more to give, but it’s likely not the only American car with its eyes on a blistering time. Your move, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.