Mustang GT4 Set for European Debut

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

The Ford Mustang GT4 is set for its European debut, with the Multimatic-built car entered for this weekend’s GT4 European Series Southern Cup season finale at Paul Ricard.

2016 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge champion Scott Maxwell will pilot the Ford Performance-entered car, as a solo driver in the Am class.

It marks the car’s first competitive outing in Europe after claiming three victories in Continental Tire Challenge competition, as well as being represented in Pirelli World Challenge by customer teams this year.

Multimatic’s Larry Holt told Sportscar365 last month that an end-of-year European debut for the car was likely.

A chassis has been in Europe since June, when it took part in the Goodwood Festival of Speed prior to a test in Wales for prospective customers.

“The best way to show customers what a car can do is to bring it to the racetrack,” said Ford Performance Global Director Dave Pericak. “That’s our goal at Paul Ricard.

“We’ve already had success with the Ford Mustang GT4 in the U.S.; now it’s time to show potential customers what it can do at a respected European track like Paul Ricard.”

Maxwell added: “I’ve never raced at Paul Ricard, but I’m very excited to see what this car can do there against some good competition.

“It’s a great place to showcase the car to potential customers for Europe and, just as importantly, it’s a great time to be involved with sports car racing at Ford.

“First, we had the BOSS 302R, then the Shelby GT350R-C, and now the Mustang GT4. It’s great to see Ford increase the Mustang’s footprint around the world, not just in the marketplace, but on the race tracks as well.”

Ford becomes the seventh different GT4 manufacturer to be involved in the French FFSA GT championship, joining Aston Martin, BMW, Ginetta, Maserati, McLaren and Porsche.

A total of 36 GT4 cars are set for this weekend’s race.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John