The American machines debuted in various GT3/GTD competitions globally last year and are now eligible for the Mount Panorama classic for the first time.
An injection of the Ford versus General Motors muscle car rivalry was long touted for the 2025 Bathurst race, hoped to give the Aussie event a needed boost in numbers and variety.
The event has been dominated by German brands Porsche, Mercedes, Audi and BMW in recent years, with a sole Lamborghini the only non-German among the GT3 ranks in 2024.
While Ferrari and Aston Martin are this year represented for the first time since 2020, the mooted American invasion has failed to materialise.
Ford Performance boss Mark Rushbrook declared at the weekend’s Daytona 24 Hour he is disappointed by the fact there’s no Mustang on the Bathurst grid.
Chevrolet’s Supercars homologation team Triple Eight is known to have tried to source a Corvette, but there were none available in time for the event or the start of the Australian GT season.
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“There were very positive conversations for a long time there with all levels of management on both sides,” Bathurst 12 Hour boss Shane Rudzis told Speedcafe of Ford and Chevrolet.
“For them, what it’s come down to, it seems, is a lack of cars they can use.
“So that’s been the issue, where there’s no GT3 Ford Mustang or Corvette in the country at the moment, even though there was looking like there was going to be some cars here.
“And then also, separately, is just the cost to get the cars on the ground.”
Rudzis admits the pre-COVID days of manufacturers sending full factory teams out for the 12 Hour are largely over, with an increased focus now on local team engagement.
“You go back to the model of the old Bentley days, where Bentley underwrote the program and the manufacturer paid for it all, that doesn’t exist anymore,” he continued.
“It’s got to be a team runs the car and then there’s technical support from an OEM to support that team on the grid. The budgets aren’t there any more to go and do those factory programs.
“So now, both Ford and GM have got to keep engaging with teams.
“SRO is obviously in talks with those guys trying to get some cars on the ground here (for GT World Challenge Australia). For us, it’s one event only and we’re working together.
“For Ford and GM the appetite is there to come and do it, they want to conquer the Mountain, they want to take on the Euros, it’s how do they make it happen?”
Rudzis rates the chances of the two marques being on the grid at Bathurst in 2026 as “higher than 50 percent”, with more examples of the Mustang and Corvette GT3 cars to be built this year.
“It’s not my call in the end, it’s up to the brands to go make it happen,” he said. “But they want to be there. Let’s hope we can have it happen.”
The Mustang GT4 is also eligible for the Bathurst 12 Hour, although none of the locally owned cars being prepared for the Australian series have entered.
A Mustang GT3 appeared to be headed for Australia when one was offered for sale locally late last year, but the car – listed as chassis #15 – failed to materialise.
Just 22 cars are currently listed to contest the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour following the withdrawl of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 on Tuesday.
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