Mustang Mach 40, a custom ’60s-flavored supercar, coming to Gran Turismo

The real trouble with the massive SEMA car customizers’ convetion in ⋆ is that impressive works tend to get overlooked by corporate cosplay and overchromed behemoths. Thankfully, the team behind Sony’s Gran Turismo video game managed to find a worthy candidate for their annual award and invitation to become an in-game ride — the Mustang Mach 40, a somewhat insane project to combine the looks of a 1969 Mach 1 ‘Stang with the parts of the mid-engine Ford GT. Built by Eckert Rod & Custom, “the goal was to create a what-if mid-engine concept car,” the firm says. That meant taking a 2006 Ford GT donor car and its 5.4-liter supercharged V-8, then stretching bodywork over the outside that could evoke the wide-mouth look of the classic Mach Total time from idea to rolling finish: Three years.

Underneath the back hatch, Eckert massaged the V-8 with a larger Whipple supercharger, a conversion to flex-fuel capability and the addition of a dash dial that can boost the engine from 650 hp to 800 hp. From here, the coders at Sony will scan the Mustang Mach 40 and turn it into a digital download for Gran Turismo. It’s a nice way to honor a handsome mix of something old with something new.