1989 Ford Via Concept

British stylists named Ian and Moray Callum (brothers), along with a design team that included David Wilkie and Sally Wilson working with Carrozzeria Ghia, designed a one-off concept car for Ford. It was unveiled in Europe in 1989 and made its North American debut a year later at the Chicago Auto Show. Dubbed the Via, it was badged as a 'Ford Sierra Cosworth for the next decade.' Its curvaceous and aerodynamic design would inspire future Ford models such as the four-door Taurus and the two-door Probe.

The Ford Ghia Via's body was formed from fiberglass and had two functioning doors, a pair of aircraft-style fuel filler caps, an 'active' rear spoiler, and two photosensitive glass roof panels. The fully detachable glass roof (creating a Targa body style when removed) darkened when the sun was out to help keep interior temperatures reasonable during the hot mid-day sun. The headlights mounted at the base of the windshield are composed of nine individual elements each and are individually programmable as fog or driving lights. It rides on multi-piece 17-inch Speedline wheels with Goodyear tires measuring 225/45 at the front and 275/40 at the rear.

The interior houses hard-backed front bucket seats trimmed in taupe and black with a turquoise center stripe. The back seats are accessed via the left-side door and trimmed in a similar fashion to the front seats. The instrument panels contain static metric gauges, and a unique lighting system to provide readouts in place of traditional needles. There is a CD player, faux buttons for the climate controls, and a full-length center console.

Like many concept cars, the Via was a rolling chassis. It was devoid of a drivetrain or a working electrical system, and even the steering wheel was not connected to the front wheels.

After its debut, the Ford Ghia Via Concept was exhibited at a number of Ford Dealerships.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2021