The new Ford Mustang hasn't been out for long, but tuners are already beginning to explore what is possible when given the Mustang’s coupe body and more sophisticated suspension setup. Galpin Auto Sports and Henrik Fisker have approached the challenge of improving the Mustang by adding (much) more power and a bespoke carbon fiber body, for the Fisker-Galpin Rocket.
Fisker is best known for his work on the Fisker Karma, an ambitious attempt at creating a properly sustainable hybrid sportscar that was crippled by financial difficulties. But Fisker is also a car designer with an impressive set of credentials, including being the pen behind BMW's Z8, and also serving a stint at Aston Martin.
In their quest to create the “Ultimate American Muscle Car”, Henrik Fisker and Galpin have taken cues from some of the best-loved "specialty" Mustangs in history and worked them into the Rocket’s carbon fiber bodywork – especially the design of the 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500. The car’s hexagonal grille with its polished aluminum bar and large Mustang icon separate the car from Ford’s standard offering, as do the aggressively flared wheel arches and neatly integrated bootlid spoiler.
That huge front grille isn’t just for show, because hiding behind it is the Rocket’s V8 heart. Producing 725 hp (541 kW), the supercharged V8 needs plenty of air to keep it cool, hence the car’s massive front intake and splitter, which helps draw hot air out from underneath the car and more efficiently cool the motor. As well as helping to facilitate cooling, the front splitter works with the car’s rear diffuser and polished-carbon side skirts to provide high-speed downforce.
There is more to the Rocket than a massive engine and aggressive bodykit. Its 21-inch ADV.1 wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tires, and hide 15-inch Brembo Gran Turismo brakes behind them. The whole package also sits on a fully adjustable independent suspension system, that will allow drivers to set their Rocket up specifically for how they plan to use it.
The Rocket debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and Galpin claims the car will go into production before the end of 2014, with the first customer deliveries taking place in early 2015.
Source: Galpin Auto Sports