Photo: Instagram | wb.artist20
Perhaps the best-known ute is the Chevrolet El Camino. This model was made for five generations from the late 1950s to the late '80s. However, the El Camino was the bowtie brand's answer to the Ford Ranchero, which came out two years before it and stayed in the market until the late '70s.
No fewer than seven generations of the Ford Ranchero were made during this time. The final one shared its traits with the Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar and came with V8 power solely. Dodge also had a go at this class with the Rampage, which saw the light of day from 1982 to 1984 in a little over 37,000 copies. This makes it the rarest of the three, and since it came with a straight-four, the least desirable, too.
With all three companies abandoning this niche, there are no modern successors to either of them. And since most automakers are only interested in electric crossovers these days, chances are the ute will never make a comeback. Nonetheless, we wouldn't be surprised if some of these monikers get revived at one point, yet if they do, then chances are they won't share any design traits with their predecessors. After all, there's not a huge demand for such rides to justify the R&D costs.
But while neither Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, or any other company seems interested in turning one existing model into an ute, several rendering artists have. The latest that we came across has wb.artist20's signature on it, which was recently shared on social media. You don't have to be a connoisseur to tell that it was based on the latest generation Ford Mustang, retaining the front-end design, styling of the taillights, and sporting an open bed behind the cockpit.
It also features a wing for a sportier stance, has fender flares, and a reshaped hood, which would hide some serious firepower under it. The only engines available for the latest generation Mustang are the 2.3L EcoBoost and the 5.0L naturally aspirated V8. The latter pumps out as much as 500 horsepower in the Dark Horse version of the muscle car, 20 horsepower more than the regular GT. The GTD will bring an estimated 800 hp to the party when it launches, and we reckon the Shelby GT500 will be even more impressive.
Rumor has it that the upcoming Shelby version of the S650 Mustang is due in 2025 as a 2026 model. It should cost nearly $100,000 in its base form and much more than that with every option installed. As for the firepower, it will likely dwarf the GTD, but that's our two cents and should be taken accordingly. In the meantime, do you think Ford should bring back the Ranchero as a modified Mustang? And if they do, would you really buy one? Drop a line below and tell us what you think about this idea.
With all three companies abandoning this niche, there are no modern successors to either of them. And since most automakers are only interested in electric crossovers these days, chances are the ute will never make a comeback. Nonetheless, we wouldn't be surprised if some of these monikers get revived at one point, yet if they do, then chances are they won't share any design traits with their predecessors. After all, there's not a huge demand for such rides to justify the R&D costs.
But while neither Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, or any other company seems interested in turning one existing model into an ute, several rendering artists have. The latest that we came across has wb.artist20's signature on it, which was recently shared on social media. You don't have to be a connoisseur to tell that it was based on the latest generation Ford Mustang, retaining the front-end design, styling of the taillights, and sporting an open bed behind the cockpit.
It also features a wing for a sportier stance, has fender flares, and a reshaped hood, which would hide some serious firepower under it. The only engines available for the latest generation Mustang are the 2.3L EcoBoost and the 5.0L naturally aspirated V8. The latter pumps out as much as 500 horsepower in the Dark Horse version of the muscle car, 20 horsepower more than the regular GT. The GTD will bring an estimated 800 hp to the party when it launches, and we reckon the Shelby GT500 will be even more impressive.
Rumor has it that the upcoming Shelby version of the S650 Mustang is due in 2025 as a 2026 model. It should cost nearly $100,000 in its base form and much more than that with every option installed. As for the firepower, it will likely dwarf the GTD, but that's our two cents and should be taken accordingly. In the meantime, do you think Ford should bring back the Ranchero as a modified Mustang? And if they do, would you really buy one? Drop a line below and tell us what you think about this idea.
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