Buying a car worth more than $300,000 and being told not to use it. Not because of a recall or a technical issue, but because of the paint. This is the paradoxical situation currently faced by some American customers of the Ford Mustang GTD, one of the most extreme muscle cars ever produced by the Blue Oval.
Ford Mustang GTD: Ford recommends a 30-day waiting period before driving
After months of waiting and an initial price starting at around $325,000, owners are advised to leave the car parked for 30 days after delivery. An entire month without driving it, not even for a short trip. Unsurprisingly, this recommendation has sparked debate and controversy.
The reason provided by Ford has nothing to do with the engine, electronics, or overall reliability. Instead, the issue lies with the bodywork, which is largely made of carbon fiber, and more specifically with the paint treatment. According to the automaker, the paint needs time to stabilize properly. During this period, the finish must complete a process known as degassing, a crucial step before any surface protection can be applied.
Only after this 30-day period can a clear paint protection film be installed, a solution that is now considered essential on a car of this caliber. Applying it too early, or worse, driving the car extensively in the first few days, could compromise the exterior finish. For particularly exposed areas such as the wheel arches and side skirts, reinforced protection is even recommended.
As a result, a car designed for track use and extreme performance remains locked in a garage, completely stationary, while under the hood sits a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 producing 815 horsepower. It is a machine built to deliver supercar-level acceleration and blistering performance, yet it must remain unused.
For future Ford Mustang GTD owners, then, the first real challenge will not be launching from 0 to 60 mph, but resisting the temptation to turn the key before those crucial 30 days have passed. A test of patience that few enthusiasts ever expected to face after buying one of the most powerful Mustangs ever made.
