The Mazda RX-Vision GT3 and the Lamborghini Lambo V12 Vision Gran Turismo were designed for the gaming world but the Team Fordzilla P1 concept is the first vehicle designed in collaboration between an automaker and gamers.
First revealed during the gamescom event, the virtual racing car was created using fan notes on Twitter at different design stages. Gamers decided on elements including seating position, cockpit style and drivetrain before Ford designers worked up their interpretations of the brief.
The car combines design of the Ford GT with design that isn’t typical in the real world.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company
The winning result is a car designed by Ford exterior designer Arturo Ariño, which garnered 83.8 percent of the votes. In total, close to 225,000 fans voted.
“Project P1 took me to the beginning of it all,” said Ariño. “The reason why I became a car designer in the first place was to design something never seen before and something that pushes the boundaries. This vehicle will be visually stunning, and while it will push the gamer to the limits of focus and reflexes, it will also be hugely rewarding to drive.”
Ariño drew inspiraron for his design from the Ford GT, but used unique touches like morphing technology on the body to offer the stability of a longtail racer on the high-speed straights of Le Mans, or a shorter body for tighter circuits like Monaco.
The race car is expected to make its gaming debut in 2021 as Ford is in advanced discussions with a leading game maker.
Ford is making a physical version of the car.Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company
A real-life scale model of the car will be built later this year. The process has already started at Ford’s design studios in Cologne, Germany.
TeamFordzilla.com, a new addition to the esports community, will provide a permanent home for Ford’s official esports team. Fans are able to follow live Twitch feeds of races, download vehicle graphics for use in-game, and keep up-to-date with the latest news.
Ford launched Team Fordzilla – its first ever esports team – in 2019 with individual teams in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, consisting of hand-picked racers. Each team competes in national competitions with dedicated team captains, with the best drivers representing Team Fordzilla at a European level. Currently, over 40 drivers race under the Team Fordzilla banner.
