07 Jan 07
If the Ford Mustang is designed to enhance a chap's pulling power, the Interceptor is a car aimed at the same man when he's gained a family but not lost his enthusiasm for the American dream.
J Mays, Ford's design chief, called the Mustang-inspired four-door saloon concept 'modern American muscle' when he unveiled it at the Detroit Motor Show. 'We translated the design language of the F-250 Super Chief straight on to this car, complete with the three-tier grille.' The F-250 was the giant, ultra-butch pick-up truck shown at Detroit 12 months earlier.
In classic muscle car tradition the Interceptor has an exposed gate for the six-speed manual gearshift. Less traditionally, the head restraints come out of the roof, not the seatbacks, and there's a squared-off steering wheel.
The engine is - of course - a V8, in this case a 5.0-litre unit producing 400bhp, but its 21st century cred comes from its ability to run on E85 biofuel.
It may or may not go into production, but Mays said the Interceptor introduced design elements 'that will probably influence production Fords down the road'.
