What the Mustang GTD is to the track, this supercar could be to off-road racing
- Ford CEO Jim Farley has revealed he’s interested in a 1,000 hp off-road supercar.
- He implied it could be electrified and capable of actual off-road racing.
- The executive said the model would be fully adjustable and not a truck.
The Ford Bronco Raptor is one of the coolest off-roaders on the market and it’s powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with 418 hp (312 kW / 424 PS) and 440 lb-ft (596 Nm) of torque. While those are respectable numbers, they pale in comparison to the Jeep Wrangler 392, which has a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 pumping out 470 hp (350 kW / 476 PS) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm).
However, Ford could use the nuclear option and create an ungodly $300,000 off-road beast that draws inspiration from Dakar Rally racers. While the idea sounds crazy, the Mustang GTD appears to be a success and the automaker could replicate that idea in different ways.
More: Ford Boss Hints At New Raptor Supercar
Ford CEO Jim Farley disclosed the idea to Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuit! podcast as he said there’s “no Porsche of off-road and I’m shocked people don’t think about that.” While Porsche and their 911 Dakar may beg to differ, the executive said he’s very interested in that idea.
Farley went on to claim no one’s done an off-road supercar, despite the existence of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. However, he dismissed it as saying the car wouldn’t last on the Baja 500.
The executive went on to mention a 1,000 hp (746 kW / 1,014 PS) supercar that would be partially electric. Farley suggested the model would be fully adjustable and this would apply to suspension travel, damping, and ride height. He went on to specify it’s “not a pickup truck” and would be able to race off-road.
The Blue Oval boss went on to suggest it would be a high-speed supercar for gravel, sand, and dirt but not rock crawling. Farley said he’s talking to his team about such a vehicle and isn’t sure if it should be a two- or four-seater.
While nothing has been decided, the executive said he’s “thinking really deeply about it” and “that usually turns into something.” He went on to suggest there’s too much sameness with modern supercars and this could be a way to shake things up.
Not A Brand For Posers
Besides talking about a possible off-road supercar, Farley said Ford’s a “weird brand” as they have no problem selling affordable vehicles as well as 5,000 F-150 Raptor R’s at $120,000. In the case of the ultra-expensive Mustang GTD, he suggested the brand can do this because they have “motorsports history” and that gives them permission to do things other automakers can’t.
Speaking of the GTD, the executive said they “don’t want posers” or people who will just keep it in their car collection. More refreshingly, he said ‘Let’s not screw the people that bought these expensive cars’ by building too many or allowing flippers to take over the market. As he explained, if people love the car and don’t end up losing money on it, they’ll likely be willing to buy the next special vehicle from Ford. We’ve already seen this play out as there have been repeat Ford GT buyers as well as GT buyers who have purchased a Mustang GTD.
