Ford does not build many cars like the Ford 021C: a 4-door sedan with 1.6 L Zetec-SE, built from 1999 when airbags, anti-lock brakes and Japanese build quality became the world standard. Its designer of record is Marc Newson, Laurens van den Acker.
The background
The Ford 021C is a concept car first shown to the public at the October 1999 Tokyo Motor Show by Ford. It was designed by Marc Newson and built by Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin, Italy.
The car's name is taken from the Pantone orange colour, said to be Newson's favorite, although it was repainted in lime green when it was brought to the Milan Furniture Fair in April 2000. Ford officials stated that 021C also stands for "21st Century." Although it was produced purely as a styling exercise and was not intended for production, the 021C has been called "one of the great 'what-ifs' of recent car design history."
The engineering
Under the skin sits 1.6 L Zetec-SE. The gearbox is a 4 speed automatic. The layout matters: the engine drives the front wheels, the packaging choice that gives a small car a big cabin. The wheelbase is 2485 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Where it sits
Where it sits in Ford's history is not in doubt: it was built at Ghia. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Honda S2000, the SEAT León, the Škoda Auto Škoda Fabia. Its Ford stablemates include the Ford Escort and the Ford Comète.