Angel Sergeev is a seasoned automotive journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the automotive industry. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, he began his writing career in 2010 while pursuing a degree in Transportation Engineering.
His early work included contributions to the local edition of F1 Racing magazine (now GP Racing magazine) and roles at various automotive websites and magazines.
In 2013, Angel joined Motor1.com (formerly WorldCarFans), where he dedicated over a decade to delivering daily news and feature articles. His expertise spans a wide range of topics, including electric vehicles, classic cars, and industry topics. Angel’s commitment to automotive journalism is further demonstrated by his membership in the Bulgarian Car of the Year jury since 2013.
Ford just lit up the rumor mill. The newly renamed Ford Racing says it will pull the wraps off an all-new “production road car” on January 15, 2026, in Detroit. That’s the same day Red Bull’s F1 teams kick off their Ford-powered era, which tells you how big Ford wants this reveal to feel. Enthusiasts should circle the date – something serious is coming.
Ford Racing will stage its global season launch at the restored Michigan Central Station, and it plans to preview a street-legal model at the event. Ford hasn’t said what badge it wears, only that the car channels lessons from the company’s race programs straight into something you can register. Tying it to Ford’s F1 moment adds fuel to the hype – and suggests the brand wants a new halo that sells the racing story in showrooms.
“For the first time ever, fans worldwide will also get an exclusive sneak peek at an all-new Ford Racing production road car – a testament to how deeply we’re integrating our racing innovation into the vehicles you drive every day. The racetrack is our ultimate proving ground, fast-tracking developments that will soon be under the hood and in the chassis of your next Ford,” the Blue oval company says in its official announcement.
Ford’s last true flagship, the mid-engine GT, effectively wrapped up its run in 2022 with the LM special and a few final cars trickling out in 2023. Since then, the throne has sat empty. If Ford plans a successor, it would be the third modern GT after the 2005 and 2017 generations – catnip for Blue Oval diehards and collectors alike.
Don’t ignore the Mustang GTD angle either. That car put Ford back on the global lap-time scoreboard with a certified 6:57.685 at the Nürburgring, proving the brand still knows how to engineer a monster. Ford keeps saying GTD is about race tech on the street. This new car could push that formula harder, whether through aero tricks, trick dampers, or a power bump.
So what is it? Three educated guesses are doing the rounds. First, a reborn GT – cleaner aero, lighter mass, and a powertrain that nods to today – maybe hybrid assistance or a wild V8 to answer Chevy’s headline-grabbing ZR1/ZR1X blitz at the ’Ring. Ford won’t say, but a GT comeback would give the brand a poster car again.
Second, an even meaner Mustang GTD derivative, and there are already rumors about it. Ford already built a street-legal track weapon with the GTD. A follow-up “GTD-R” style car with more downforce and a tougher weight target would make sense, especially with F1 tech seeping into Ford’s development pipeline in 2026. Multimatic, the low-volume wizards behind both GT and GTD, would be the natural build partner.
Third – and the spiciest – an off-road supercar wearing a Raptor-ish badge. CEO Jim Farley keeps talking about a 1,000-horsepower, partially electric desert missile that could survive Dakar-level abuse. He doesn’t want “another truck.” He wants a supercar for gravel, sand, and big air. If that’s the project, expect long-travel hardware, rally-grade cooling, and software that treats whoops like curbs. It would also carve out a niche no rival has truly owned.
What’s confirmed today is slim by design, but the context is loud. Ford didn’t just rename Ford Performance on a whim, the Ford Racing rebrand aims to fuse motorsport and road car programs more tightly, with visible product to match. Announcing a street-legal hero during the Detroit season launch – alongside the Red Bull Ford powertrains reveal – puts every eyeball on the new car and underlines Ford’s message – race wins should birth road weapons.
Source: Ford
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