With its new Mustang GTD getting now inproduction, Ford Motor Co. may add another supercar to its line-up – this time a 1,000-hp off-roader that could handle desert road races like the Dakar Rally, said CEO Jim Farley. Headlight.News has more.
Ford would have to go well beyond what its current off-road performance models, like the Bronco Raptor, can deliver.
Ford CEO Jim Farley is a serious performance fan, and it shows in some of the company’s latest offerings, notably the new Mustang GTD. With that limited-volume supercar now in production, Farley is looking what might come next and has broadly hinted it could be the sort of ultra-high-powered off-roader that could tackle grueling events like the Dakar Rally.”
“No one’s ever built a supercar for gravel, high-speed sand, dirt,” Farley said during an episode of Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuits podcast. “I’m thinking really deeply about it and usually that turns into something.”
Exactly what might that look like? Some are speculating it could be a beefed up take on the now-familiar Ford Bronco. Others wonder whether it could take an even more exotic shape. But one thing seems clear: whichever form it follows, it would deliver as much as 1,000 horsepower – almost 25% more than the new Ford GTD.
Taking aim at Dakar
Formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, what’s today commonly referred to as just “The Dakar” is one of the most grueling races on Planet Earth. First run in 1978, it today is a two-week endurance race traversing up to 5,000 miles through the Saudi Arabian desert.
“I want to win Dakar way more than Formula One,” said Farley, himself an experienced racer. “I want us to build a vehicle so that all people could experience what it’s like to have the joy of driving no matter what is in front of you.”
It “would be a great direction for our company,” he added. And while Farley wasn’t completely clear about what he envisions, it appears he’s considering something that could be put into limited production, much like the Mustang GTD, while also being used to enter the Dakar race.
What’s Farley thinking about?
The Mustang GTD.
That’s the big question. Beyond setting a target of 1,000 horsepower, the Ford CEO hasn’t given any clear indication of what an off-road supercar might look like. Some renderings floating around show a wildly exotic design that looks more like something out of a sci-fi film. Others point to a modified version of the existing Ford Bronco.
The most potent version of that SUV is the Bronco Raptor which punches out a solid 400 horsepower through a 10-speed automatic gearbox. It’s already been tested in grueling off-road events like the King of the Hammers. But Dakar fans consider that little more than a practice session. There is, of course, the even more potent F-150 Raptor R which features a beefy supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 making a neck-snapping 720 ponies. The new Mustang GTD, meanwhile, is Ford’s new king when it comes to muscle, delivering 820 hp.
What would it take to get into four digits? He suggested it would need to be “partially electric, totally digitally enabled.”
More Ford News
- Ford Celebrates Ingenuity with Mustang GTD Supercar
- First Drive: Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally
- Ford’s F-150 Raptor-R is an Off-Road Beast
No boring cars
Farley still has to make a business case before bringing a Dakar Rally supercar to life.
Even before taking on the CEO role in 2020, Farley was a big proponent of performance. He’s repeatedly stressed a mantra of having “no boring cars” in the line-up. And that’s been paying off considering the strong demand for top-end Mustang trims, as well the various Raptor-badged off-roaders. The Mustang GTD’s run of just 300 vehicles was sold out almost as soon as the project was announced.
Even in his lofty role as chief executive, Farley still needs to make a business case he can sell to the Ford board of directors – including family heir Bill Ford Jr. But the CEO appears ready to make the case.
“That would be a great direction for our company,” Farley said of a product capable of handling The Dakar. “These Raptor people are telling us something. They’re not stupid. They’re really smart people. They spent $120,000 on an 800-hppickup truck.”
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