Jay Leno Pilots His Mustang GTD With Ford CEO Riding Shotgun

In this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, we learn all about the Mustang GTD from the man who owns one and the man who created it.

I lost count of how many times Jay Leno and Ford CEO Jim Farley said the word ‘Porsche’ when talking about the Ford Mustang GTD in a new video dropped on the Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube channel. Clearly Porsche was the target with the GTD. And it makes sense. Porsche builds some of the best sports and racing cars in the world. So, if you are going to build a super Mustang, you may as well go after the best. Especially if you are going to charge $325K+ for that Mustang.

Leno is obviously a car collector extraordinaire. Among his vast collection of cars are many Ford models including Ford GTs with the same VIN as his GTD. So, it is not all that surprising that he would order a new Mustang GTD. As you probably already know, you had to fill out an application for the right to purchase a GTD and you had to be approved by Ford. Leno was not only approved, but his car was delivered by the Ford CEO. In this video the two men discuss the details of the special Mustang. It is one of the more in-depth GTD discussions you will find. And it is all capped off with a drive around town.

Porsche Target

Right off the bat Leno and Farley make it clear that this car was meant to take on the racing giant from Germany. “For me as the CEO, I didn’t think it was right that Porsche had all the fun for these kinds of cars,” said Farley. And with a Nürburgring lap time of 06:52.072, the Mustang GTD is now in the same conversation as the Porsche GT cars.

GTD Engineering

The GTD is an engineering marvel from Ford and naturally the one that Leno ordered has all the bells and whistles including the performance package. That comes with a Drag Reduction System (DRS) rear wing that is similar in design to what is used on Formula 1 cars.

And incidentally the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The GTD also has a pushrod suspension which is great but the coolest part about it is the window in the rear passenger area of the car that allows you to see the suspension in action. The idea for that window actually came from Farley himself. It is details like that which can only happen when a car enthusiast is running a car company.

On the Road

Talking about the GTD is great. But let’s be honest, we are all here for the drive. Leno and Farley head out of the garage and take the car for a spin. It is brand-new, and still being broken in, so Leno doesn’t push the car very hard. But he can still feel the instant torque delivery and we all get to hear the beautiful sounds emanating from the Akrapovič exhaust under acceleration.

If you are a Mustang fan, and if you are reading this you must be, then you have to love the GTD. Yes, it is crazy expensive, but it is exclusive and unlike any Mustang ever made. And there probably will not be any Mustang like this built ever again. If it is enough to impress Leno, then you will likely be impressed as well.

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the 1970s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.