Ford Sliced A Mustang Into A Ute And Kept It In The Shadows

Based on the S550 generation, it’s been hiding in plain sight

Automakers like Ford have plenty of cancelled projects that never escape the closed doors of their design studios. However, every now and then, someone spills a secret and reminds us that people who work on cars are kids at heart. At the Ford Experimental Vehicles Building (EVB) in Dearborn, Michigan, there is a wild creation that waited years before stepping into the light. We’re talking about a Ford Mustang that has been converted into a two-door pickup. 

While we’ve seen plenty of ute conversions over the years, including a BMW M4 pickup, this one is not the work of a crazy builder, but comes from Ford itself. The Blue Oval never mentioned anything about the existence of a factory-built Mustang Ute, even though such a project would be quite fitting for the SEMA Show. The only reason we learned about it is Matt Korczyk, manager of Ford’s U.S. Heritage Fleet, who shared a few photos on his Instagram page.

This is how you slice up a Mustang

The Mustang “Ute” Concept is based on the pony car’s S550 generation that was in production between 2015 and 2023. The highlight is the removed rear section of the roof, which has been replaced by a functional truck bed complete with a tailgate. The metalwork is impressive, with the custom bulkhead featuring an integrated spoiler and a vertical rear windshield similar to the Ford Ranger. The body kit stems from a pre-facelifted Shelby GT350, including the aggressive bumper intakes, vented hood, side gills, and rear diffuser with quad tailpipes. 

However, the Shelby Cobra badges have been removed, alongside the Ford and Mustang emblems. Due to the nature of the pickup, there is no carbon fiber wing that would limit its practicality. The exterior appears to be painted in Twister Orange Metallic, combined with a black finish for the ten-spoke alloy wheels. The heavily tinted windows do not allow us a look inside the two-seater cabin, but the front windshield has a special sticker, revealing the “experimental” nature of the build.

So what’s the backstory?

According to Matt Korczyk, the one-off Mustang concept “was built by the team in the Ford EVB Metal Shop, as a way to train apprentices by allowing them to get real world, hands on experience by way of building a concept car.” The process is said to have taken hundreds of hours, but was never shown to anyone outside the premises until the Instagram post went viral. 

Instead of heading to the crusher like most Ford prototypes do, the Mustang Ute is now part of the Detroit automaker’s Heritage Fleet, meaning it will be preserved in pristine condition. Korczyk said that the pickup “serves as a great reminder of how skilled trades of all kinds are integral to the Company. It also showcases the raw talent and skill of not only the apprentices who honed their craft on this vehicle, but also the talent of those who helped teach them.”

Potential for a new Ford ute

Even as a bench exercise, this unique Mustang conversion hits close to home for fans of the retired Ford Falcon Ute in Australia. Speaking of which, Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO, recently reopened the door to a reborn Falcon Ute, seriously hinting at a potential successor. If the project gets the green light, a Mustang ute would probably need to adopt a hybrid setup instead of a non-electrified V8, allowing it to meet strict emission regulations. 

Furthermore, any new model would have to be sold to multiple markets in order to justify the R&D expenditure. While a ute is a little bit far fetched, Ford is reportedly working on a four-door hybrid V8-powered derivative of the Mustang, known as the Mach 4. The company has already shown prototypes to U.S. dealers and it could arrive before the end of the decade with a hybrid V8 powertrain and a sub-$40,000 starting price.

Source: www.carscoops.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.