Page 1 of 2 Next >> Ford's sports car racing efforts during the 1980s involved many engineers, sub-contractors and drivers that had been hugely successful. Sadly, the effort was managed not very effectively, so both the Ford C100 Group C car and the subsequent Ford Mustang GTP did not deliver the results hoped for. Starting with the third clean sheet in five years, Ford Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) in Michigan commissioned the construction of the Ford Mustang Probe GTP car for the 1985 IMSA Championship.
The Mustang GTP raced late in 1983 and throughout the 1984 IMSA season, had been designed in the United States by Bob Riley but used a turbocharged four-cylinder engine sourced from Zakspeed in Germany. Originally developed for the spectacular Group 5 Zakspeed Ford Capri, the BDG-based 2.1-litre unit was actually mounted in the nose of the Mustang GTP. In part due to the unconventional engine location, the first Mustang GTP had a very difficult time of it and rarely reached the finish in 1984. Klaus Ludwig only managed two finishes, both in fifth place.
The front-engined GTP car was set aside, to be replaced by the all-new mid-engined Mustang Probe GTP. This time round, development of the complete car was entrusted to Zakspeed. In-house designer, Paul Brown, penned an altogether more conventional machine. It featured a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and double-wishbone suspension on all four corners. Mounted in a separate subframe was the familiar 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine. The new GTP machine was fitted with a rather square body that relied on large ground-effect tunnels to generate downforce.
Liveried in 7-Eleven colours, the Zakspeed run Mustang Probe GTP debuted in May of 1985 at Laguna Seca. It was shared by Klaus Ludwig and Doc Bundy. They started third on the the grid but failed to reach the finish. As it turned out, the relatively small engine had to be pushed too hard for the car to be competitive, making it unreliable. The car did eventually make it to the finish at Watkins Glen, with Ludwig and Bundy earning a promising second place. They also finished second at Sears Point and qualified on pole position for the Road America and Columbus races. Page 1 of 2 Next >>
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Ford's sports car racing efforts during the 1980s involved many engineers, sub-contractors and drivers that had been hugely successful. Sadly, the effort was managed not very effectively, so both the Ford C100 Group C car and the subsequent Ford Mustang GTP did not deliver the results hoped for. Starting with the third clean sheet in five years, Ford Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) in Michigan commissioned the construction of the Ford Mustang Probe GTP car for the 1985 IMSA Championship.