Image source: hotcars.com

What Started It All

Now, I know what you might be thinking, and trust us, we thought the same thing. How in the world is this related in any way to the cars we got? Believe it or not, it isn’t. Not directly, anyway. This one-off concept car was designed by Taru Lahti by the then Ford-owned Italian Design Studio: Ghia, as a showcase of what Ford’s future automotive design could look like. Gone is the wedge boxiness of the 80’s, and instead are smooth aerodynamic curves and organic asymmetric geometric shapes, which did make their way into the released Focus models. Take one look at the dash of a 2000 through 2004 Focus to see what we mean.

New Edge Alpha

While not called this at the time, the Focus Ghia concept was the design study that is credited with kicking off what later was known as the New Edge design language. New Edge design “distinctively combined intersecting arcs and other features, creating surface tension by adding creases to soft aerodynamic shapes." Further design studies using this language would be created, including the Ford GT90, which was the first vehicle designed under the New Edge Design Language. The Ford Ka, released in 1996, was the first production vehicle released using New Edge, followed by the Puma in 1997, the Focus (in Europe) in 1998, and the facelifted Mustang in 1999.

Lets Talk Performance

Despite all these supple curves, underneath this sculpted body lies a true Ford performance king. This concept car was built on top of an Escort Cosworth RS, meaning this two door roadster is pushing out 227HP from its turbocharged Cosworth YB 4-cylinder engine. It’s also rather light, tipping the scales at just over 2100lbs, thanks in large part to it’s carbon fiber-composite body. It’s siting on 18 inch tri-spoke wheels, which are strikingly similar to a wheel design that would be seen on the redesigned Ford Probe only one year later. We couldn’t find any information about what kind of suspension or braking system it’s running, but considering it’s a Cossie underneath, we suspect that it’s pretty compliant stuff.

Interior Design Study

The asymmetric design continues on the inside. The steering wheel is made from a single piece of wood, with two bent metal tubes connecting it to the column. The dash has been designed to flow seamlessly into the door cars (again, look at the dash of the 00-04’s to see how this design concept made it’s way into the production cars) and uses brushed aluminum to accent the dark blue interior. The seats and arm rest are wrapped in leather, and the floorboards are made out of…well..wood. Is it just me, or does this whole interior remind you of the old Windows Media Player mini-player skins?

Even though it was a concept, this car hung around Ford’s design studios, until it was auctioned off in 2002 for an astonishing $1M USD! Between this and three other concept cars sold at the same auction, Ford raised $3.8M USD for the Ford Fund. The Ford Fund was founded in 1949 and continues to supports charities in the United States and 40 other countries around the world.