Ford Crown Victoria Fires Up V12 Tank Engine, Is Almost Ready to Hit 236 MPH

Occasionally, someone will go further than that and think of something even crazier. Last year we showed you a Ford Mustang with an LS engine that had 8 turbos attached to it, and it was insane, to say the least. The guys over at Stanceworks are building a Liberty Walk Ferrari with a turbocharged Honda engine. But perhaps the most insane project we've come across is the Meteor Interceptor. With that kind of a fancy name, you'd expect a fancy setup, and you wouldn't be disappointed. Because this Decepticon-sounding machine, which happens to look like a Ford Crown Victoria, is powered by a V12 engine that came off a tank.

The Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 is related to the Merlin, which was used on an actual airplane back in the day. And these brave Swedes decided that using a 27-liter engine for their project car wasn't going to be completely impossible to achieve. Given the scale of this project, it has been in development for several years now. But according to Daniel and the team, they are not far off from performing a track test. Last time we checked, they were aiming to bring the twin-turbo V12 up to 2,500 horsepower and 3,800 lb-ft (5,160 Nm) of torque. That would have theoretically allowed them to go faster than 200 mph (321 kph).

They've been hard at work ever since, and now we get to see the first test of the complete drivetrain. The Meteor Interceptor is now equipped with a drag-prepped TH400 gearbox, and the rear axle has been rebuilt using a Strange S-Trac differential. As it stands right now, this vehicle should be capable of reaching speeds over 236 mph (380 kph). With a setup like this, you have to make sure that the chassis can live up to the job, so a series of other upgrades were in order.

The Meteor Interceptor now has electric power steering, a brand new brake system using Wilwood parts, a fully rebuilt interior, a new cooling system, and the list doesn't stop there. What you have to appreciate here is the precision and patience of the team. Some people would have probably just rushed to take the car out onto the track for a test, but these guys are taking things step by step, making sure everything is in order. The Ford Crown Vic is going to go on its maiden journey later this month, when it will be on display at the "Bilsport Performance and Custom Motor Show" - one of the largest car shows in Northern Europe.

But the fun part will begin about two months from now when the Meteor Interceptor will go out for a high-speed test on an old airport. If it could hit 250 mph (403 kph), I'm sure that it's going to attract even more attention than it already has. As we were telling you last year, there have also been talks about sending the car over to Germany, where it would take on the Green Hell. It might not set a lap record there, but it's bound to provide an interesting perspective for both spectators and people viewing at home.