The story of the Ford Focus that baffled Giugiaro

Exhibited in Turin in 1992, the prototype's shape was inspired by the human anatomy and it weighed 950 kg. The engine is a 2-litre, 227 PS unit.

Photo by: Ford

By: Alberto Carmone

Published by: Brian Potter

Aug 10, 2024 at 1:53am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

It's called Focus (Ghia Focus, to be precise), but it doesn't have much in common with the American manufacturer's C-segment compact. Yet the strange concept you see in the photos was the first Ford to bear a name that was to become historic in the automotive world.

Presented at the 1992 Turin Motor Show, the extravagant prototype was all about resolutely inimitable styling and a very interesting power-to-weight ratio.

As bold as it is light

Based on the Escort RS Cosworth 4WD, the car is very compact, measuring 4.14 metres in length.

The shape is unconventional, to say the least. Soft, elaborate curves and surfaces characterise the concept designed by Taru Lahti (who admits to having been inspired by the asymmetry of the human anatomy), so much so that it caught the eye of Giorgetto Giugiaro who, according to witnesses at that year's show, exclaimed as soon as he saw the car: "It's not a car, it's a work of art".

Ford Ghia Focus Concept (1992)

Ford

As well as its looks, the Focus Ghia is also sophisticated in its construction choices, with a body made from fibreglass panels that reduce the overall weight to just 950 kg.

What do you think?

View

Comments

No shortage of panache

The interior of the Ford features large leather seats, while the wooden steering wheel pays homage to the brand's early models. Another distinctive feature of the concept is undoubtedly its engine, a 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder developing 227 PS and 300 Nm.

Ford Ghia Focus Concept (1992)

Ford Ghia Focus Concept (1992), les internautes

Ford

After the Turin Motor Show, however, the prototype was not given the go-ahead for series production. The Focus was not dismantled, however, and remained with the brand for several years before being sold to a collector in 2002 for around $1 million.