Galpin Auto Sports (or GAS) is an automobile repair shop in Van Nuys, California. GAS is better known for its TV show on USA otherwise known as Pimp My Ride on MTV. The group responsible for KITT in the 2008 Knight Rider series (and for embedding in 7-inch TV screens into bumpers on MTV’s Pimp My Ride), has now teamed up with the United States Air Force to create two customized cars for the 2009 Super Car Tour.We have to say; both vehicles have blown us away - literally.
The first vehicle, known as the ‘X-1,’ is based on a Ford Mustang. It has been painted in matte-pearlescent and features a single-driver ejections seat in the center. It also features a short shift flight stick, an advanced instrument panel that will confuse the heck out of you, a motorizes steering wheel, a GPS transponder, and a touch screen monitor that displays night and thermal vision. Power comes from a 4.6L V8, which features 3-valve Ford Racing heads, a cold air intake, hot rod cams and long tube headers. All that gives the X-1 the ability to throttle 500-hp.
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Next up is the stealth-black Air Force ‘Vapor’ based on the Dodge Challenger. On the outside, Vapor features one-off carbon fiber wheels, shaker hood, radar-absorbing paint, proximity sensors and a 360- degree camera with a ¼ mile range. Open the vertical doors to the Vapor and you’ll see an interior complete with aircraft style controls, a passenger side steering wheel, GPS tracking, night and thermal vision on the front windshield.
The best part? The ‘Vapor’ actually features a custom stealth exhaust mode that allows you to drive the Challenger in complete silence. If that’s not enough to get you jumping out of your seat, the Vapor also carries an advanced computer system with remote control UAV-type access from anywhere in the world using the internet. The Vapor also comes with two custom flight helmets.
Both vehicles will be used during a marketing campaign by the U.S. Air Force to educate young people on the mechanical and technical career opportunities available within the Air Force.