Ford Mustang Baja Concept: Redneck Raptor or Perfect Pony Car?
The internet is full of photos and renderings that can make you cringe. A few years ago, I was giving a friend of mine a hard time about his new Ford Mustang project. Considering I live in the south, there were no shortage of mullet jokes and hilarious redneck memes. The fact that my friend is a fellow off-road enthusiast, led me to send him a barrage of “off-road themed” Mustangs. As you can imagine, most of these were over-the-top trars (cars transplanted onto truck chassis).
A quick Google search with the key words “off-road Mustang” and “lifted Mustang” will keep you entertained for some time, I promise. In all of my efforts to find the most off-the-wall examples, I stumbled onto the Virtual Models Ford Mustang Baja concept that you see here. To this day, I wish I had never laid eyes on it. Not because it isn’t awesome, but ever since then, I've felt the need to build one. The basic idea behind a long-travel or Baja-themed car isn’t new. People have raced modified cars since the first Baja race kicked off well over 40 years ago. If you stop and think about it, the DNA for a great go-fast desert rig is there. You’re starting with a readily available, relatively lightweight and powerful platform. The aftermarket support for the Mustang is tremendous and you’ll be achieving something that all auto enthusiasts seek, the ability to stand out in the pack. Don’t get me wrong, the fabrication involved will be quite extensive, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Take a look at Local Motors Rally Fighter for example. For the most part, it looks like a lifted car. Sure, its largely composite body and tubular undercarriage make it far different than a production Mustang, but the concept of a long-travel car-ish vehicle is the same. Maybe I am just hillbilly pipe dreaming, but I think this is something that has to happen. So, who’s ready to build?
