That title may seem pretty aggressive, especially given the fact that this particular ’68 Ford Torino GT doesn’t actually exist in real life, yet we like to think it could give a Chevy a run for its money when you consider how a real life version of this restomod could drive. Now that may seem like one big ugly hypothetical, and that’s because it is. In the world of digital render automobile art, you get to relish in hypotheticals. The artists over at HotCars clearly flexed their imaginative skills with this 1968 Ford Torino GT RestoMod.
Right off the bat, you can tell just how beautifully understated this car was when it first rolled off the factory. The Torino GT was basically the Mustang’s big brother, and it featured some very similar design elements to the Mustang Fastback. The sloping roofline. The coke bottle rear quarters. Even the deck lid carries Mustang design cues. But where the similarities end are in the Torino’s size. It’s a whole 20 inches longer than a ’68 Mustang, and only 7 inches shorter than a ’68 Dodge Charger. If you remember, the Torino is actually based on the Ford Fairlane, a car that pre-dated the birth of the Mustang. Before pony cars changed the world, the average muscle car was quite large, and huge by today’s standards. And yet, Ford was able to make the Torino look sporty and, well, not huge.
HotCars managed to make the Torino GT look even more sporty and downright hardcore in this render. You can see everything has been changed. Low, sweeping side skirts, wide fender flares, air ducts, modern wheels, tires and brakes give the Torino GT a modern revival. Again you can see the sloping roofline in the fastback shape. This was a very popular design choice for many muscle cars of the late 60s. Even the A-Body Dodge Chargers were fastbacks before the B-Body got flying buttresses. Every piece of chrome is gone from this car with the exception of the window trim; an interesting way to retain some of the classic norms of the era.
You’re probably wondering what that big bulbous red thing is that’s sticking out of the hood. We would venture to assume it’s likely a Ford 5.0L Coyote V8 of some generation given the double air intakes. The Coyote’s stock horsepower (480HP) is plenty for a car this age, but knowing how the RestoMod world likes to take things to the extreme, if we were to see a real life version of this car at SEMA it would probably have a Whipple Supercharger on it or a centrifugal Procharger. Given the Torino’s size, you could fit a wide, dual overhead cam engine like the Coyote in the engine bay with little modification. But you could also opt for the Godzilla, a modern 7.3L pushrod Ford V8 that packs sizzling power in small block proportions. Either engine would put this Torino in an entirely new league.
Here you can get another view of the engine sticking out of the hood, but you also get a view of the widebody kit on this Torino. It’s front fenders have been exaggerated considerably, and openings in the front fenders are a clue that extra cooling has been provided to the big disc brakes.
The same is evident at the rear of the Torino. Its rear quarter panels have been extended to fit a large wheel and tire combo. The rear also has air ducting to keep the tires and brakes cool during intense driving. LED lights at the front add another modern touch for safety, and the inner headlight housings look like they could be air catchers just like on the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. A front chin spoiler keeps the air from rushing underneath the car, combining with the rest of this body kit for some serious downforce.
Is this a Ford RestoMod that you would want to see at SEMA? How would you build the ultimate Ford Torino GT?