Here’s An In-Depth Overview Of The 1999 Ford 021C Concept: Video

Like many automakers, Ford has produced its fair share of concept vehicles over the years – some more memorable than others. Some of those concepts wound up being destroyed after their time on the show circuit was up – oftentimes forgotten shortly afterward – while a select few are retained and stashed away or wind up in private hands or on display in a museum somewhere. Now, we’re taking a closer look at one of those particular concepts, which is known as the Ford 021C.

The Ford 021C debuted at the 1999 Tokyo Show – where it was named “Best Concept Car” – after it was designed by Marc Newson to be “simple, likable, and fun.” Now, it’s being featured in this new video from the Petersen Automotive Museum, which is where that particular model is currently on display, too. The “021C” portion of its name was intended to signify the fact that it debuted on the cusp of the 21^st century, and that same combination of numbers and letters also represents the specific shade of orange that it was finished in when it first debuted.

Ford repainted the 021C concept in its current shade of lime green around a year after the car’s debut, but the original orange color is still present in the badging. Otherwise, the Ford 021C was strictly a design study that was never meant for production, which makes sense since it was designed entirely by someone who wasn’t a traditional automotive designer at the time. That much is evident from details such as the coat hook-inspired steering wheel and many retro-futuristic exterior styling influences. It’s a simple three-box design to boot, one that was inspired by the International Scout.

There are plenty of other cool features present on the Ford 021C concept, such as its drawer-like storage space in the rear that replaces a traditional trunk, bespoke matching luggage, four bucket seats inside the cabin that swivel around, and hinged doors at both ends. Power comes from a 1.6L inline-four cylinder that generated around 90 horsepower, and as one might imagine, it was designed to appeal to younger folks living in urban areas. Today, it may only be a small footnote in automotive history, but the Ford 021C concept remains a pretty cool one, at that.