Ford P1 supercar comes to life, but you can't drive it
The Team Fordzilla P1 supercar is only meant for video games and esports, but that didn't stop Ford from building a real one.
Look at this thing. What is it? The Ford P1 supercar, that's what, and it rocks. Now, you can't drive it -- in fact, no one will ever drive this car in the real world. This supercar is a digital creation, but that didn't stop the Blue Oval from building one for the real world.
On Wednesday, Ford of Europe debuted the supercar in the metal. This isn't a tiny model, either -- it's a full-scale model of the car that gamers and Ford's esports team, Fordzilla, helped design and create. The automaker said it's the first time any automaker brought a car to life that has loads of input from gamers themselves. We previously saw computer renderings of the supercar back in August for a digital reveal, but there's something wonderful about seeing the car in this state.
In seven weeks, Ford designers took the car from a computer creation to a real model, complete with the car's wild grand-touring-slash-jet-fighter inspiration. From the front, the P1 looks tame, but moving around to the rear shows off a transitioning element with floating buttresses to reveal the cockpit within. It's a bit like the car undresses itself as you move from the front to the rear as the car becomes completely exposed and onlookers take a peek at the Formula One-inspired driving position inside. I said it months ago, but the P1 seriously reminds me of the Ford GT90 concept from decades ago, and I love the futuristic but handsome style. (See more in the gallery below.)
Ford said the cockpit is all about minimizing driver distractions, with a screen to display track status and an integrated screen on the steering wheel for real-time data exchange with a racer's pit wall. Designers tossed in a few nods to gaming culture, too, such as an "AFK" graphic inside while the car's not in use (that's "away from keyboard") and the front of the car's exterior clip reads "GLHF," gamer speak for "good luck, have fun."
Although the machine isn't one for this world, Ford again teased an upcoming collaboration with a "popular racing game" next year. The supercar will be included in some video game in 2021, but which one it'll be, we don't know just yet. Perhaps Gran Turismo 7, which fans are eager to play on the PlayStation 5.
