TARGA: New Mustang for Tassie?

Among the fascinated punters and media contingents surrounding the Targa Tasmania cars at George Town yesterday were a couple of Prodrive-liveried ‘observers’, including Prodrive Racing Australia (PRA) team principal Tim Edwards.

With Ford’s factory backing for Prodrive's V8 Supercars operation ceasing at the end of this year, Edwards said spreading the reach of PRA and Premat (formerly Prodrive Automotive Technology) is essential to ensure the brand’s on-going viability.

Given the brand’s deep Blue Oval association and the fact the new Mustang officially goes on sale in Australia in December, the question was obvious: Will we be seeing a Prodrive-prepared Mustang at Targa for the 25th anniversary next year?

“It’d be great, wouldn’t it?” said Edwards. “With the new Mustang being right-hand drive, and being relatively affordable off the showroom floor, it’d be very popular for the Targa audience… especially in V8 form.”

Showroom is the key word, as Edwards flagged any plan would concentrate on Showroom class specifications.

“PRA needs to look at new forms of motorsport. Targa may seem a bit left-field for us, but the roll cages and safety aspect… that’s our bread and butter, and there’s also the engineering challenge of making something work for tarmac rallies as opposed to circuit racing.

“We came down to get a feel for the event and what the competitors are doing within the classes, asking the question: 'Where could we fit?' You can read a rule book all you like, but nothing beats the live experience.”

With the process in its infancy, Edwards wouldn’t provide further details, only suggesting: “whether we run it as our own team, whether we run servicing or lease cars, it’s too early to say.”

Edwards also demonstrated an interest in the Targa tour section, where Porsche has held a marquee-exclusive event in recent years with 44 entries in 2015.

While positive on the Mustang discussion, Edwards smiled at an Aston Martin V8 Vantage entered in the event.

“We’re not locked into any one model or make… we still have a relationship with Aston Martin and have been involved in the engine programs for AM race cars," he said.

Additionally, Prodrive global boss David Richards remains a key AM shareholder after serving as chairman from 2007-13. The company also manages Aston Martin Racing.

On Targa itself, Edwards was effusive: “We drove the four stages today [after the competitors] and quickly moved from ‘How can we fit this into the business?’ to ‘How do we compete as drivers?’”

The thought of a new Prodrive-fettled Mustang with a Ford legend (did someone say Tasmanian John Bowe?) behind the wheel for Targa’s 25th Anniversary is truly tantalising.

Full coverage of 2015 Targa Tasmania on motoring.com.au