Ford picked the Goodwood Festival of Speed as the venue for the public debut of a full-scale model of the extreme Team Fordzilla P1 racing vehicle. The concept was unveiled alongside other all-electric products from the automaker, including the Mustang Mach-E GT as well as the Mustang Mach E 1400.
The Team Fordzilla P1 is the very first virtual racing machine created in partnership between the gaming community and a car manufacturer. Almost a quarter of a million people took part in a number of Twitter polls, to determine the driver position, cockpit style, and powertrain on the car. All of this culminated in the development of this virtual racing machine, created to invoke the ultimate digital driving experience.
This prototype features a completely new design commemorating the 55th anniversary of Ford's spectacular triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when the American manufacturer managed to place three of its Ford GTs on the podium. } To accentuate its aerodynamics, the Fordzilla P1 has a fighter jet-like cabin shell and blends an extravagant Ford GT-inspired front end with a fully open rear. This physical model of the Fordzilla P1 was put together by Ford's design teams in Turin & Cologne.
The inside is equally avant-garde, with LED alert lights, keeping the driver and passenger up to date on track status, and a screen incorporated into the steering wheel allowing live data exchange with the pit wall.
Apart from the Fordzilla P1 prototype, Ford also brought the Mustang Mach-E GT and Mustang Mach E 1400. The Mustang Mach-E GT, Ford’s most powerful road-going variant of the all-electric Mach-E SUV, also made its debut at Goodwood. It took part in the prestigious Hillclimb event. It has a maximum power output of 487 horsepower and is outfitted with sophisticated MagneRide adjustable suspension and high-performance Brembo brakes that exude the agility and precision befitting of a sports car.
If we look at the track version, the Mustang Mach E 1400, for its part, is the outcome of ten thousand hours of collaborative efforts between Ford Performance and RTR Vehicles. With seven motors, the car produces a colossal 1419 horsepower, delivered through a single driveshaft. The car has tremendous tuning opportunities to set it up for all kinds of situations, with everything from high-speed racing on track to drifting.
The chassis and powertrain have also been set up to allow for the evaluation of various configurations and their impacts on energy consumption and performance, such as rear, front, and all-wheel drive.
Both these EVs with their sporty attributes validates the brand's pledge, to driving enjoyment, an attribute of Ford vehicles that has been found across generations of its vehicles. With these new ranges of EVs, Ford will continue to remain at the center of a new paradigm of next-generation of its connected products.
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley will himself illustrate the true potential of the all-electric powertrain’s capability, by taking on the Goodwood Hillclimb in the pioneering Mustang Mach-E 1400 prototype.
Check Out Fords electrifying weekend at the Festival of Speed below
