Ford Mustang GTD vs Porsche 911 GT3 RS: Can the Ultimate Pony Car Take Down the Track King?
The Ford Mustang GTD was designed to hang with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the ultimate pony car seemingly hits that mark.
For quite some time now, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS has been considered the king of the track, a pure, high-revving, naturally-aspirated tool that uses next-level engineering and aero to set the standard in terms of lap times. Ford CEO Jim Farley has famously expressed his passion for Porsche on multiple occasions in the past, clearly impressed by what the brand has managed to do in terms of setting the performance standard for a very long time now. That’s at least part of the reason why the Ford Mustang GTD exists, and this time, The Blue Oval may have created something just as special as the 911 GT3 RS in every regard.
It was only a matter of time before someone was able to get their hands on both a Ford Mustang GTD and Porsche 911 GT3 RS for a proper comparison, and that’s exactly what happened recently with Car and Driver. This particular comparison didn’t take place on a track, however – C&D promises that’s coming soon via its Lightning Lap test – but it did spend a considerable amount of time with both on the street.
In terms of motivation, the latest 911 GT3 RS utilizes the familiar naturally-aspirated, 4.0-liter flat-six that produces a modest – by today’s standards – 518 horsepower, coupled with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox. However, it’s pretty light at just over 3,200 pounds (1,200 fewer than the GTD), and more than makes up for its output with suspension and aero wizardry. On the other hand, the Ford Mustang GTD gets the same sort of tricks, paired with the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 churning out 815 horsepower with an eight-speed dual-clutch.
As far as what both of these track-focused weapons are like to drive on the street, well, the answer isn’t too surprising. The one-piece carbon-fiber bucket seat in the Porsche was so uncomfortable it left testers’ backs aching, and the pony car’s Recaros weren’t much better. Both are obviously not designed for the daily commute, but C&D notes that the “GTD is hands down more comfortable for the drive to or from the track,” for those that were wondering.
In terms of straight-line performance, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS ripped off a 2.7-second 0-60 run, which was 0.1 seconds quicker than the GTD – though the Mustang recorded a 10.6-second quarter-mile time, 0.3 seconds quicker than the Porsche. Things are quite close on the skidpad and in braking tests as well, with the Ford Mustang GTD recording 1.17 g compared to 1.16 g, and a 132-foot stop from 70 mph, versus 133 feet.
Overall, it’s incredibly impressive that Ford managed to take its humble Mustang and transform it into a machine that can run toe-to-toe with an established entity like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. This is particularly true given the fact that the GTD is far heavier than its rival, even if it ultimately came up just a bit shy in this particular comparison. Some of this can be attributed to cost, however – the GTD starts out at a whopping $325k, compared to the Porsche’s MSRP of $250k – though here, the as-tested prices tallied a closer $314k for the 911 and $340k for the Mustang.
“That the 911 GT3 RS handling and engine are transcendent is little surprise, considering Porsche has been honing this concept for decades,” C&D concluded. “For Ford to create something as awesome, capable, and tractable as the Mustang GTD from whole cloth on its first try is undoubtedly the greater accomplishment. It was close, but if we could have only one of these cars, it would be the 911. The Porsche is utterly engrossing, a more visceral and sensory experience, alive with the feedback and mechanical magic that make us lust for cars like these.”
Photos: Ford, Porsche
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