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{{Short description|Concept car}}
{{Infobox automobile
{{Infobox automobile
| image = Ford 021C in green.jpg
| image = Ford 021C in green.jpg
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| assembly = [[Carrozzeria Ghia|Ghia]]
| assembly = [[Carrozzeria Ghia|Ghia]]
| designer = [[Marc Newson]]
| designer = [[Marc Newson]]
| class = [[Concept car]] <br> [[sports car|Prototype sports car]]
| class = [[Concept car|Concept]] [[city car]] ([[A-segment|A-seg]])
| production = 1999 (concept)
| production = 1999 (concept)
| body_style = 4-door [[sedan (car)|sedan]]
| body_style = 4-door [[sedan (car)|sedan]]
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}}
}}


The '''Ford 021C''' was a concept car first shown to the public at the October 1999 [[Tokyo Motor Show]] by [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]. It was designed by [[Marc Newson]] and built by [[Carrozzeria Ghia|Ghia]]. The car's name is taken from the [[Pantone]] orange colour, said to be Newson's favorite,<ref name=Yatzer /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/nov/17/arts.highereducation |title=Master of his universe |author=Roux, Caroline |date=17 November 2001 |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> although it was repainted in lime green<ref name=Telegraph01>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4745199/Inside-job-Ford-021C.html |title=Inside job: Ford 021C |author=Espinosa, Cathryn |date=24 May 2001 |newspaper=The Telegraph |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> when it was brought to the [[Milan Furniture Fair]] in April 2000.<ref name=Ford00>{{cite press release |url=http://www.media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4506 |title=Ford 021C by Marc Newson at Milan Furniture Fair: The interplay of design, fashion & stylish mobility |date=11 April 2000 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418162950/http://www.media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4506 |archivedate=18 April 2001 |deadurl=yes}}</ref> Ford officials stated that 021C also stands for "21st Century."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1001617_1999-tokyo-motor-show-part-iii |title=1999 Tokyo Motor Show, Part III |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=20 October 1999 |website=The Car Connection |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> It was produced purely as a styling exercise and was not intended for production.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/210734/concept_cars.html |website=Auto Express |date=October 2007 |author=King, Toby |title=The best cars they never made |accessdate=2 December 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311230256/http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/210734/concept_cars.html |archivedate=11 March 2012 |deadurl=yes}}</ref>
The '''Ford 021C''' was a concept car first shown to the public at the October 1999 [[Tokyo Motor Show]] by [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]. It was designed by [[Marc Newson]] and built by [[Carrozzeria Ghia]] in Turin, Italy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Newson |first=Marc |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811596219 |title=Marc Newson : works |date=2012 |publisher=Taschen |others=Alison Castle, Louise Neri |isbn=978-3-8365-0807-0 |location=Köln |oclc=811596219}}</ref> The car's name is taken from the [[Pantone]] orange colour, said to be Newson's favorite,<ref name=Yatzer /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/nov/17/arts.highereducation |title=Master of his universe |author=Roux, Caroline |date=17 November 2001 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> although it was repainted in lime green<ref name=Telegraph01>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4745199/Inside-job-Ford-021C.html |title=Inside job: Ford 021C |author=Espinosa, Cathryn |date=24 May 2001 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> when it was brought to the [[Milan Furniture Fair]] in April 2000.<ref name=Ford00>{{cite press release |url=http://www.media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4506 |title=Ford 021C by Marc Newson at Milan Furniture Fair: The interplay of design, fashion & stylish mobility |date=11 April 2000 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418162950/http://www.media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4506 |archive-date=18 April 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ford officials stated that 021C also stands for "21st Century."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1001617_1999-tokyo-motor-show-part-iii |title=1999 Tokyo Motor Show, Part III |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=20 October 1999 |website=The Car Connection |access-date=2 December 2016 |archive-date=30 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030202905/http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1001617_1999-tokyo-motor-show-part-iii |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was produced purely as a styling exercise and was not intended for production.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/210734/concept_cars.html |website=Auto Express |date=October 2007 |author=King, Toby |title=The best cars they never made |access-date=2 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311230256/http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/210734/concept_cars.html |archive-date=11 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Design==
==Design==
{{Quote |text=Ask children to draw a car, and they'll draw something like this, so in many ways the 021C is a familiar and comfortable object. But it doesn't use many typical automotive design cues, and while it does incorporate some interesting technology, it's not technology used simply for the sake of it. |author=Marc Newson (1999) |source=Ford Press Release<ref name=Ford99-01>{{cite press release |url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3073 |title=Reaching out for a new generation of consumers |date=20 October 1999 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010715182842/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3073 |archivedate=15 July 2001 |deadurl=yes}}</ref>}}
{{Blockquote |text=Ask children to draw a car, and they'll draw something like this, so in many ways the 021C is a familiar and comfortable object. But it doesn't use many typical automotive design cues, and while it does incorporate some interesting technology, it's not technology used simply for the sake of it. |author=Marc Newson (1999) |source=Ford Press Release<ref name=Ford99-01>{{cite press release |url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3073 |title=Reaching out for a new generation of consumers |date=20 October 1999 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010715182842/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3073 |archive-date=15 July 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
The design was commissioned by Ford’s design director [[J Mays]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.designyearbook.com/2009/09/ford-021c-by-marc-newson.html |title=Ford 021C by Marc Newson |author=L., Skott |website=Design Year Book |date=26 September 2009 |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> who selected Newson after seeing his Lockheed lounge chair in a [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] video for the song "[[Rain (Madonna song)#Music video|Rain]]."<ref name=NYT99>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/28/garden/currents-car-design-wheels-for-2000-the-details-count.html |title=CURRENTS: CAR DESIGN; Wheels for 2000: The Details Count |author=Patton, Phil |date=28 October 1999 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/design/66382/newsons-lockheed-an-icon-up-for-auction.html |title=Newson's Lockheed Lounge breaks world auction records |author=Thompson, Henrietta |date=28 April 2015 |newspaper=The Telegraph |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> The result was a four-door saloon in what Newson termed a "retro-futurist" theme, similar to the predictions made of Year 2000 automobiles in the 1960s.<ref name=NYT99 /> Mays quipped "It's probably more [[George Jetson]] than [[Georg Jensen]]" at its unveiling.<ref name=Ford99-01 /> Ford pitched the concept at young buyers (21 years old and younger) who "want quality products which express their individuality.<ref name=Ford99-01 />
The design was commissioned by Ford's design director [[J Mays]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.designyearbook.com/2009/09/ford-021c-by-marc-newson.html |title=Ford 021C by Marc Newson |author=L., Skott |website=Design Year Book |date=26 September 2009 |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> who selected Newson after seeing his Lockheed lounge chair in a [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] video for the song "[[Rain (Madonna song)#Music video|Rain]]."<ref name=NYT99>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/28/garden/currents-car-design-wheels-for-2000-the-details-count.html |title=CURRENTS: CAR DESIGN; Wheels for 2000: The Details Count |author=Patton, Phil |date=28 October 1999 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/design/66382/newsons-lockheed-an-icon-up-for-auction.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401184113/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/design/66382/newsons-lockheed-an-icon-up-for-auction.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 April 2015 |title=Newson's Lockheed Lounge breaks world auction records |author=Thompson, Henrietta |date=28 April 2015 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> The result was a four-door saloon in what Newson termed a "[[Retrofuturism|retro-futurist]]" theme, similar to the predictions made of Year 2000 automobiles in the 1960s.<ref name=NYT99 /> Mays quipped "It's probably more [[George Jetson]] than [[Georg Jensen]]" at its unveiling.<ref name=Ford99-01 /> Ford pitched the concept at young buyers (21 years old and younger) who "want quality products which express their individuality.<ref name=Ford99-01 /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gewertz |first=Ken |date=2002-02-28 |title=Driven by design: J Mays brings the romance of the road back to auto design |url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2002/02/driven-by-design/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=Harvard Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>


The exterior and interior shapes echoed prior Newson designs for round-cornered rectangular dish racks,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.magisdesign.com/elenco_prodotti/dish-doctor/ |title=Dish Doctor: Marc Newson, 1998 |author=<!--Staff writer(s), no by-line.--> |date=1998 |website=Magis Design |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> furniture<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cappellini.it/en/products/sofas-and-armchairs/wooden-chair |title=Wooden Chair |date=1992 |website=Cappellini |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> and spoke-and-hub lamps.<ref name=NYT99 /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://usa.flos.com/modern-wall-and-ceiling-lamps/Orotund |title=Orotund: Designed by Marc Newson |date= |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Flos |accessdate=2 December 2016 }}</ref> The concept also incorporated many innovations in the interior such as four seats, with the front two seats swiveling on pedestals;<ref name=Ford99-02 /> a jewel-like dashboard that moved vertically to accommodate drivers of differing heights;<ref name=Ford99-02 /> and, when the light was switched on, an electro-luminescent film glowed snowy white across the ceiling.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The dashboard dials were built by Newson's [[Ikepod]] watch company<ref name=Ford99-02 /> and the steering wheel was reminiscent of his 1997 Alessi coat hook.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://design.designmuseum.org/design/marc-newson.html |title=Marc Newson |website=Design Museum |date=November 2006 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
The exterior and interior shapes echoed prior Newson designs for round-cornered rectangular dish racks,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.magisdesign.com/elenco_prodotti/dish-doctor/ |title=Dish Doctor: Marc Newson, 1998 |author=<!--Staff writer(s), no by-line.--> |date=1998 |website=Magis Design |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> furniture<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cappellini.it/en/products/sofas-and-armchairs/wooden-chair |title=Wooden Chair |date=1992 |website=Cappellini |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> and spoke-and-hub lamps.<ref name=NYT99 /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://usa.flos.com/modern-wall-and-ceiling-lamps/Orotund |title=Orotund: Designed by Marc Newson |date= |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Flos |access-date=2 December 2016 }}</ref> The concept also incorporated many innovations in the interior such as four seats, with the front two seats swiveling on pedestals;<ref name=Ford99-02 /> a jewel-like dashboard that moved vertically to accommodate drivers of differing heights;<ref name=Ford99-02 /> and, when the light was switched on, an electro-luminescent film glowed snowy white across the ceiling.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The dashboard dials were built by Newson's [[Ikepod]] watch company<ref name=Ford99-02 /> and the steering wheel was reminiscent of his 1997 Alessi coat hook.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://design.designmuseum.org/design/marc-newson.html |title=Marc Newson |website=Design Museum |date=November 2006 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |access-date=2 December 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927083627/http://design.designmuseum.org/design/marc-newson.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Exterior features included a slide-out boot, [[suicide doors]] and LED lamps front and rear.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The front and rear lamps were created by Jonathan Coles for Isometrix Lighting.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathancoles.co.uk/021C.htm |title=Lighting 021C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=September 1999 |website=Jonathan Coles |accessdate=2 December 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321095610/http://www.jonathancoles.co.uk/021C.htm |archivedate=21 March 2012}}</ref> The car was painted green after its unveiling in Tokyo and, unusually for an old prototype, has continued to be shown again at various art exhibits.<ref name=NYTgag>{{cite news| newspaper= New York Times | title = Ford 021C Concept by Marc Newson Reappears at Gagosian Gallery | url = http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/ford-021c-concept-by-marc-newson-reappears-at-gagosian-gallery/ | date = 2010-09-29 | last = Patton | first = Phil |accessdate=2 November 2016}}</ref>
Exterior features included a slide-out boot, [[suicide doors]] and LED lamps front and rear.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The front and rear lamps were created by Jonathan Coles for Isometrix Lighting.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathancoles.co.uk/021C.htm |title=Lighting 021C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=September 1999 |website=Jonathan Coles |access-date=2 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321095610/http://www.jonathancoles.co.uk/021C.htm |archive-date=21 March 2012}}</ref> The car was painted green after its unveiling in Tokyo and, unusually for an old prototype, has continued to be shown again at various art exhibits.<ref name=NYTgag>{{cite news| newspaper= New York Times | title = Ford 021C Concept by Marc Newson Reappears at Gagosian Gallery | url = http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/ford-021c-concept-by-marc-newson-reappears-at-gagosian-gallery/ | date = 2010-09-29 | last = Patton | first = Phil |access-date=2 November 2016}}</ref>


==Specification==
==Specification==
The 021C is powered by a 1.6 L [[Zetec]] engine producing {{convert|100|PS|kW bhp|0|abbr=on}} driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The 16" alloy wheels were fitted with bespoke graphite coloured [[Pirelli]] tyres.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The body of the car was constructed from carbon fiber composites<ref name=Yatzer>{{cite web |url=https://www.yatzer.com/Ten-years-later-FORD-021C-by-Marc-Newson |title=Ten years later // FORD 021C by Marc Newson |author=Argyriades, Marcia |date=1 October 2009 |website=Yatzer |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> and was designed with minimal surface ornamentation.<ref name=Ford99-02 />
The 021C is powered by a 1.6 L [[Zetec]] engine producing {{convert|100|PS|kW bhp|0|abbr=on}} driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ARCHIVIO PROTOTIPI {{!}} FORD 021C CONCEPT |url=http://www.archivioprototipi.it/usa/ford/021c.html |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=www.archivioprototipi.it}}</ref> The 16" alloy wheels were fitted with bespoke graphite coloured [[Pirelli]] tyres.<ref name=Ford99-02 /> The body of the car was constructed from carbon fiber composites<ref name=Yatzer>{{cite web |url=https://www.yatzer.com/Ten-years-later-FORD-021C-by-Marc-Newson |title=Ten years later // FORD 021C by Marc Newson |author=Argyriades, Marcia |date=1 October 2009 |website=Yatzer |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> and was designed with minimal surface ornamentation.<ref name=Ford99-02 />


The car was {{convert|3601|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1648|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} wide and sat on a wheelbase of {{convert|2485|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Ford99-02>{{cite press release |url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3072 |title=Design and Technology Meet in the Ford O21C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=20 October 1999 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |accessdate=2 December 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010715182559/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3072 |archivedate=15 July 2001 |deadurl=yes}}</ref>
The car was {{convert|3601|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1648|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} wide and sat on a wheelbase of {{convert|2485|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Ford99-02>{{cite press release |url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3072 |title=Design and Technology Meet in the Ford O21C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=20 October 1999 |publisher=Ford Motor Company |access-date=2 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010715182559/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=3072 |archive-date=15 July 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It is {{convert|19|mm|abbr=on}} shorter than the contemporary first-generation [[Ford Ka]] city car.<ref name=Glancey/>


==Reception==
==Reception==
After its 1999 unveiling at the Tokyo Auto Show, automotive critics generally panned the design, with one self-deprecatingly calling himself "old and out of touch"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/ford-goes-back--or-ahead--to-the-retrofuture-20100823-13g9b.html |title=Ford goes back - or ahead - to the retro-future |author=Davis, Tony |date=28 October 1999 |website=Drive Australia |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> and thus unable to appreciate what was perceived as a toy-like, naïve box. Others noted the sharp divide in opinions between "traditional" automotive styling critics and design professionals, who hailed the unified concepts in the design.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hyKcDmqEQF8C&pg=PA170#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=How to Design Cars Like a Pro |author1=Lewin, Tony |author2=Borroff, Ryan |date=2010 |publisher=Motorbooks |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |page=170 |isbn=978-0-7603-3695-3 |accessdate=2 December 2016 |quote={{pad|1.0em}}Newson was delighted to take up the task and immediately set to work, determined to figure out better ways of approaching design than those he had been studying in car magazines and books. Yet when the fruits of his labours were unveiled in Tokyo, the automotive world caught its breath: finished in bright orange and named after both the Pantone colour of that hue and the upcoming new millenium, the 021C emerged as a tiny, naive and toy-like box, devoid of external detail or ornamentation. [...] Many commentators dismissed it as an expensive joke, the kind of car caricature a child would draw.<br/>{{pad|1.0em}}[...]Yet the real significance of the 021C was the way it divided the critics on sharp, sector-dependent lines. The product design community applauded it for its purity and harmony and the way that it presented a fully integrated design conceived as a whole by a single individual: Newson is said to have designed every detail, right down to the carpets and tyre treads. Car critics, on the other hand, had difficulty grasping its significance, focusing on its naivetè rather than innovative features such as the swivelling front seats and pull-out trunk compartment.}}</ref>
After its 1999 unveiling at the Tokyo Auto Show, automotive critics generally panned the design, with one self-deprecatingly calling himself "old and out of touch"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/ford-goes-back--or-ahead--to-the-retrofuture-20100823-13g9b.html |title=Ford goes back - or ahead - to the retro-future |author=Davis, Tony |date=28 October 1999 |website=Drive Australia |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> and thus unable to appreciate what was perceived as a toy-like, naïve box. Others noted the sharp divide in opinions between "traditional" automotive styling critics and design professionals, who hailed the unified concepts in the design.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hyKcDmqEQF8C&pg=PA170 |title=How to Design Cars Like a Pro |author1=Lewin, Tony |author2=Borroff, Ryan |date=2010 |publisher=Motorbooks |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota |page=170 |isbn=978-0-7603-3695-3 |access-date=2 December 2016 |quote={{pad|1.0em}}Newson was delighted to take up the task and immediately set to work, determined to figure out better ways of approaching design than those he had been studying in car magazines and books. Yet when the fruits of his labours were unveiled in Tokyo, the automotive world caught its breath: finished in bright orange and named after both the Pantone colour of that hue and the upcoming new millennium, the 021C emerged as a tiny, naive and toy-like box, devoid of external detail or ornamentation. [...] Many commentators dismissed it as an expensive joke, the kind of car caricature a child would draw.<br/>{{pad|1.0em}}[...]Yet the real significance of the 021C was the way it divided the critics on sharp, sector-dependent lines. The product design community applauded it for its purity and harmony and the way that it presented a fully integrated design conceived as a whole by a single individual: Newson is said to have designed every detail, right down to the carpets and tyre treads. Car critics, on the other hand, had difficulty grasping its significance, focusing on its naivetè rather than innovative features such as the swivelling front seats and pull-out trunk compartment.}}</ref> [[Jonathan Glancey]], writing for ''[[The Guardian]]'', said at the time that most "contemporary car design is about as interesting as watching magnolia paint dry" and called the 021C "an eye-catcher", noting that "[it made] everyone who saw it smile."<ref name=Glancey>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/1999/nov/01/motoring1 |title=Shrink and drive |author=Glancey, Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Glancey |date=November 1, 1999 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>


In 2009, ten years after it was first unveiled, critics revisited the design of the 021C and found the design had aged well, still appearing sleek and modern.<ref name=Yatzer /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modular4kc.com/2009/12/04/design-friday-a-look-back-to-the-future-from-1999/ |title=Design Friday, a look back to the future from 1999 |author=Johnston, Wade |date=4 December 2009 |website=Modular 4 KC |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
In 2009, ten years after it was first unveiled, critics revisited the design of the 021C and found the design had aged well, still appearing sleek and modern.<ref name=Yatzer /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://modular4kc.com/2009/12/04/design-friday-a-look-back-to-the-future-from-1999/ |title=Design Friday, a look back to the future from 1999 |author=Johnston, Wade |date=4 December 2009 |website=Modular 4 KC |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-04-11 |title=The small car as an object of desire |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/fdba0a74-9e2d-11e2-9ccc-00144feabdc0 |access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref> Alex Kierstein, writing for ''[[Automobile (magazine)|Automobile]]'' in 2020, noted influences from the original [[iMac G3]] and called it "ahead of its time ... had Newson penned the Ford 021C today, maybe it could have been recast as a small production EV", comparing it to contemporary small EVs such as the [[Fiat New 500]] and [[Honda e]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.motortrend.com/vehicle-genres/1999-ford-021c-concept-details-history-photos/ |title=The 1999 Ford 021C Concept: Born Too Soon? |author=Kierstein, Alex |date=December 2, 2020 |magazine=Automobile |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Noe |first=Rain |date=16 November 2023 |title=Marc Newson's 021C Ford Concept Car has Aged Extremely Well |url=https://www.core77.com/posts/126274/Marc-Newsons-021C-Ford-Concept-Car-has-Aged-Extremely-Well |access-date=10 December 2023 |website=Core77 |language=en}}</ref>


==In popular media==
==In popular media==
A car similar to the Ford 021C received a parking citation from newly-minted officer Judy Hopps in the movie ''[[Zootopia]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_898330-Ford-021C-1999.html |title=1999 Ford 021C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2016 |website=Internet Movie Cars Database |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref> J Mays is credited as the chief car designer for the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkiley5/2016/03/21/the-cars-of-zootopia-come-from-one-of-the-auto-industrys-best-minds/ |title=The Cars Of 'Zootopia' Come From One Of The Auto Industry's Best Minds |author=Kiley, David |date=21 March 2016 |website=Forbes |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
A car similar to the Ford 021C received a parking citation from newly minted officer Judy Hopps in the movie ''[[Zootopia]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_898330-Ford-021C-1999.html |title=1999 Ford 021C |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2016 |website=Internet Movie Cars Database |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> J Mays is credited as the chief car designer for the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkiley5/2016/03/21/the-cars-of-zootopia-come-from-one-of-the-auto-industrys-best-minds/ |title=The Cars Of 'Zootopia' Come From One Of The Auto Industry's Best Minds |author=Kiley, David |date=21 March 2016 |website=Forbes |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shayotovich |first=Eli |date=2023-01-20 |title=This Ford Concept Car Made A Surprising Movie Cameo More Than 15 Years After {{as written|I|t's [sic]}} Debut |url=https://www.slashgear.com/1174139/this-ford-concept-car-made-a-surprising-movie-cameo-more-than-15-years-after-its-debut/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=SlashGear |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Exhibited==
==Exhibited==
* [[Tokyo Motor Show]], October 1999<ref name=Ford99-01 /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Ford 021C concept car designed by Marc Newson |url=https://www.carrozzieri-italiani.com/listing/ford-021c/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=www.carrozzieri-italiani.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Tokyo Auto Show, October 1999<ref name=Ford99-01 />
* [[North American International Auto Show]], January 2000<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/01/08/design/8a7b6f2d-3cf2-498f-b092-6a95379b3e92/ |title=Design |author=Hales, Linda |date=January 8, 2000 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref>
* Milan Furniture Fair, April 2000<ref name=Ford00 />
* Design Museum London, May–July 2001<ref name=Telegraph01 />
* [[Milan Furniture Fair]], April 2000<ref name=Ford00 /><ref name=":0" />
* [[Design Museum]] London, May–July 2001<ref name=Telegraph01 />
* Gagosian Gallery (New York), September–October 2010<ref name=NYTgag /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/september-14-2010--marc-newson |title=Marc Newson: Transport |date=September–October 2010 |publisher=Gagosian Gallery |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
* Philadelphia Museum of Art, Nov 2013-Apr 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/794.html |title=Marc Newson: At Home |date=November 2013 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=Philadelphia Museum of Art |accessdate=2 December 2016}}</ref>
* [[Gagosian Gallery]] New York, September–October 2010<ref name=NYTgag /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/september-14-2010--marc-newson |title=Marc Newson: Transport |date=September–October 2010 |publisher=Gagosian Gallery |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref>
* [[Philadelphia Museum of Art]], Nov 2013-Apr 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/794.html |title=Marc Newson: At Home |date=November 2013 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=Philadelphia Museum of Art |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist|30em}}


{{commons category}}
==External links==
==External links==
* {{youtube |id=58lDkClMgNg |title=Marc Newson Urban Spaceman 3/5}}: Segment from BBC's [[Imagine (TV series)|''Imagine'']] Series 12, entitled "Marc Newson: Urban Spaceman" featuring the 021C [broadcast 4 March 2008]
* {{youTube |id=58lDkClMgNg |title=Marc Newson Urban Spaceman 3/5}}: Segment from BBC's [[Imagine (TV series)|''Imagine'']] Series 12, entitled "Marc Newson: Urban Spaceman" featuring the 021C [broadcast 4 March 2008]
* {{cite web |url=http://jalopnik.com/apple-just-hired-the-designer-of-this-stunning-ford-co-1631305959 |title=Apple Just Hired The Designer Of This Awesome Ford Concept |author=Lavrinc, Damon |date=5 September 2014 |website=Jalopnik [blog] |accessdate=2 December 2016}}
* {{cite web |url=http://jalopnik.com/apple-just-hired-the-designer-of-this-stunning-ford-co-1631305959 |title=Apple Just Hired The Designer Of This Awesome Ford Concept |author=Lavrinc, Damon |date=5 September 2014 |website=Jalopnik [blog] |access-date=2 December 2016}}


{{Ford Concept}}
{{Ford Concept}}
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[[Category:Ford concept vehicles|021C]]
[[Category:Ford concept vehicles|021C]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1999]]
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[[Category:1990s automobiles]]
[[Category:Retro-style automobiles]]

Latest revision as of 13:34, 21 April 2024

Ford 021C
In the Gagosian Gallery (New York), 2010
Overview
Production1999 (concept)
AssemblyGhia
DesignerMarc Newson
Body and chassis
ClassConcept city car (A-seg)
Body style4-door sedan
LayoutFF
Powertrain
Engine1.6 L Zetec-SE
Transmission4 speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,485 mm (97.8 in)
Length3,601 mm (141.8 in)
Width1,648 mm (64.9 in)
Height1,430 mm (56.3 in)

The Ford 021C was 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.[1] The car's name is taken from the Pantone orange colour, said to be Newson's favorite,[2][3] although it was repainted in lime green[4] when it was brought to the Milan Furniture Fair in April 2000.[5] Ford officials stated that 021C also stands for "21st Century."[6] It was produced purely as a styling exercise and was not intended for production.[7]

Design

[edit]

Ask children to draw a car, and they'll draw something like this, so in many ways the 021C is a familiar and comfortable object. But it doesn't use many typical automotive design cues, and while it does incorporate some interesting technology, it's not technology used simply for the sake of it.

— Marc Newson (1999), Ford Press Release[8]

The design was commissioned by Ford's design director J Mays,[9] who selected Newson after seeing his Lockheed lounge chair in a Madonna video for the song "Rain."[10][11] The result was a four-door saloon in what Newson termed a "retro-futurist" theme, similar to the predictions made of Year 2000 automobiles in the 1960s.[10] Mays quipped "It's probably more George Jetson than Georg Jensen" at its unveiling.[8] Ford pitched the concept at young buyers (21 years old and younger) who "want quality products which express their individuality.[8][12]

The exterior and interior shapes echoed prior Newson designs for round-cornered rectangular dish racks,[13] furniture[14] and spoke-and-hub lamps.[10][15] The concept also incorporated many innovations in the interior such as four seats, with the front two seats swiveling on pedestals;[16] a jewel-like dashboard that moved vertically to accommodate drivers of differing heights;[16] and, when the light was switched on, an electro-luminescent film glowed snowy white across the ceiling.[16] The dashboard dials were built by Newson's Ikepod watch company[16] and the steering wheel was reminiscent of his 1997 Alessi coat hook.[17]

Exterior features included a slide-out boot, suicide doors and LED lamps front and rear.[16] The front and rear lamps were created by Jonathan Coles for Isometrix Lighting.[18] The car was painted green after its unveiling in Tokyo and, unusually for an old prototype, has continued to be shown again at various art exhibits.[19]

Specification

[edit]

The 021C is powered by a 1.6 L Zetec engine producing 100 PS (74 kW; 99 bhp) driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission.[20] The 16" alloy wheels were fitted with bespoke graphite coloured Pirelli tyres.[16] The body of the car was constructed from carbon fiber composites[2] and was designed with minimal surface ornamentation.[16]

The car was 3,601 mm (141.8 in) long, 1,648 mm (64.9 in) wide and sat on a wheelbase of 2,485 mm (97.8 in).[16] It is 19 mm (0.75 in) shorter than the contemporary first-generation Ford Ka city car.[21]

Reception

[edit]

After its 1999 unveiling at the Tokyo Auto Show, automotive critics generally panned the design, with one self-deprecatingly calling himself "old and out of touch"[22] and thus unable to appreciate what was perceived as a toy-like, naïve box. Others noted the sharp divide in opinions between "traditional" automotive styling critics and design professionals, who hailed the unified concepts in the design.[23] Jonathan Glancey, writing for The Guardian, said at the time that most "contemporary car design is about as interesting as watching magnolia paint dry" and called the 021C "an eye-catcher", noting that "[it made] everyone who saw it smile."[21]

In 2009, ten years after it was first unveiled, critics revisited the design of the 021C and found the design had aged well, still appearing sleek and modern.[2][24][25] Alex Kierstein, writing for Automobile in 2020, noted influences from the original iMac G3 and called it "ahead of its time ... had Newson penned the Ford 021C today, maybe it could have been recast as a small production EV", comparing it to contemporary small EVs such as the Fiat New 500 and Honda e.[26][27]

[edit]

A car similar to the Ford 021C received a parking citation from newly minted officer Judy Hopps in the movie Zootopia.[28] J Mays is credited as the chief car designer for the film.[29][30]

Exhibited

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Newson, Marc (2012). Marc Newson : works. Alison Castle, Louise Neri. Köln: Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8365-0807-0. OCLC 811596219.
  2. ^ a b c Argyriades, Marcia (1 October 2009). "Ten years later // FORD 021C by Marc Newson". Yatzer. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  3. ^ Roux, Caroline (17 November 2001). "Master of his universe". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b Espinosa, Cathryn (24 May 2001). "Inside job: Ford 021C". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Ford 021C by Marc Newson at Milan Furniture Fair: The interplay of design, fashion & stylish mobility" (Press release). Ford Motor Company. 11 April 2000. Archived from the original on 18 April 2001.
  6. ^ "1999 Tokyo Motor Show, Part III". The Car Connection. 20 October 1999. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  7. ^ King, Toby (October 2007). "The best cars they never made". Auto Express. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d "Reaching out for a new generation of consumers" (Press release). Ford Motor Company. 20 October 1999. Archived from the original on 15 July 2001.
  9. ^ L., Skott (26 September 2009). "Ford 021C by Marc Newson". Design Year Book. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  10. ^ a b c Patton, Phil (28 October 1999). "CURRENTS: CAR DESIGN; Wheels for 2000: The Details Count". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  11. ^ Thompson, Henrietta (28 April 2015). "Newson's Lockheed Lounge breaks world auction records". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  12. ^ Gewertz, Ken (2002-02-28). "Driven by design: J Mays brings the romance of the road back to auto design". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  13. ^ "Dish Doctor: Marc Newson, 1998". Magis Design. 1998. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Wooden Chair". Cappellini. 1992. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Orotund: Designed by Marc Newson". Flos. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h "Design and Technology Meet in the Ford O21C" (Press release). Ford Motor Company. 20 October 1999. Archived from the original on 15 July 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  17. ^ "Marc Newson". Design Museum. November 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  18. ^ "Lighting 021C". Jonathan Coles. September 1999. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  19. ^ a b Patton, Phil (2010-09-29). "Ford 021C Concept by Marc Newson Reappears at Gagosian Gallery". New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  20. ^ "ARCHIVIO PROTOTIPI | FORD 021C CONCEPT". www.archivioprototipi.it. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  21. ^ a b Glancey, Jonathan (November 1, 1999). "Shrink and drive". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  22. ^ Davis, Tony (28 October 1999). "Ford goes back - or ahead - to the retro-future". Drive Australia. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  23. ^ Lewin, Tony; Borroff, Ryan (2010). How to Design Cars Like a Pro. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Motorbooks. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-7603-3695-3. Retrieved 2 December 2016.  Newson was delighted to take up the task and immediately set to work, determined to figure out better ways of approaching design than those he had been studying in car magazines and books. Yet when the fruits of his labours were unveiled in Tokyo, the automotive world caught its breath: finished in bright orange and named after both the Pantone colour of that hue and the upcoming new millennium, the 021C emerged as a tiny, naive and toy-like box, devoid of external detail or ornamentation. [...] Many commentators dismissed it as an expensive joke, the kind of car caricature a child would draw.
     [...]Yet the real significance of the 021C was the way it divided the critics on sharp, sector-dependent lines. The product design community applauded it for its purity and harmony and the way that it presented a fully integrated design conceived as a whole by a single individual: Newson is said to have designed every detail, right down to the carpets and tyre treads. Car critics, on the other hand, had difficulty grasping its significance, focusing on its naivetè rather than innovative features such as the swivelling front seats and pull-out trunk compartment.
  24. ^ Johnston, Wade (4 December 2009). "Design Friday, a look back to the future from 1999". Modular 4 KC. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  25. ^ "The small car as an object of desire". Financial Times. 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  26. ^ Kierstein, Alex (December 2, 2020). "The 1999 Ford 021C Concept: Born Too Soon?". Automobile. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  27. ^ Noe, Rain (16 November 2023). "Marc Newson's 021C Ford Concept Car has Aged Extremely Well". Core77. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  28. ^ "1999 Ford 021C". Internet Movie Cars Database. 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  29. ^ Kiley, David (21 March 2016). "The Cars Of 'Zootopia' Come From One Of The Auto Industry's Best Minds". Forbes. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  30. ^ Shayotovich, Eli (2023-01-20). "This Ford Concept Car Made A Surprising Movie Cameo More Than 15 Years After It's [sic] Debut". SlashGear. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  31. ^ a b "The Ford 021C concept car designed by Marc Newson". www.carrozzieri-italiani.com. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  32. ^ Hales, Linda (January 8, 2000). "Design". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  33. ^ "Marc Newson: Transport". Gagosian Gallery. September–October 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  34. ^ "Marc Newson: At Home". Philadelphia Museum of Art. November 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
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