Cars / Gen III / Mustang S650

Ford · Gen III

Mustang S650

2023- · 29/41 specifications catalogued

The Ford Mustang S650 is Ford's current Supercars car, introduced for the 2023 season under the Gen3 regulations. It replaced the Gen2 Mustang S550 and races against the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Gen3 — a technical reset

Gen3 was a deliberate reset toward closer parity and cheaper racing: lower downforce, more production-based mechanicals, a control brake package and tighter cost control. The biggest change was the engine — where Gen2 ran a common race-bred 5.0-litre V8, Gen3 gave each marque a production-derived unit. The Mustang uses a naturally aspirated, quad-cam (DOHC) V8 based on Ford's road-going "Coyote", widely reported at around 5.4 litres (approximate — not confirmed here against the Gen3 technical rules). It drives through the control rear-mounted six-speed sequential transaxle and runs the Dunlop control tyre on the common Gen3 control chassis. Dick Johnson Racing, with Ford Performance, is Ford's homologation team.

Body & aero

The race car takes the shape of the S650-generation road Mustang — a current, showroom-relevant silhouette, and (with the Camaro) part of Gen3's shift back to two-door coupes after years of four-door Falcons and Commodores. The bodyshell sits over the common Gen3 safety cell and control chassis; the low-downforce aero (front splitter, undertray, rear wing) is a tightly controlled package set by the rules for marque parity rather than free development.

Sources: general Supercars Championship history + the Gen3 control-formula (Supercars.com, Wikipedia) — Grade D. Engine displacement is a widely-reported figure, approximate and not confirmed against the Gen3 technical rules.

Technical specification

Grouped by system. Every value carries its confidence grade and source.

confirmedperiod-verifiedbridge refunknownquarantined

Category 1/2

Formula designation

Supercar (Gen3) period-verified

Category formula designation (era-based)

Series & administration

— unknown

Engine 8/8

Displacement

5.4 L bridge ref

Gen III era (general Supercars Championship history + control-formula) · Approximate; not confirmed against the Gen3 technical regulations

Configuration

Naturally-aspirated, production-based V8 period-verified

Gen III era (general Supercars Championship history + control-formula)

Induction

Single OEM inlet manifold + throttle body + injectors (no ITBs); variable valve timing period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Power (est.)

~447 kW (~600 bhp); ~40 kW down from Gen2 period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Engine cost cut to ~50k from ~M/yr.

Max engine speed

~7500 (formula limit) rpm period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Compression ratio

11:1 period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Engine management

MoTeC (control ECU) period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Control ECU; firmware handles shift-cut + pitlane limiter.

Engine block

5.4L DOHC V8 (Coyote-based; Mostech Race Engines + Ford Performance + DJR); aluminium block+heads, VVT, custom crank/rods, Mahle pistons, plasma-arc bores, dry sump period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Drivetrain 2/4

Gearbox

Rear-mounted 6-speed sequential transaxle (control) period-verified

Gen III era (general Supercars Championship history + control-formula)

Gear ratios

— unknown

Final-drive options

— unknown

Differential

Spool differential (control; integral to the Xtrac transaxle) period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Suspension 6/8

Front type

Control front suspension (double-wishbone) - a locked control item from Gen3 period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Locked down so teams stop re-engineering suspension.

Rear type

Independent rear - control wishbones + uprights carried over from Gen2; spool diff period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Front spring rate

Pedders control spring - selectable from 65 to 180 N/mm (17 rates: 65/70/75/80/85/90/100/105/110/120/125/130/137.5/145/155, + 168 & 180 from 2025) N/mm period-verified

Supercars.com - Explained: New-for-2025 Supercars spring rates (Pedders Gen3 control spring) · Control spring: teams select from the range; 8 of each per car.

Rear spring rate

Pedders control spring - selectable from 65 to 180 N/mm (17 rates: 65/70/75/80/85/90/100/105/110/120/125/130/137.5/145/155, + 168 & 180 from 2025) N/mm period-verified

Supercars.com - Explained: New-for-2025 Supercars spring rates (Pedders Gen3 control spring) · Control spring: teams select from the range; 8 of each per car.

Anti-roll bars

Cockpit-adjustable anti-roll bar; ARB rockers removed for Gen3 period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Removing rockers cut non-linear-actuation freedom.

Dampers

Linear-spring control damper (twin/triple-spring setups banned) period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) | Supashock control-damper program: motorsport.com 'Shakedown ban on control Supercars shocks' (2020 intro, 2019 tender, 5-yr deal); Pedders/Supashock 'Pedders Dampers by Supashock' official control damper; Supashock 'Shell Reservoir System' product literature · Control damper: 'Pedders Dampers by Supashock' - Adelaide's Supashock won the 2019 Supercars tender (5-year deal) to supply the single CONTROL damper from 2020; every car runs common internals with simplified external 'clicker' adjustment ('everyone has the same internals, you've just got your small clickers'). Type: Supashock's patented Shell Reservoir System - a floating piston separates the pressurised gas and oil and a large-diameter main shaft carries a high internal oil volume, giving monotube-style performance without an external reservoir (twin-tube-style packaging). Pedders supplies the matching control coil springs. Gen3 control damper throughout (2023-on).

Front geometry

— unknown

Rear geometry

— unknown

Brakes 0/5

Front disc

— unknown

Rear disc

— unknown

Front caliper

— unknown

Rear caliper

— unknown

Brake pads

— unknown

Wheels & tyres 3/4

Wheel size

18-inch control wheel (offset 25 mm; 45 mm centre-lock thread) in period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Offset changed 52->25 mm to reduce spindle clashes.

Tyre supplier

Dunlop control tyre period-verified

Gen III era (general Supercars Championship history + control-formula)

Tyre dimensions

18-inch Dunlop control tyre period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Tyre construction

— unknown

Weight 1/2

Minimum weight

1340 kg period-verified

Supercars 2024 Div C 4.1.1 (Gen3) · Gen3 control minimum (includes driver + apparel)

Weight distribution

— unknown

Fuel 2/2

Fuel capacity

~133 L period-verified

Supercars 2024 Div C 9.4.1 (Gen3) · Gen3 fuel system total approx 133 L

Fuel specification

E85 (control fuel) period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Dimensions 3/3

Wheelbase

2765.5 mm period-verified

Gen3 Supercars technical deep-dive (whichcar.com.au; supercars.com) - wheelbase reduced from Gen2 2822mm, split between Mustang/Camaro | whichcar 'Anatomy of the ZB' / Gen3 deep-dive + supercars.com/Speedcafe · Gen3 (2023) reduced the wheelbase from the Gen2 2822mm; modular chassis, split between the Mustang and Camaro. Gen3 common wheelbase 2765.5 mm; the Mustang road wheel-arch was moved BACKWARD to hit the common figure.

Front track

2000 mm period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) · Measured to the wheelface (overall track width), owner-confirmed; the wheel-centre track is narrower. Gen3 runs a wider track than Gen2 (~1913 mm to the wheelface).

Rear track

2000 mm period-verified

Aerodynamics 3/3

Front aero

Downforce mostly body-generated; front undertray removed for Gen3 period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess) | whichcar 'Anatomy of the ZB' / Gen3 deep-dive + supercars.com/Speedcafe · Gen3 aero philosophy (deleted front undertray, shorter splitter, simpler rear wing, ~140 kg at 200 km/h); the final aero spec could only be locked once Ford released the updated S650 bodywork for 2023. VCAT parity with the Camaro.

Rear wing

Control rear-wing profile (Supercars-controlled; manufacturers style endplates only) period-verified

whichcar.com.au - Gen3 Supercars tech deep-dive (Jan 2022; quotes T8 Jeromy Moore, DJR Perry Kapper/Ryan Story, Adrian Burgess)

Downforce / drag map

Approx. 135-140 kg downforce (Gen3; cut ~63% from the Gen2 ~450 kg to improve following) period-verified

Supercars.com Gen3 aero reporting (Gen2 ~450 kg peak downforce -> Gen3 ~135-140 kg, reduced ~63%) · Homologated to a common target; per-manufacturer parity via VCAT wind-tunnel.