Fordzilla P1 Virtual Race Car Comes To Life In Real-World Debut

You still can't drive it though.

By: Christopher Smith

Dec 17, 2020 at 12:13pm ET

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We've seen plenty of crazy car designs for use in video games, but they usually stay there. That's not to say you can climb into this particular low-slung, wild-child of a race car and drive away. However, you could climb behind the wheel and at least pretend to defy the laws of physics in this futuristic Ford.

To refresh your memory, this is the Fordzilla P1 – no relation to the McLaren P1 – and it's designed for virtual racing in the world of video games. It actually has an interesting backstory, as the car was created through a collaboration of gamers and Ford designers. The process kicked off back in March, with nearly 250,000 gamers offering votes of approval on everything from the cockpit to the seats and where the engine should be. Blue Oval designers Robert Engelmann and Arturo Ariño were the driving forces behind the exterior and interior, and the car finally made its digital debut back in August at Gameson 2020 in Germany.

Gallery: Team Fordzilla P1

Since its mission is to race in the digital world, things such as driver visibility and functionality take a back seat to out-of-this-world styling. The rear is exposed to show the suspension, while the extremely arched front fenders are nearly as tall as the jet-fighter-inspired canopy over the interior. It certainly looks sleek from all angles, but alas, we don't know how fast it is. This car hasn't yet been used in a racing title.

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However, here's where the story takes a twist. Existing purely in the digital world, the Fordzilla P1 team got to work on building an actual car. Working remotely due to coronavirus, the crew took the car from CAD files to a full-size, real-world creation in just seven weeks. That's an impressive timeframe in the best of circumstances, never mind operating during a pandemic where in-person meetings were not possible. And yet, we have the actual Fordzilla P1 you see above, looking just like it does on a computer screen with its massive wheels, flat canopy, and exposed backside.

Of course, it's just a mock-up. There's no engine in the car, and to be honest, we're not even sure if that canopy opens for access to the interior. Still, it's always neat to see automotive imaginations running wild, and we suspect this car will be seen at a few auto shows in the not-too-distant future.

Source: Ford