Meet the Rocket, a rebodied Mustang by Fisker-Galpin. Image Source: Galpin.
My need for instant gratification is a problem when it comes to large purchase decisions, more specifically vehicles -- 2010 Mustang GT owner here, for the record.
Ford Motor Company (F +1.83%) must know this, because it wasn't enough to simply release the redesigned 2015 Mustang, it had to announce a plethora of variations within a few months' time. We've got the 50th anniversary edition, a possible King Cobra assuming you want to buy three special packs from Ford Racing, and the upcoming GT350.
As if those numerous variations weren't tempting enough to draft a breakup letter to my not-so-old Stang, the Los Angeles automotive show brought us something even more wild to contemplate purchasing.
If a Mustang and a rocket ship had a baby ...
OK, that subhead is mostly in jest, despite the "Rocket" name, the bold looking ride clearly took genetics from the Mustang side of the family. So, how did this monstrous Mustang variation come together, what are the specs, and what's the catch?
Fisker's electric vehicle, Karma. Source: Wikimedia commons.
Unless you're a huge gearhead, and if you're reading this the chances are fair, you may not have heard of Henrik Fisker. The man is a great vehicle designer and was responsible for the Aston Martin DB8 and 9 and BMW Z8 before creating Fisker Automotive Holdings that produced an electric vehicle called Karma. While only about 2,450 Karmas were produced, and the business was sold off at a bankruptcy auction, there's no questioning that the vehicle design was stunning.
Fisker went back to the drawing board, or maybe played some golf, or both, and decided to tackle a project he'd always wanted to do while working for Aston Martin (which at the time was owned by Ford), and that was design an iconic pony car. Fisker teamed up with Galpin Auto Sports, the performance division of Galpin Motors, and this is their creation.
Image source: Galpin.
Many of the details and specs are yet to be released, simply because Fisker/Galpin haven't had the time to do the official testing. However, we do know that the 5.0-liter V8 gets a supercharger that will balloon the Mustang's horsepower from 435 to 725. To put it bluntly, that's ridiculous, it's almost scary. The bold ride also comes with 21-inch wheels, oversized Brembo brakes and Pirelli P Zero performance tires -- there's even a little HF emblem for Henrik Fisker on the hubs, how cute.
Source: Galpin.
In terms of the Rocket's exterior, every panel, with exception to the roof and doors, has been rebodied in carbon fiber. That means the car will be lighter, albeit slightly, and has a bolder look with some design cues from the Mustangs of old -- I'm talking mid-60's, y'all.
Jason Torchinsky puts it about as well as you can here.
"The Mustang's famous side scoops have been bisected horizontally, the fenders widened and more dramatic haunches at the rear have been sculpted. The nose tapers to a more dramatic conic section, along with some little vents that mimic the light pattern of the Mustang's lights, and reference again the little "gills" of the early Mustangs."
Torchinsky, journalist for Jalopnik, continued, "The more tapered nose with larger wheels and fenders dramatically change the stance and profile of the Mustang, distilling it and emphasizing the basic formative lines of the car to make something that's very bold."
In terms of the interior, just take a quick glance, below.
Source: Galpin.
What's the catch?
Ford's Mustang is easily one of the most recognizable muscle cars, or of any car, and continues to top Google search ranks and interest among the masses. The Mustang also has one heck of a loyalist following, drop by any of the zillion Mustang forums for proof. Sadly, as you would expect with a low volume variation, the price tag isn't in reach for many Mustang fans -- checking in at an estimated $100,000 -- though the price will remain competitive with high end sports/muscle cars.
If that's your thing, by that I mean you love paying for a low volume vehicle to drive something wildly unique, there is no catch here because it's a badass and rare Mustang with a whole lot of rubber to burn on a road near you. On that note, production begins in December with deliveries in early 2015 -- contact me if you're looking to buy me a $100,000 Christmas present, thanks in advance. For those of us looking to a more realistic solution for our Mustang fix, Ford's GT350 looks to be priced much, much lower, and will still provide plenty of power and flash.
Graph by author. Information source: Ford Motor Company.
The winner here is clearly Ford, and Mustang fans across America. While in terms of sales, this won't move the needle, but, in terms of hype and attention, this has arguably been the biggest and most anticipated Mustang launch in decades. You can't buy that kind of advertising, and when 2015 is in the books we'll see evidence whether sales of the Mustang can reach heights not seen in a decade. Well done Ford, and to you as well Fisker-Galpin.
