Ford Experimental -Concept Vehicles

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1978 Ford Lucano Ghia

The Lucano was a two-seat sports car, based on the European Escort, which resembles the TR-7 in its wedged lines. The front-mounted engine could range anywhere from 1.1 to 2.0 liters

[tesgt350]

1978 Ford Lucano Ghia

The Lucano was a two-seat sports car, based on the European Escort, which resembles the TR-7 in its wedged lines. The front-mounted engine could range anywhere from 1.1 to 2.0 liters

The Dark Car in the middle photo reminds me of the Ford EXP when it first came out but IT had single Head Lights.

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It reminded me of one doritos chip....delicious !

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1978 Ford Microsport

Based on a 1.0-litre Ford Fiesta, the Ghia Microsport was about compact, sports car performance. It was 10 inches shorter than a Fiesta and featured lightweight aluminium panels and impact-absorbing plastic materials at the front and rear.

The two-seater Ghia Microsport was geared for fun and fuel efficiency. Lightweight glass panels were used for the windscreen, rear screen and side glass. The car, finished in two tone white and red, was distinctly wedge shaped with a severely sloping front grille. Twin air ducts characterised the rear-end treatment.

Inside, black leather and red cloth were used for the seats, and a unique plastic cover was used to segregate the luggage compartment from the passenger compartment. This movable cover could be folded away for more stowage capacity

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Based on a 1.0-litre Ford Fiesta, the Ghia Microsport was about compact, sports car performance. It was 10 inches shorter than a Fiesta and featured lightweight aluminium panels and impact-absorbing plastic materials at the front and rear.

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1959  FORD LEVACAR MACH 1


October 1959 saw the completion of the FORD LEVACAR MACH 1, a concept car built to be the first full-scale wheeless vehicle, utilizing air propulsion to move around.

It was a full-sized prototype being a one-man "flying car" that was "levitated" several inches off the ground by three powerful air jets located on the bottom of its chassis.

Planned to be powered by a small-scale turbojet engine, the Levacar was purportedly designed to reach a top speed of nearly 500 mph.

Ford's single-seat space coupe was tethered to an arm, enabling it to glide smoothly above a circular glass track. The tiny car was suspended just slightly above the surface by ducted air from pads on its underside. An attached arm guided it around a display in Ford's famous Rotunda.

Ford promotional materials projected that the single-seat, fiberglass-bodied Levacar might be capable of reaching speeds of five hundred miles per hour, but its utter lack of brakes might have made that a one-time experiment.

Ford gave away thousands of plastic promotional models of their exciting new air car. AMT produced a popular model kit that came complete with a rubber hose that kids could blow in to levitate their toys like the real thing. Unfortunately, those tiny plastic models are all that's left of Ford's bold air car experiment.

[Bill Collins]

1959  FORD LEVACAR MACH 1


October 1959 saw the completion of the FORD LEVACAR MACH 1, a concept car built to be the first full-scale wheeless vehicle, utilizing air propulsion to move around.

It was a full-sized prototype being a one-man "flying car" that was "levitated" several inches off the ground by three powerful air jets located on the bottom of its chassis.

Planned to be powered by a small-scale turbojet engine, the Levacar was purportedly designed to reach a top speed of nearly 500 mph.

Ford's single-seat space coupe was tethered to an arm, enabling it to glide smoothly above a circular glass track. The tiny car was suspended just slightly above the surface by ducted air from pads on its underside. An attached arm guided it around a display in Ford's famous Rotunda.

Ford promotional materials projected that the single-seat, fiberglass-bodied Levacar might be capable of reaching speeds of five hundred miles per hour, but its utter lack of brakes might have made that a one-time experiment.

Ford gave away thousands of plastic promotional models of their exciting new air car. AMT produced a popular model kit that came complete with a rubber hose that kids could blow in to levitate their toys like the real thing. Unfortunately, those tiny plastic models are all that's left of Ford's bold air car experiment.

I recall that the Levacar model kit was not all that popular. AMT (Aluminum Model Toys), which produced it, later paired it up with a factory assembled promotional model of the then new 1960 Falcon and marketed them as a double model.

Each model had its own box with graphics and the two boxes were bonded together and sold as a set. I recall seeing these lingering in hobby shops and other retail stores for a long time.  I recall that when the price got down to a buck or less, I bought one and being disappointed that when I blew into the rubber tube, the car did not levitate, this despite the attached ad stating that it was a "working replica". Apparently, the tube and vents on the underside were intended only to demonstrate the concept, not to actually float the model. But hey, I was eleven years old and had a lot to learn!

At least I had the Falcon, which is still in my collection. The Leva Car is long gone. Interestingly, its full name was "Ford Levacar Mach I" preceding the use of the Mach I name on the Mustang by ten years.

[Side-Oilers]

I find it humorous that this flying car had (what looks like) turn signals in the nose. 

Brake lights too, I presume?

Be sure to slow to 25 mph in over school zones.

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EXPERIMENTAL MUSTANG III BASED ON NEW FORD FIESTA

Ford Ghia Operations in Turin are showing this experimental new sports car at the Geneva Show. It uses the running gear of the Ford Fiesta, which will be announced later this year, and is designed to carry four adults in a car 70 cms (28 in.) shorter than the production Mustang II.

Source: Ford Press Release

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1978 Ghia Action

Probably the most striking GHIA show car of all was the 1978 Action, the most severe wedge shape ever seen. Designed by Filippo Sapino, it had a rear-mounted DFV Formula I V-eight engine and completely enclosed rear wheels.

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1978 Mercury XM (Ghia)

Ford's Motor Company's world-famous Ghia Studio of Turin, Italy designed the Mercury XM concept car. The one-of-a-kind prototype's unique feature was a rumble seat mounted beneath the rear decklid. By raising the rear hatch window and flipping back the decklid, the car became a four-passenger vehicle. It had a wheelbase of 94 inches, an overall length of 13 feet, four inches, and a height of four feet.

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The lovely 1979 Ford GTK (Ghia)

Highly futuristic, the GTK concept stood for Grand Touring Kombi. It was intended as a sporty, aerodynamic grand touring car with ample luggage space.

GTK Concept was built on an extended Fiesta platform. It featured a number of advanced elements, including electric side windows, an on-board computer and digital instrumentation.

Its design included a central greenhouse effect for the passenger area, which even incorporated glass side pillars. Other GTK features included headlights behind electrically controlled panels. Aero ducts behind these panels channelled air over the bonnet and roof.

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1979 Ford Navarre

The Navarre is based on the U.S. Granada and is the five-seat sport coupe fitted with a 5.0-liter V8. It featured flat rear deck with tie-dawn straps which could carry extra luggage.

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1979 Ford Probe I (Ghia)

Probe I was created at the Ford Dearborn Design Center where Kopka was the executive director of the Advanced and International Design Studio. Its sleek and pointy aerodynamic shape, flat wheel covers, popup headlights and skirted rear wheels achieved a drag coefficient in the wind tunnel of 0.25, some 37% less than the 0.40 then typical for a 2door 4-passenger coupe. It was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1979. Probe I was extensively displayed at shows and events following its introduction and received widespread media attention, helping to spread the impression that Ford was on to something.

Built on a Mustang chassis of the period, or perhaps a Pinto, there wasn't much difference, the Probe I package envisioned a collection of the advanced technological functions with which show concepts seem to be endowed. Little of it works, but it would be easy to cut a slot in the console and then say it "can be started by a universal credit card which also can be used to buy gas and pay tolls." Probe I once had the 2.3 liter Mustang/Pinto 4-cylinder engine and automatic transmission but they have long since been removed. Ford claimed the Probe could achieve a fuel economy of 39 miles per gallon.

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1980 Ford Granada Altair (Ghia)

Built on a Ford Granada chassis extended by two inches in length, three inches in height, and four inches in width, the Altair was a four-door future family car capable of seating five people. The car's sharp front end and smooth lines aided the low drag coefficient of 0.35. The four headlights and two auxiliary lights were placed behind a transparent bronze-tinted plastic shield. The bronze-tinted plexiglass line running the length of the car provided increased visibility and was used to recess the door handles and air extraction vents for air conditioning. Impact-absorbent bumpers were used front and rear. The mirrors and single windshield wiper were controlled electrically. It was powered by the Ford Granada's 2.8-liter fuel-injected V6 engine. It also featured independent front and rear suspension, low-profile tires, and a stereo sound system.