A Dream Finally Arrives – The Mustang GTD
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Last week I was at work getting ready for lunch when I got a message from Hacienda Ford on Instagram. I was pretty hungry, so I read through the message about the GTD event in a hurry. “It’s probably about Saturday’s event, but this is really nice of them to be reaching out personally”. I was about to reply letting them know I had plans to attend and thank them for the heads up, but then I went back to the message I realized they were reaching out about something else.
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I’ve always been a fan of the Ford Mustang for as long as I can remember. Even well before I got behind the wheel of my own later on in high school. I’d end up getting my first speeding ticket in that car not long after, the first of many…unfortunately. Eventually I pulled a one-eighty and get sucked into the import world. But any time I found myself in front of one, I’d take a bit longer being around them .
There’s no secret about my love for Mustangs. If you go back to read the articles any time I get to feature one, I always bring it up. I looked back over the message I got on Instagram from our local Ford dealership, I realized this was an invitation to a private event. Early access, if you will, to the arrival of the GTD Mustang. The first in the Rio Grande Valley, and the first south of Dallas. I remember seeing the announcement photos for Ford’s latest version of the Mustang almost 3 years ago and stopped scrolling instantly. This was one of the most aggressive looking Mustangs to date, due to the GT3 aero it was under. After all, you can’t name a vehicle after a racing class without it looking the part.
Mrs. Yoder and her son Ryan took delivery of the Spirit of America edition GTD Wednesday evening, along with the Hacienda family and special guests. Ford’s GTD rep, Payton Wilson, was on site as part of the GTD’s delivery process and had arrived before the transport truck pulled up. He was THE guy to answer any and all questions about it, and while he admitted he isn’t a fan of being put on the spot in front of a large crowd, he did spend one-on-one time with anyone who was curious about it. The Performance White paint along with the twin racing stripes in Race Red and Lightning Blue pay tribute to not only the 64’ Mustangs tribar on its debut – but also matches Craig Breedlove’s overalls that was worn in the 60s when he broke the 500 & 600mph barriers on land. This Spirit of America GTD embodies this fearless American drive to innovate, overcome obstacles, and redefine what’s possible.
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When it comes to its numbers, saying they’re impressive would be an understatement. The supercharged 5.2L V8 pushing over 800hp makes this the highest powered factory Mustang ever produced. When you consider at the rarity of it, production of the Spirit of America GTD is limited to 20% of the total production run, limiting these to 340 units globally. It’s the culmination of over 60 years of pushing the envelope, with performance and handling at the forefront. A few days after the private event, Magic Valley Mustangs and the crew at Hacienda Ford put on a public unveiling. While everyone gathered inside, Kimberly (Hacienda Ford) reminded everyone about how enthusiastic Mr. Yoder was about the arrival of this incredible machine.
“If you ran into him any time last year, it was just all he would talk about”.
Sadly, Mr. Yoder passed away last year. But as the cover came off on Saturday and the applauses came, it was impossible not to think about that enthusiasm he had for this Mustang. Surrounded by family, friends, the Hacienda Ford team, and the Mustang community, it definitely felt like his presence was part of the celebration. While the car may have arrived a little too late for him to witness in person, there’s no doubt whose dream everyone had gathered to honor.
Huge thanks to
Hacienda Ford – and their incredible media team
Magic Valley Mustangs
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