When the internal combustion engine was dreamed up in the late 19th Century, the idea that one day it would become small enough to fit in a suit case while harnessing enough power to outrun a locomotive seemed far fetched even for the imgination of Jules Verne or H.G. Welles. Ford in conjunction with Mattel and Bandito Brothers have made this a reality when they transformed the life sized Hot Wheels Rip Rod into a fully functional off roading machine.

Mattel and Hollywood production studio Bandito Brothers built a life sized Hot Wheels off roader nicknamed the Rip Rod which they debuted at the 2012 SEMA show. Rip Rod looked like every young boy’s dream car from their collection had come to life. However, it was only a concept car that was unable to move under its own power- that was until Ford got involved in the project to bring this dream car to life. Ford had been developing a 1.0-liter inline 3 EcoBoost motor which, despite its micro machine size still produces 123 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque.

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Ford Racing tested the fully operational Rip Rod out in the dunes of the desert where the driver looked to be having the most fun in the world. Despite its compact size this little machine lived up to its name as it ripped through the sea of sand. As late as only a few years ago, the idea of a car engine that could fit in a suitcase seemed like a joke. However, Bandito, Ford, and Mattel have proved that even the wildest things in your imagination can become a reality, if you put your mind to it and make it happen.