Ford Interceptor Concept: the lowdown
What do you get if you take the iconic Ford Mustang and mix in a four-door saloon with a large dollop of attitude? Ford has tried just that and come up with the Interceptor concept, due to bow in at the Detroit Motor Show next week. Conceived along the lines of the Chrysler 300C, this is a four-door you’d be happy to drive, unlike many of Ford’s recent saloons. You can thank a slick new look, peppered with Amerciana muscle; that unmistakable front end is very similar to last year’s Tonka-toy-inspired F-250 Super Chief pick-up concept.
So how is the Interceptor related to the Mustang?
You’d better believe it; this is a Mustang in sensible, four-door drag. The Interceptor is based on the ‘Stang platform – albeit stretched for the occasion – and has a feisty 5.0-litre Ford Racing V8. It might run on E85 ethanol, but it musters a strong 400bhp. It’s an updated version of the 4.6-litre lump in the Mustang, which should guarantee some real character. The donor V8 is one of the things that makes the ‘Stang so special, after all. No performance claims have been released ahead of its Detroit debut, but rest assured, this is a four-door that won’t be easily beaten at the lights.
What about the Ford Interceptor’s design, then?
Stubby overhangs, brutish surfaces and a high beltline give the Interceptor some real menace. It looks like a credible alternative to the 300C – but with a Ford twist. The three-bar grille, for example, is becoming a Blue Oval trademark, and the rear lights echo the lozenge-shaped Mustang’s. Inside the cabin, low-slung seats cosset all four passengers and the headrests deploy from the ceiling. There’s also a hint of Volvo in there, with four-point harnesses on each seat; the Swedes are working on new seatbelts and these are expected to appear across the Ford portfolio in the coming years.