Ford has been recognized to place collectively a helluva Skunk Works staff occasionally to construct particular initiatives, insane manufacturing merchandise, and issues that hang-out your desires. It did so with the GT40s, the Shelby Cobras, the lunacy that was Group B rally, and loads of different world-ending, European-beating machines.
Take that, Communists!
I imply, simply check out Ford’s newest particular initiatives within the Mustang GTD, the Raptor R, and the final GT that was principally a Le Mans racecar with a license plate hooked up to the again. Man, I nonetheless bear in mind hitting the suspension change on that supercar and it dropping to the pavement. And people are the belongings you and I can drive and purchase. Let’s not neglect stuff just like the all-electric Supervan or the Baja-crunching Raptor trophy vehicles. The latter of which I need to speak about as we speak.
See, just lately, Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, spoke about his need for a “supercar for gravel, high-speed sand, dust,” which some have taken to imply that Ford’s seeking to construct a side-by-side ala Kawasaki’s new 250 horsepower Teryx H2, Can-Am’s Maverick R, or Polaris’ RZR Pro R, i.e. machines constructed to overcome the sand. But when Ford’s historical past is something to be believed, inasmuch as you may have a look at its racing machines to tell its buyer choices, what Farley is definitely speaking about is extra akin to a trophy truck than a UTV.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
Farley’s feedback come from Bloomberg’s “Scorching Pursuit” podcast, which our associates at ATV.com identified final week. Within the episode, Farley makes the case for one thing that may destroy the sand, dunes, and dust in the identical trend as the corporate’s new Mustang GTD, a street-legal racecar that’ll set you again a cool $325,000.
“Nobody’s ever constructed a supercar for gravel, high-speed sand, dust. I’m pondering actually deeply about it and often that turns into one thing,” stated Farely, including that he is tasked his engineers to design one thing alongside the traces of “a 1000-horsepower, partially electrical, completely digitally enabled” machine to do exactly that. One that will allow Ford to “win Dakar”, in addition to for the corporate “to construct a automobile so that every one folks may expertise what it’s prefer to have the enjoyment of driving it doesn’t matter what is in entrance of you.”
Now, if we’re taking a look at Ford’s historical past, and we completely must be, racing exhibits us what’s subsequent on its particular version autos, the newest being the Mustang GTD, which was preceded by Ford’s GT3 racer, the latter of which debuted a yr earlier than the manufacturing mannequin. The identical goes for the Ford GT, which debuted in race trim forward of its customer-ready automotive.
So what may this thriller Ford off-roader be? Properly, Ford simply snagged a third place end at this yr’s Dakar with the Ford Raptor T1+, and that is fairly damned near Farley’s need for an total Dakar win. Think about a hybridized model of the Raptor T1+ with all of Ford’s newest and best tech, one thing that’ll debut possibly for subsequent yr’s race, and coincide with one thing us mere mortals may doubtlessly purchase? It will be eye-wateringly costly, ala the Mustang GTD or Ford GT, however, theoretically, we may purchase it. That’d be fairly rattling cool, however it’s most undoubtedly not a side-by-side as we all know it.
Whether or not or not it occurs is anybody’s guess. But when Ford desires to name it a side-by-side or UTV, I am going to completely faux it’s simply so I can drive it. Farley, give me a name when you do.
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