2025 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 Is a Half-Price GTD Alternative

By Brett Foote - December 18, 2025

For far less money, one can buy a Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 and get more power, a manual, and the same sort of exclusivity as the GTD.

There’s no denying the fact that the Ford Mustang GTD is the most track-capable pony car to ever exist, as that’s already been proven on actual race tracks. However, as amazing as the GTD is, it’s also a car that one must be approved to buy, and it also costs north of $325,000 – a figure that’s not exactly chump change to most of us. Thus, with the GTD out of reach for most, we can at least look to the Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 as a more affordable alternative.

In this video from the YouTube channel That Dude in Blue, host David Patterson is able to spend some time behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5, which is an impressive machine in its own right. After all, it’s sporting its own unique composite bodywork, along with 20-inch RTR Aero 5 Evo forged wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, coupled with a 30-way adjustable RTR Tactical Performance Suspension and Brembo brakes.

If that isn’t enough, the Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 also gets a fortified version of the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, one fitted with a Whipple supercharger and other upgrades that enable it to churn out a cool 870 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque, trumping the GTD’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8 and its ratings of 815 horsepower and 664 pound-feet. Then there’s the fact that the Spec 5 is quite exclusive, with only 50 slated to be built this year, and it costs a “mere” $160k.

On top of all of that, one can also get a Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 with a proper manual transmission, which is a huge deal given the fact that the GTD only comes with a dual-clutch gearbox. That’s precisely what’s in Patterson’s test ride, making for an enjoyable driving experience – and he goes so far as to call it an “absolute animal” on the streets, albeit one that feels like a factory build in terms of quality.

“It seems like they definitely took their time with this one,” Patterson said. “They really got it down to the fine details and said, ‘How do we really do the best job we can do without it feeling like to the customer it’s just a body kit or an arrow kit or whatever?’ It’s the full package. It has more than enough power that anybody could ever need.

It handles well. It turns in well as a street car, and it doesn’t feel like a full-blown race car. Below boost, I feel like I’m in a much better handling S50 Mustang. Very much like the Dark Horse. And that really makes this feel like an actual OEM car and not just a Mustang that has parts added onto it.”