SP40 Restomod Is Built Around The One Ford That Edsel Actually Got Right

SP40 Speedster debuts in Miami bringing modern take on 1934 icon.
It’s inspired by Edsel Ford’s one-off Model 40 Special Speedster design.
Now available to order in US as a bespoke build for wealthy collectors.

Edsel Ford’s many achievements at his dad’s place have been unfairly tainted by the infamous 1958-60 sedan flop that took his name over a decade after he’d died. But the SP40 Speedster celebrates this genuine car guy by paying tribute to one of his most famous creations, the one-off 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster.

We posted about the SP40 Speedster last year, but now the Argentine company behind it, SP40 Restomod, has just debuted the car in Miami and is ready to take customer orders. It makes no mention of price, but while this kind of craftsmanship never comes cheap, we’d hope that one of these evocations costs less than the $1.76 million someone paid for the original in 2018.

SP40 Restomod Is Built Around The One Ford That Edsel Actually Got Right

Edsel’s car disappeared for years, gaining near-mythical status among collectors, before being rediscovered and restored. Now, SP40 has essentially taken that idea and asked what it might look like if it never stopped evolving.

You’ve still got those long, flowing proportions and low-slung stance, but now they’re wrapped in carbon fiber that helps keep the weight to 1,190 kg (2,623 lbs), which is not much more than a Mazda Miata weighs.

Mustang Coyotte Heart

Under the skin sits a Ford Mustang Coyote 5.0-liter V8 making over 480 hp (487 PS) and hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission. And the whole thing rides on a purpose-built chassis and independent double-wishbone suspension with adjustable coilovers designed to make it more than just a showpiece.

According to the company, the goal wasn’t to recreate history but to “awaken it.” Inside and out, everything is bespoke. Each car is built to order, meaning no two examples will be identical and owners will get the chance to incorporate their own trim and design tweaks into their car before taking delivery.

In a world where even enthusiasts cars are increasingly defined by screens and software, the SP40 is proudly going the other way, a bit like the Morgan Three Wheeler. Yeah, it’d be useless in the rain or on a long road trip, but it’s analog, mechanical, and unapologetically emotional. We like the sound of that as much as we like the look of it.