{"id":18838,"date":"2025-11-20T07:55:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T10:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/?page_id=18838"},"modified":"2025-11-11T08:15:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T11:15:48","slug":"ford-mustang-gt3-88-spark","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/ford-mustang-gt3-88-spark\/","title":{"rendered":"Ford Mustang GT3 #88 – Spark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Mustang<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
2024 Ford Mustang GT3 #88<\/strong>
Pilots: D. Olsen, M. O. Pedersen, G. Roda
Team:  Proton Competition<\/em>
Race: 30th overall (3rd in LMGT3 class) at Le Mans in 2024<\/strong>
Spark - S9159 (resin)<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Published 11\/20\/25<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On September 14nd<\/sup>, 2022, Ford unveiled the seventh generation of the Mustang (internally called S650). Production began in May 2023 at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, initially with two engine options. Customers could choose a 2.3 l turbocharged inline-4 or a 5.0 l modular V8, called Coyote<\/em>. You could buy the Mustang basically in three configurations; Ecoboost, GT or the top of the line, Dark Horse<\/strong>. The Dark Horse<\/a> came with the Coyote engine, delivering 373 kW (500 hp \u2013 but about 10% less for the European version). Almost at the same time, Ford announced that they would develop a car for the upcoming GT3 class. As part of the Centennial Le Mans Celebration, on June 9th<\/sup>, 2023, Dearborn revealed the new car. Based on the current Dark Horse, the new car was the Mustang GT3<\/strong>. The GT3 was eligible for both IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA WEC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Mustang
Multimatic was responsible for the success of the Ford GT<\/a> in 2016.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Using a 2024 Dark Horse as the basis, Ford Performance contracted Multimatic and M-Sport to develop the car. Ford wanted an \u201caffordable and durable race car, that is simple to maintain\u201d<\/em>, key traits for client teams. With that in mind, Multimatic went to work. For the powerhouse, they used the Coyote engine<\/a> as the basis, enlarged to 5.4 liters. Despite the higher displacement, it still used Ford\u2019s 32-valve DOHC Ti-VCT. However, it counted on a carbon propshaft and four-plate AP racing clutch, connected to a six speed Xtrac racing transaxle. The chassis had a unitary steel construction, with removable front and rear sub-frames. The body consisted of quick-change carbon fiber panels, with a GT3-specific aerodynamics package. And for a suspension system, it counted on double wishbones front and rear with Multimatic\u2019s five-way adjustable DSSV dampers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Mustang
FIA replaced LMGTE with LMGT3 in 2024 to broaden the cars eligible for GT racing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Mustang GT3 had its race debut in January 2024, at the 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing in 6th<\/sup>. For the FIA WEC, the first team to adopt the Mustang GT3 was German Proton Competition. Proton debuted the Mustang GT3 at the Qatar 1812 km, in March, followed by Imola and Spa. Results were far from good, with the best being an eighth place at 6 Hours of Spa, in May. However, the big challenge was obviously the 24 Heures du Mans<\/em>, on June 15th<\/sup>. Proton arrived with three cars<\/a> at La Sarthe, cars #44, #77 and #88. Piloted by Dennis Olsen, Mikkel Pedersen and Giorgio Roda, car #88 finished in 30th<\/sup> overall but third<\/a> in the GT3 class. A podium finish at your Le Mans debut is not bad at all \ud83d\ude0e!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/
The last time a Mustang raced at La Sarthe was 1997.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
I guess I don\u2019t have to say that a Le Mans\u2019 Mustang GT3 was a must have for the W143 Garage. My only other Le Mans Mustang was the GT350 #17<\/a> of 1967, the first Mustang to race at La Sarthe. Therefore, getting the Mustang GT3 #88 was a no-brainer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/
57 years separate these two…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In scale, there isn\u2019t much to say but that this one has the standard Spark-awesomeness. As expected, the paint job is fantastic and details are great. In other words, a terrific model. I honestly think every Le Mans collection should feature a Mustang GT3; it’s an honest-to-God good <\/em>model \ud83e\udd29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
2024 Ford Mustang GT3 #88Pilots: D. Olsen, M. O. Pedersen, G. RodaTeam: Proton CompetitionRace: 30th overall (3rd in LMGT3 class) at Le Mans in 2024Spark – S9159 (resin) Published 11\/20\/25 On September 14nd, 2022, Ford unveiled the seventh generation of the Mustang (internally called S650). Production began in May 2023 at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly … Continue reading “Ford Mustang GT3 #88 – Spark”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18838","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18838"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18926,"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18838\/revisions\/18926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.w-143.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}