Ford reveals Mustang-based concept

[Robert]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Ford Motor Co. will introduce a 4-door, V-8 concept-car carrying most of the mechanical underpinnings of its popular Mustang sports car, the company said in a recent statement.

With its six-speed manual gearbox, low roof-line and massive 22-inch wheels, the design is targeted at driving enthusiasts looking for a bold design but who can't fit the family in a two-door coupe.

The car will be officially unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.

The Interceptor is similar in design and spirit to Chrysler's popular Dodge Charger sedan.

"The Interceptor concept is a sedan, but with the heart and soul of a performance car," Freeman Thomas, director of Ford's North American strategic design department, said in a statement.

Powering the square-shouldered sedan is a 400-horsepower Ford Racing 5.0-liter V-8 engine, a variant of the 4.6-liter currently in the Mustang GT.

Like the Mustang, the car is rear-wheel drive with a solid rear axle.

Inside, the interceptor boasts a black leather interior with contrasting caramel stitching on the seats.

Other features include a speedometer and tachometer with needles that start at the center and move opposite each other as speed and RPM climb. Ford intentionally kept many other extras out of the cabin.

"This car is about restraint, and not clouding the driving experience with too much technology," said Thomas. "There aren't a lot of layers between the driver and the road."

The car's four bucket seats sport four-point seat belts that go over both shoulders. The rear seats have belts that inflate in the event of a crash to minimize belt-related injuries.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/AUTOS/01/02/ford_interceptor/