It's called the Focus (or rather the Ghia Focus), but it has little in common with Ford's iconic compact car. Still, the unusual concept you see in the photos was the first Ford to bear the name that would go down in automotive history.
The extravagant prototype, which was presented at the 1992 Turin Motor Show, boasted a distinctive style and a very interesting power-to-weight ratio. The car was based on the Ford Escort RS Cosworth 4WD and was very compact, measuring 4,14 meters in length. The shapes were, to put it mildly, quite unconventional.
The concept, designed by Taru Lahti (who admits to being inspired by the asymmetry of human anatomy), features complex, soft curves and surfaces, which is why it caught the attention of Giorgetto Giugiaro, who, according to testimonies from the then-current auto show, immediately exclaimed upon seeing the car: “This is not a car, this is a work of art.”
The Ghia Focus is not only good looking, but also has a sophisticated design with a body made of composite fiberglass, which makes the overall weight lighter at just 950 kg. The Ford interior consists of large leather and cloth seats, and the wooden steering wheel is a tribute to the brand's early models. The highlight of the concept is undoubtedly the engine, a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 227 hp and 300 Nm.
However, after the Turin Motor Show, the prototype was not given the green light for series production. However, the Focus was not dismantled, but rather was owned by the brand for several years before being sold to a collector in 2002 for around $1 million. After all, the Focus name has been on the market in a different form since 1998. It's a shame there was no handsome Spider here.
