Constant improvement and innovation is the heart of what drives Ford as an automaker. It’s how classic performance vehicles like the Mustang have stayed relevant for decades, riding the cutting edge of newly available technology. The Mustang GTD has done this yet again with a groundbreaking Drag Reduction system. This sophisticated active aerodynamic technology is illegal for GT3-class race cars and has never been seen before on street legal Fords.
The Drag Reduction System (DRS) uses a complex system of hydraulics integrated throughout the Mustang GTD to make active adjustments during driving, like changing the angle of the rear wing and activating flaps under the front of the vehicle, to increase the vehicle’s aerodynamics. With this technology, the GTD is constantly optimizing itself for speed and grip by maximizing airflow and grip as needed.
“Every surface, body opening and vent on and under Mustang GTD’s body is functional,” said Greg Goodall, Mustang GTD chief program engineer. “Some air is directed for cooling, other for aerodynamics and downforce. All of it to help GTD go faster or stick to the pavement no matter what the conditions are.”
For an example of the DRS at work, just watch the GTD take a tight curve or turn, a situation where traction and grip are hugely important, even more so than speed. In these moments, the Drag Reduction System closes the main wing element and flap, creating an integrated airfoil. This generates additional downforce on the rear of the vehicle and prevents traction loss. The keel-shaped front underbody also evacuates incoming air through the front wheel wells and large fender louvers, creating an area of lower pressure that acts like suction under the front end, keeping it stable through turns.
“We actively manage where the center of air pressure is on the vehicle, so the front and rear can remain balanced,” said Goodall. “The ability to do this isn’t allowed in racing, where the rules don’t allow actively managing airflow. Our Le Mans drivers would love to have the technology Mustang GTD has for the track and street.”
For Ford’s dedicated team of Mustang engineers, the DRS is just another step on the ladder. Now that it’s been accomplished, they’re onto brainstorming, developing, and testing bigger and better things to help the Mustang in all of its iterations continue to evolve. The design team is hard at work using thousands of hours of virtual airflow simulation and time testing on demanding road course tracks like Road Atlanta and Spa in Belgium to continue refining the vehicle’s aerodynamics.
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