The Ford Motor Company forever defined the pony car when it released the first ever Mustang in 1964. Even though Plymouth beat them to the punch with the Barracuda, it was Ford’s interpretation of the sporty coupe that won the day.
More than 55 years later, the Ford Mustang is still the standard among pony cars. But good luck finding an electric version. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E hits the market next spring, but it looks nothing like the pony car of your dreams. It looks like a souped-up SUV with an identity crisis.
You could also pay handsomely for a custom Lithium Mustang based on Ford’s 2019 concept car. The Lithium is a stunningly beautiful car that sacrifices none of the Mustang’s 60s and 70s styling. But you would have to be independently wealthy.
So now what? How about marrying Tesla and Ford to create an entirely new car?
The Aviar R67
Autoblog reports that Russian carmaker Aviar has come to the rescue. They have developed a new Mustang-styled electric vehicle (EV) built on the Tesla Model S. While the R67 is not technically a Mustang, it has been heavily influenced by the classic pony car. You would be forgiven if you mistook it for a late 60s or early 70s fastback.
Aviar’s Aleksey Rachev told Autoblog that the R67’s styling is intentionally designed to recapture the glory days of the pony car. Those were the 1960s, when pony car designers were not afraid of oversized hoods and sweeping lines. They believed it was possible to build a compact coupe that was every bit as bold as a full-size sedan.
The R67 is Mustang-inspired on the exterior but completely Tesla inside. It is powered by two electric motors capable of dishing out 840 hp and a top speed of 155 mph. Aviar even went so far as to create an external sound system that produces the throaty muscle car engine sound. That’s good because a Mustang that sounds like an electric scooter just doesn’t get it done.
An All-Carbon Fiber Body
As you might already know, Tesla relies heavily on carbon fiber to control the weight of its EVs. Aviar has done the same with the R67. Its all-carbon fiber body is light enough to make up for the extra weight of the car’s batteries. The R67’s total weight measures some 4800 pounds – just slightly lighter than a Tesla model S but about 1,400 pounds heavier than a 1967 Mustang fastback.
Unfortunately, electric cars are not terribly practical with aluminum bodies. The extra weight of the aluminum requires more power to get the vehicle from point A to point B. That means less range on a single charge. Carbon fiber is the body material of choice because it is much lighter than aluminum and many times stronger.
Reducing the weight of the body allows the builder to add more batteries. This means longer-range without sacrificing strength.
An Expensive Proposition
If there is a downside to the R67, it will undoubtedly be the price tag. Aviar cannot simply go to a company like Salt Lake City’s Rock West Composites and purchase carbon fiber body panels off the shelf. The panels have to be custom fabricated for each model. That makes them expensive.
The R67 will almost certainly not be as expensive as the custom-made Lithium Mustang. Autoblog says that Aviar is preparing for full production, suggesting the cars will be at least somewhat affordable. If you have ever wanted a classic late 60s Mustang coupled with modern Tesla technology, your dream car is on the horizon.
