What Ford concepts would you like to see revisited?

[DeluxeStang]

Personally, I'd love new takes on the airstream van, and hydrogen powered super duty concepts from about 15 years ago. A high style, easy to personalize electric van seems like it would be perfect for the ongoing van life craze. Whereas a new hydrogen super duty would enable ford's engineers and designers to imagine what a zero emissions truck would look like for those who didn't want an electric vehicle.

 

Let me know what concepts you'd like to see, should be a fun discussion. 

[Dequindre]

Definitely the Interceptor.

[rperez817]

F-100 Eluminator

 

 

 

[ausrutherford]

GT90, Interceptor, Indigo, Cobra, GR-1

[Chrisgb]

021C concept would make a good e-commuter car. Maybe stretch it a little to C2 size:

[Rick73]

Ford Mustang I

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_I

 

[DeluxeStang]

4 hours ago, Rick73 said:

Ford Mustang I

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_I

 

Kinda hard to see because the image quality is so bad. But this was a sketch in the background of a Ford presentation a few years ago. It looks like some sort of convertible mid-engine car with the vertical pillar behind the side windows. Maybe a modern version of this design. Don't know if anything will come of it. 

[DeluxeStang]

A few more, take this capri hatchback shape, lift it a little bit, and make it an EV. That could be a pretty compelling replacement for something like the escape. 

 

The other could be a solid affordable EV coupe based on c2 or CE1.

[Rick73]

39 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

Kinda hard to see because the image quality is so bad. But this was a sketch in the background of a Ford presentation a few years ago. It looks like some sort of convertible mid-engine car with the vertical pillar behind the side windows. Maybe a modern version of this design. Don't know if anything will come of it. 

Yeah, hard for me to see picture above. 
 

The Ford Mustang I concept was also mid-engine, but I would prefer a future 2-seat Mustang to be BEV, so mid-engine or not would be irrelevant.  The potential to combine its smaller size with sporty looks could make a practical lower-cost city-oriented car.  Use of aluminum body like original to keep weight down, along with smaller battery and low center of gravity could make for go-cart handling.

[.I.]

IMG_7239.webp

IMG_7240.webp

[Broncofan7]

Mustang Mach II

 

The idea of a Ford that was mid-engined, but a bit more attainable than the GT has intrigued me. Especially with the success of the Corvette. If it were to be badged as a Mustang, that is a plus.

 

GR1

Edited October 15, 2023 by Broncofan7

[silvrsvt]

8 hours ago, .I. said:

 

 

Those covered wheels make it a bitch to change a flat! LOL

I forgot the the Probe Concept had multiple generations

 

 

The Probe II looks like a 1985 Ford LTD

[DeluxeStang]

11 hours ago, Rick73 said:

 

The Ford Mustang I concept was also mid-engine, but I would prefer a future 2-seat Mustang to be BEV, so mid-engine or not would be irrelevant.  The potential to combine its smaller size with sporty looks could make a practical lower-cost city-oriented car.  Use of aluminum body like original to keep weight down, along with smaller battery and low center of gravity could make for go-cart handling.

Yeah, I have to wonder if a BEV mustang is being worked on in Ford design studios right now. Some sort of advanced design concept. You mentioned how form factor doesn't have to be influenced by engine placement in a BEV, which is true, one of the main benefits. 

 

Come to think of it, wouldn't it be neat if Ford's plan for the mustang sub brand was just to base everything on one high performance EV platform? Imagine form factors of a mach-e, traditional looking coupe, exotic supercar body shell, and some sort of practical hatchback or sedan shape, all riding on one architecture. 

 

That would be a hell of a way to get people on board with the idea of moving the mustang towards an all electric future. With how flexible EV platforms are, that wouldn't be too hard to do either. 

[Rick73]

5 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Yeah, I have to wonder if a BEV mustang is being worked on in Ford design studios right now. Some sort of advanced design concept. You mentioned how form factor doesn't have to be influenced by engine placement in a BEV, which is true, one of the main benefits. 

 

Come to think of it, wouldn't it be neat if Ford's plan for the mustang sub brand was just to base everything on one high performance EV platform? Imagine form factors of a mach-e, traditional looking coupe, exotic supercar body shell, and some sort of practical hatchback or sedan shape, all riding on one architecture. 

 

That would be a hell of a way to get people on board with the idea of moving the mustang towards an all electric future. With how flexible EV platforms are, that wouldn't be too hard to do either. 

 

In my opinion a major challenge to using EV skateboard platform for a compact sports car replicating traditional designs is that it may end up too tall, particularly if it were a 2-seater which would likely be shorter.  I doubt designers could combine short and tall and make car look sporty in a traditional sense.

 

The Mustang concept was very low, with seats inches from road as expected in most true sports cars like Cobra or GT40.  Newer sports cars designs like Miata, Corvette, MR2, and Fiero had seats pretty low too.

 

Traditional sports car design doesn’t preclude being electric though, as long as battery pack isn’t placed under occupants.  The original Tesla Roadster, an electrified Lotus Elise, had battery in what was engine bay as far as I know.  With clean sheet design, and based on newer batteries with greater energy density, a sports car similar to Tesla Roadster may be viable today, except demand would likely be extremely low.  Nice to dream though.

 

[DeluxeStang]

4 hours ago, Rick73 said:

 

In my opinion a major challenge to using EV skateboard platform for a compact sports car replicating traditional designs is that it may end up too tall, particularly if it were a 2-seater which would likely be shorter.  I doubt designers could combine short and tall and make car look sporty in a traditional sense.

I brought this up on a previous thread, but this apparently isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. As batteries become more power/energy efficient, we'll be able to make them significantly smaller and thinner. You also don't need to have clearance for traditional ICE components like a driveshaft. So that gives you more space to work with. 

 

We're starting to see more electric sport and supercars, Ford just needs to look at how those brands pulled it off essentially. 

[Rangers09]

2 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

I brought this up on a previous thread, but this apparently isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. As batteries become more power/energy efficient, we'll be able to make them significantly smaller and thinner. You also don't need to have clearance for traditional ICE components like a driveshaft. So that gives you more space to work with. 

 

We're starting to see more electric sport and supercars, Ford just needs to look at how those brands pulled it off essentially. 

 

Having owned a Mustang GT for 6 or 7 years, a significant part of the driving experience was the 3 pedals on the floor, a manual gearbox and real engine sounds. Regardless of how they design a BEV version, they will never replicate those great driving experience features.

 

Few younger people have ever experienced a need for double-declutching in a car, never mind having mastered the skill, so once the Mustang transitions to BEV, even more experiences of driving a sports car will be lost to the younger generations.

 

Therefore, regardless of the design, unless it has 3 pedals on the floor, a stick between the seats and a tachometer with a red line, it just isn't a true Mustang. At least not one I would be interested in driving. Another experience the BEV Mustang types will never experience is hitting the red-line and having the rev-limiter cut-in. Yes, I did it a couple of times with mine.

[Gurgeh]

10 minutes ago, Rangers09 said:

 

Having owned a Mustang GT for 6 or 7 years, a significant part of the driving experience was the 3 pedals on the floor, a manual gearbox and real engine sounds. Regardless of how they design a BEV version, they will never replicate those great driving experience features.

 

Few younger people have ever experienced a need for double-declutching in a car, never mind having mastered the skill, so once the Mustang transitions to BEV, even more experiences of driving a sports car will be lost to the younger generations.

 

Therefore, regardless of the design, unless it has 3 pedals on the floor, a stick between the seats and a tachometer with a red line, it just isn't a true Mustang. At least not one I would be interested in driving. Another experience the BEV Mustang types will never experience is hitting the red-line and having the rev-limiter cut-in. Yes, I did it a couple of times with mine.

They will just have to make do, then, with enhanced power, torque, and performance. Not the same experience as using hard-learned skills needed for getting maximum performance out of traditional sports cars, but some might actually prefer it.

[DeluxeStang]

24 minutes ago, Rangers09 said:

 

Having owned a Mustang GT for 6 or 7 years, a significant part of the driving experience was the 3 pedals on the floor, a manual gearbox and real engine sounds. Regardless of how they design a BEV version, they will never replicate those great driving experience features.

 

Few younger people have ever experienced a need for double-declutching in a car, never mind having mastered the skill, so once the Mustang transitions to BEV, even more experiences of driving a sports car will be lost to the younger generations.

 

Therefore, regardless of the design, unless it has 3 pedals on the floor, a stick between the seats and a tachometer with a red line, it just isn't a true Mustang. At least not one I would be interested in driving. Another experience the BEV Mustang types will never experience is hitting the red-line and having the rev-limiter cut-in. Yes, I did it a couple of times with mine.

They're already experimenting with manual EVs with multiple gears. You can also redline an EV. The best way to win over the mustang faithful is to use the eventual mustang EV as an opportunity to take the mustang to the next level in terms of design and performance, while ideally still keeping it relatively affordable.

 

If Ford came out with an electric mustang in a few years time, and it just looked like an s650 with a filled in grill, that would be a mistake. Make it so cool looking, that people almost can't resist it. Take advantage of the proportions enabled by an EV platform, low front end, short overhangs, a very low hood, muscular fender, etc. This fan rendering proves how good an eventual EV mustang could look. Just get rid of the hood scoop ?.

[AGR]

Ford Nucleon

Ford Nucleon - Wikipedia

 

Range anxiety? What's that?

[twintornados]

16 minutes ago, AGR said:

Ford Nucleon

Ford Nucleon - Wikipedia

 

Range anxiety? What's that?

[slemke]

33 minutes ago, AGR said:

Ford Nucleon

Ford Nucleon - Wikipedia

 

Range anxiety? What's that?

Only 5000 miles between reactor swaps.  Oil changes are half as often now.

[The Handler]

The Super Chief was truly the Rolls-Royce Phantom of trucks. Who knows if the very wealthy would buy something like that. 

Edited October 15, 2023 by The Handler

[Rangers09]

23 hours ago, Gurgeh said:

They will just have to make do, then, with enhanced power, torque, and performance. Not the same experience as using hard-learned skills needed for getting maximum performance out of traditional sports cars, but some might actually prefer it.

 

I guess you're right, some may just want the raw performance rather that the driving experience of maximising the car's performance. Best day with my Mustang was attending a local performance driving course. Brilliant day. 

[akirby]

Off topic BEV rants deleted.

[atomcat68]

On 10/14/2023 at 9:24 AM, Chrisgb said:

021C concept would make a good e-commuter car. Maybe stretch it a little to C2 size:

That would be great as a four door. Maybe give it the Falcon name too.

 

Mine is not a Ford, but a Lincoln. I wish they did something with this: