Please Build It! Ford Mustang Ute

Have you ever looked at a prototype or a manufacturer’s styling exercise and dreamt that it would become a production model? That is how I feel about this one-off Ford Mustang Ute. It has remained a well-kept secret for years, but Ford recently released photos and limited details. If it is all that it seems, it would have perfectly combined comfort, practicality, and mind-blowing performance. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Nevadahalfrack for sharing the passion of many to see this type of vehicle revived.

Virtually every country with a vehicle manufacturing industry has contributed to automotive history. Whether it is technology or a particular genre, these developments have sometimes changed the landscape. Australia’s most significant contribution arrived in July 1934, when Ford Australia released the Coupe Utility. Colloquially known as the Ute, the design brief, specified by a farmer’s wife in a 1932 letter to Ford Australia, was “a vehicle to go to church in on a Sunday and which can carry our pigs to market on Mondays.” The Ute found a place in the global market, with North American buyers receiving the Ford Ranchero and the Chevrolet El Camino. Ford produced the last Ranchero in 1979, and there’s no solid evidence that they will revive the badge. However, it occasionally teases us with concepts like this Mustang Ute. Conceived at Ford’s Experimental Vehicles Building Metal Shop, it gave apprentices a hands-on experience producing a concept car. While some concepts end up in the crusher, the Mustang is part of Ford’s US Heritage Fleet of 150 historically significant vehicles.

The Ute is based on a Sixth Generation Mustang body. The team cut away most of the bodywork behind the front seats at the window line, and fabricated a new tailgate using steel from the original taillight panel. Interestingly, this creation has a bit of Down Under heritage, with the bed evolving from the one designed specifically for the Australian Ranger Pickup. With the fabrication complete, the paint shop added a layer of Competition Orange to create what you might describe as a “shock and awe” look. There are no interior or engine bay images, but you would expect occupants to have every creature comfort under the sun. Another mystery is what hides under the hood, though the multiple exhaust tips suggest a V8. That raises a tantalizing prospect. Removing so much steel from this classic would have reduced curb weight, even with the bed installed. If the engine bay houses a 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8, that would put approximately 435hp and 400 ft/lbs of torque beneath the driver’s right foot. If so, this would be a mighty fast beast!

I looked longingly at the Ford Mustang Ute, and I wish Ford would put something similar into production. My feelings are purely personal, and the image above shows why. I bought this Australian 1996 Ford XG Falcon Ute in 2011, earmarking it as a workhorse to tow my race car. When I hung up my helmet, I sold the racer, the specialized tools, and all of my safety equipment. However, the Falcon remained. It had served faithfully and never left me stranded. I eventually decided it deserved a life with the next generation of enthusiasts, so I sold it last year. I shed a tear as it left my driveway because I’d never owned a car that long. It was comfortable and versatile, and I’d consider a Mustang Ute if Ford made one. Would you?