Bill Pierre Ford

To counter Dodge’s successful rear-drive Charger and anticipating Chevy’s rumored rear-drive Impala, Ford has stretched the rear-drive Mustang platform to create a four-door sedan called the Interceptor.

See the Debut of the Ford Interceptor at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show

Riding on a 120.8-in. wheelbase, the Interceptor measures 201.6 in. in overall length. Powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 running on E85 ethanol, the Interceptor delivers 400 bhp to the rear wheels via a six speed manual transmission. Unlike the Mustang, however, the rear suspension is an independent multi-link setup instead of the traditional live axle. Unfortunately, designers grafted the streamliner look of last year’s Super Chief truck concept on what would have been an otherwise handsome four-door. Too bad this concept doesn’t share the same angular good looks as the 427 Concept that bowed in 2003 and has proven so successful on the Fusion. Still, if designers were looking for an intimidating look, they achieved it with a blunt nose that incorporates Ford’s new three-bar grille styling theme, a clamshell “shaker” hood, massive wheels, low greenhouse and high beltline.

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Inside, the Interceptor features low-back bucket seats, which pay homage to ’60s muscle cars. For safety reasons, however, headrests have not been abandoned entirely, instead they deploy from the headliner. A huge center console divides the cabin and all four seats are equipped with four-point safety belts. The rear seat passengers benefit from belts that are inflatable in a crash. The Interceptor’s instrumentation is minimal with a large tach and speedometer dominating the binnacle in front of the driver, while the audio system and climate control are hidden from view. If Ford decided to develop a four-door off the Mustang platform similar to the Interceptor, the earliest it could make it to market would be in the 2010-2011 timeframe.

This ‘85 GMC K-2500 comes from Jim Emmert of Molalla, Oregon. A swapped-in 6.5L turbodiesel with ATS turbocharger motivates the truck, while a Pro Comp 4-inch lift makes room for 35-inch Dick Cepek Mountain Cat tires. Used daily on a farm, Jim can’t help but count down the hours each week before packing his gear and heading up into the nearby Cascade Mountains for weekend ‘wheeling trips. Jim tells us the turbodiesel gets great fuel mileage and offers better performance than the stock 6.2L.

Ed Williams, lives in Kodiak, Alaska. The photos he sent in were taken in Cordova, Alaska, in front of Sheridan Glacier. His rig is a combination of parts that seem to work well in the chilly Northern regions. A ‘69 Ford Bronco frame was mated to a ‘74 body, and runs a 351 Windsor V-8 engine with a Holley 650 Truck Avenger carburetor. A Jacobs ignition and K&N air filter boost power while a C4 transmission and Dana 20 transfer case provide the gearing. Axles are stock except for a Detroit Locker and 4.88 gears. A 3.5-inch lift came from Bronco Graveyard, and dual Rancho 9000s help smooth out the ride. Beefed-up steering, custom-built bumpers, and a six-point cage round out the list of backyard ingenuity.

This ‘03 Grand Cherokee Laredo belongs to Tyler Raymond from Glenburn, Maine. Sporting an FIPK, a Power-Aid 1-inch throttle-body spacer, and a 2-inch body lift, this Jeep is a perfect daily driver for a region where lifts greater than 3 inches are illegal. Other mods include a Kevin’s Off Road transfer-case skidplate and a set of General Grabber AT2 tires.

David and Ben Weisensel of Granite Quarry, North Carolina, are both longtime readers, and these are the rigs they enjoy abusing each week. David drives the F-350 Crew Cab (affectionately referred to as “Black Thunder”) with a 460 with a rebuilt top end. Power goes through a rebuilt E4OD tranny with a shift kit. A front Dana 60 and rear 10.25 both are equipped with 4.56:1 gearing. A set of 35-inch Interco SSRs provide traction. David’s son Ben prefers old-school brute and drives the ‘77 F-250 Hi-Boy. Known around town as “Big Red,” this rig is equipped with a 400 V-8, stock C6, and a stock transfer case. Dana 60s front and rear sit atop 37-inch Boggers on Alcoa polished-aluminum rims.

Jeanne and Chuck Sylvester of Rochester, Massachusetts, own this sweet red rocket ship. Well, maybe it’s not a rocket ship, but we bet it moves like one. Under the shiny red hood lurks a 5.0L Mustang powerplant mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. From there, a trusty NP205 splits the fire between a front Dana 44 with a Truetrac and a custom Ford 9-inch with a locker out back. Both feature Moser axles and 4.10:1 gearing. There’s also a 6.5-inch lift from Rusty’s Off Road. Chuck says the 5.0L has no problem spinning the 35-inch BFG M-Ts.

Jennifer Buch of Tigerton, Wisconsin, drives this ‘90 Dodge Ramcharger equipped with a 4-inch Rough Country lift, 36-inch tires, and a high-output 318 V-8. This shot was taken on the Pipeline Trail of Wisconsin. Jennifer says she got stuck because she had to hit the hole a second time to get a good picture. Nice, Jennifer. Blame the camera …

Seth Hopper is a Marine stationed in Twentynine Palms, California. His ‘72 Jeepster Commando is affectionately known as a “Bullnose.” For now, it’s completely stock, though in the future Seth plans to upgrade the AMC 304 V-8, TH400 transmission, and Dana 20 transfer case with rebuilds. The stock axles are open and feature 3.73:1 gearing for now. We hope to see another photo of Bullnose once Seth gets around to performing the restoration.