Ford reveals one-off Mustang ute built around an Australian-developed Ranger tray

A Mustang ute, but not a production model

A one-off Ford Mustang ute has been revealed, but it is not a production model. Instead, CarExpert reported the custom orange vehicle is the work of Ford's Experimental Vehicle Building (EVB) Metal Shop in the US, and it has been revealed as the latest addition to Ford's US Heritage Fleet by the fleet's manager, Matt Korczyk, on social media. ¹

The build pairs two of the most familiar names in the Australian new-vehicle market: the Mustang, CarExpert noted, is Australia's best-selling sports car, while the Ranger has been the nation's best-selling new vehicle for the past three years and remains the overall sales leader for the first nine months of 2026. The snippet framing from CarExpert similarly described the car as teaming Australia's most popular sports car with the nation's best-selling model overall in a one-off customer car from Ford in the US. ¹

Neither Ford nor CarExpert has indicated any production intent behind the vehicle; CarExpert's reporting is explicit that this is a one-off custom creation rather than a model headed for sale. ¹

From fastback to trayback

The conversion is based on the previous-generation S550 Mustang sold in Australia. As reported by Autoblog and relayed by CarExpert, images show the Mustang's two-door body transformed into what CarExpert called a wild-looking ute, which took hundreds of hours of labour for the Ford EVB Metal Shop team to create. ¹

CarExpert detailed the extent of the bodywork: the team modified the Mustang's sloping roofline, ending it just behind the front seats and removing the rear quarter windows and back seats, with the shortened cabin finished with roof buttresses and a custom rear windscreen. The factory doors remain, as do the muscular rear quarter-panels above the wheels, but the original fastback rear-end has been replaced with an open tray. ¹

That open tray allowed the installation of a load-bed floor from the Australian-developed Ford Ranger, which CarExpert reported was integrated into the Mustang's bodywork and finished with what appears to be a spray-in bedliner. The original bootlid has also been modified to create a functioning tailgate between the Mustang's distinctive triple-bar tail-lights, providing access to the load area. ¹

Shelby GT350 touches and unresolved mechanical questions

CarExpert reported that the front guards, bonnet and black alloy wheels appear to be sourced from a Shelby GT350, a high-performance version of the S550 Mustang that was not officially offered in Australia. ¹

There is no word, according to CarExpert, on whether the Mustang ute is a running vehicle, although its quad exhaust outlets suggest it may have started life as a version powered by Ford's 5.0-litre 'Coyote' V8 petrol engine. According to Ford, as cited by CarExpert, the vehicle began life as a regular production Mustang before being extensively modified by the EVB team. ¹

An apprenticeship project joins the Heritage Fleet

Mr Korczyk said the project was "a way to train apprentices by allowing them to get real-world, hands-on experience by way of building a concept car", in his social media post reported by CarExpert. His post also stated the vehicle "showcases the raw talent and skill of not only the apprentices who honed their craft on this vehicle, but also the talent of those who helped teach them". An original social media post is evidence the statements were made, not that any broader programme outcome follows from them. ¹

CarExpert reported that Ford's US Heritage Fleet includes around 150 historically significant vehicles, including prototypes, concept cars and production models. Based in Dearborn, Michigan, the collection is primarily intended for Ford staff, although selected vehicles are occasionally displayed to the public, according to the CarExpert report. ¹

For Australian context, CarExpert noted the Ford Discovery Centre in Geelong, Victoria, showcased the automaker's local history before closing its doors in 2012, four years before Ford ended local manufacturing. ¹

Where the Mustang and Ranger stand in the Australian market

CarExpert's sales context underlines why the pairing resonates locally: the Mustang was Australia's best-selling sports car in 2025 and continues to lead the segment this year to the end of September, while the Ranger has been Australia's best-selling new vehicle for the past three years and remains the overall sales leader for the first nine months of 2026, according to CarExpert. ¹

No pricing, availability or production details apply to this vehicle, as it is a one-off custom build rather than a market offering; CarExpert's report does not attach any sales plans to it. What is documented is its new home: as the latest addition to Ford's US Heritage Fleet, it now sits alongside a collection of around 150 historically significant vehicles in Dearborn, Michigan, per CarExpert. ¹