Sung Kang’s Ford Maverick ‘Project Underdog’ Wins At SEMA

Actor Sung Kang has revealed his custom Ford Maverick ‘Project Underdog’ built alongside three students from Alhambra High School in California.

Kung partnered with Pennzoil and SEMA for the project that started out with an old Maverick and saw it totally transformed into a bespoke creation mimicking the design of the actor’s Datsun 240Z, unveiled at SEMA 2015.

The Maverick’s bodywork is totally new and includes a set of flared wheel arches, a custom front bumper, black wing mirrors mounted in front of the wheels and a unique set of deep-dish gold aftermarket wheels.

Additionally, the original engine of the Maverick has been replaced with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder from the current sixth-gen Mustang, promising to radically improve the vehicle’s performance.

As impressive as the finished product is, the most important part proved to be the building process. During construction, the father of one of the students passed away, leaving him understandably devastated yet eager to see the build through to the end. The students also learned some invaluable skills for working on cars while surrounded by experienced tutors and mechanics.

For their efforts, Ford awarded the car with a Corporate Design Award due to its significant contribution to vehicle design.