Shock And Awesome: Air Force Deploys Tuned Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger

By Richard Read

Richard Read

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Richard Read covers technology, social media, advertising, legal issues, and other auto industry topics for High Gear Media. With a background in... More

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Air Force 'X-1' Mustang by Galpin Auto Sports

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Air Force 'X-1' Mustang by Galpin Auto Sports

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Air Force 'Vapor' Challenger by Galpin Auto Sports

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It's no secret that the U.S. military has had recruitment problems in recent years. As a result, each branch has been forced to hone its marketing skills and speak more persuasively to potential enlistees. The Air Force's new Project: Supercar campaign is a spectacular example of how that that savvy can be put into service.

In a nutshell, the USAF hired Galpin Auto Sports to transform a Ford Mustang and a Dodge Challenger into serious supercars. The goal: to draw young gearheads to Air Force recruitment events. The result: the "X-1" Mustang and the "Vapor" Challenger.

On the outside, both cars look vaguely similar to other souped-up rides, with scissor-doors, carbon fiber-trim, and other tuner-ish bling. On the inside, however, the Air Force influence becomes startlingly clear. The X-1 is tricked-out like a jet cockpit, with an ejection seat (non-functioning, we assume) and an instrumentation panel to make any gizmo junkie's heart race. The Vapor's interior is done in two-seat style, with a bonus steering wheel for the passenger and a special "stealth mode" for the exhaust system. If the Air Force was looking for "shock and awe", Galpin totally delivered.

However, the Project: Supercar campaign does raise a couple of questions:

♦  Would we have to take a physical to score a ride in one of these babies?

♦  Does any enlistee really expect to receive one of these after signing on the dotted line?

♦  How long until we can get the Vapor's "radar-absorbing paint" on our Chevettes?

If you're interested, you can visit the USAF's flash-heavy site for vid clips about the making of the X-1 and the Vapor. (Unfortunately, the Air Force seems to have gotten the memo about teens and badass cars, but not about embeddable videos. You'd think an org that has the word "cyberspace" in its motto might know better.)  And if you're really interested, a press release about the whole thing is below.

Now, as you were.

[source: AirForce via JV]

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Galpin Auto Sports PARTNERS WITH U.S. Air Force TO CREATE

Two “SUPERCARS”

Built for the 2009 Recruiting Tour: the ‘X-1’ Ford Mustang and ‘Vapor’ Dodge Challenger Feature Hyper-Advanced Technology and Design   

NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 1, 2009) – Galpin Auto Sports collaborated with the United States Air Force to create  two customized vehicles for its 2009 Super Car Tour – a new U.S. Air Force recruiting initiative that kicked off in May. The white Ford Mustang ‘X-1’ and black Dodge Challenger ‘VAPOR’ are Air Force-inspired designs that will travel across the country this year as part of a mobile marketing campaign to educate young people on the mechanical and technical career opportunities available within the Air Force.

Southern California based Galpin Auto Sports is widely known for its corporate and one-off vehicle designs, through its involvement with various movies and TV projects, including the 2008 “Knight Rider” series’ KITT car, the upcoming movie car in the thriller “The Red Mist” and the acting-home base of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”.

“For Galpin Auto Sports to be commissioned by the most technologically advanced organization on Earth is truly an honor” said Beau Boeckmann, Chief Designer for Galpin Auto Sports. “This is one of the most extraordinary and important projects that we have ever done.”