Ford Mustang Raptor off-road V8 coupe possible

It’s a matter of when and how – not if – the iconic Ford Mustang model range continues to expand.

And a mud-slinging, V8-powered Ford Mustang ‘Raptor’ coupe with jacked-up suspension, all-terrain tyres and underbody armour certainly isn’t off the menu.

Ford was accused of diluting its legendary muscle car nameplate when it launched the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV in 2020, but the high-riding EV has proved a smash hit in the US and Europe – delaying its Australian launch until later this year – and now Ford appears open to new ideas with the Mustang.

One of them could be a rip-snorting, V8-powered desert-dueller in the same vein as high-riding crossover super-coupes like the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Sterrato.

Talking to Australian journalists at the launch of the new track-bred Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Charlotte, USA last week, the global director of Ford Performance Motorsport, Mark Rushbrook, said an off-road oriented Mustang with improved ground clearance wasn’t out of the question.

“Certainly, we could do it with a regular Mustang,” he said when asked about the possibility of a Mustang-based off-roader, adding that Ford Performance was “always looking at new opportunities” and that the new Mustang Mach-E Rally concept was one such example.

“So we saw the Mustang Mach-E Rally, which has a slight increase in ride height, retuned suspension and a bigger tyres and wheels and skid plates and several other things, so that’s rally-inspired from all of our experience in rally and rally cross,” added Rushbrook.

While a Ford Mustang Raptor (‘Rapstang’, anyone?) has not been officially confirmed by Ford – despite US media reports insisting it will debut in 2026 – one of the new seventh-generation S650 Mustang’s senior engineers, vehicle integration boss Tim Smith, said a mud-plugging Mustang dirt demon is technically feasible.

“Anything’s possible. I could build one in my garage now. Ford Motor Company certainly has the technical capability to do so,” he told carsales.

“But would we do something like that? I can’t say. It’s getting beyond my scope. We have a very smart product planning team that comes up with those sorts of things,” he added.

Smith explained that the current Mustang platform does not support all-wheel drive, but said that wasn’t necessarily a road block.

“Could you hack something [AWD] together if you’re clever? I’m never going to say never on that.

“It would be fun to build one. But that’s me talking as a car guy. We cover off-road products very well at Ford, in lots of ways, and the new Mach-E Rally, it’s an interesting product and we’re excited about it.

“We’ll see. Maybe there’s some new opportunities that product opens up for us. It’s a good first entrée,” he stated.

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