GTC #89 SOLVED: Ford Capri Prototype by Italdesign

DHoffmann · December 17, 2009, 06:20:29 PM

Guess who's back! No idea what number I'm up to but 89 seems about right...

I'm posting this puzzle into the professionals straight away because I'm not sure how active I can be at the moment, so I'm opening it to all straight away.

1 point for the correct name/designer of this vehicle.

Djetset · December 18, 2009, 07:10:10 AM

This looks like the work of Tom Tjaarda, and is possibly a design proposal for the Australian-built Ford/Mercury Capri roadster.

DHoffmann · December 19, 2009, 05:38:44 PM

Quote from: Djetset on December 18, 2009, 07:10:10 AM
This looks like the work of Tom Tjaarda, and is possibly a design proposal for the Australian-built Ford/Mercury Capri roadster.

Design proposal for Ford Capri roadster, yes, Tom Tjaarda - no.

Carnut · December 19, 2009, 06:37:36 PM

Looks like Pininfarina to me.

DHoffmann · December 20, 2009, 01:06:35 AM

Quote from: Carnut on December 19, 2009, 06:37:36 PM
Looks like Pininfarina to me.

Also no.

pnegyesi · December 20, 2009, 01:43:46 AM

Ghia?

DHoffmann · December 20, 2009, 02:27:45 AM

Quote from: pnegyesi on December 20, 2009, 01:43:46 AM
Ghia?

Again, nope.

pnegyesi · December 20, 2009, 03:03:26 AM

IAD?

Allemano · December 20, 2009, 05:51:51 AM

Bertone?

DHoffmann · December 20, 2009, 06:26:39 AM

Seems like this is just a design house guessing game now.

No to both of the above.

Allemano · December 20, 2009, 06:32:48 AM

Okay, let's ask in a different way: was it styled/made by any particular design-studio?

DHoffmann · December 20, 2009, 06:43:52 AM

Quote from: Allemano on December 20, 2009, 06:32:48 AM
Okay, let's ask in a different way: was it styled/made by any particular design-studio?

Yes, it was a proposal that was not from the same company that ended up styling the production car.

Carnut · December 20, 2009, 12:07:19 PM

This could well be ItalDesign from around 1983.
The front is very similar indeed to his Renault Gabbiano from that period and there are strong similarities both at the front and the side view to the Lotus Etna.
A can't find any pictures in any books to substantiate this however!

Carnut · December 20, 2009, 12:19:17 PM

Apparently the engineering, interior and folding roof of the production Mercury Capri were done by ItalDesign, although the exterior was done by Ghia. Makes me think even more that Giuigaro also put in a proposal but Ghia was chosen instead (wonder why Ford-owned Ghia were chosen instead?!!)

DHoffmann · December 21, 2009, 06:37:33 AM

Quote from: Carnut on December 20, 2009, 12:07:19 PM
This could well be ItalDesign from around 1983.
The front is very similar indeed to his Renault Gabbiano from that period and there are strong similarities both at the front and the side view to the Lotus Etna.
A can't find any pictures in any books to substantiate this however!

Well, substantiated this is now! This is the second of 4 prototypes, 3 by Ghia and this one by Italdesign.
Once I return to my HDs I'll post up some images of the other prototypes.

Well done!

DHoffmann · December 21, 2009, 06:40:02 AM

Aww nuts... Forgot to move in the right place again...

Can someone pretty please move this to solved?

Otto Puzzell · December 21, 2009, 08:16:17 AM

Done.

Merry Christmas!

DHoffmann · January 04, 2010, 04:58:20 AM

With a bit of a nudge from a friend of Allemano, I remember I promised to post more of these, so without further ado, here they are.

This first one is the 1983 Ghia Barchetta concept, the first of the 4 proposals.

DHoffmann · January 04, 2010, 05:02:25 AM

The second one, ItalDesign's, has already been posted in the first post.

This is the third proposal, Ghia's second, which is penned by Filipino Sapino.

DHoffmann · January 04, 2010, 05:05:47 AM

And here we have the 4th proposal, 3rd by Ghia. It seems that they liked the third, second Ghia, proposal for the final design moreso than this fourth one.

Allemano · January 04, 2010, 05:09:09 AM

Thanks a lot Mr. Hoffmann!

DHoffmann · January 04, 2010, 05:12:12 AM

Quote from: Allemano on January 04, 2010, 05:09:09 AM
Thanks a lot Mr. Hoffmann!

You're very welcome, and Scorpione as well.

I should note that the first, more officially known as 'Ford Barchetta Concept (Ghia)' is relatively well known, the first image I include as reference, the second is from my source, and I posted because it's new compared to what's out there already. A quick Google search will show up more of this particular one.

News:

GTC #89 SOLVED: Ford Capri Prototype by Italdesign