Last week, we wrote an article about the Pontiac Tojan, a Trans-Am-based supercar GM developed in hopes of beating Ferrari to the title of the first automaker to produce a 200mph production car. While the one-of-a-kind Tojan prototype succeeded in that mission, the production version was watered-down dramatically to reduce costs, and it ended as a commercial flop. Around the same time, Ford was developing its own secret supercar intended to target Ferrari. This mid-engine project was called the Ford GN34, and the story of how close it came to reaching production is fascinating.
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company and Steve Saxty
The Ford GN34 project began in 1983, spearheaded by the engineers at the recently-formed Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) program. Later, SVO was renamed SVT and went on to develop iconic vehicles such as the 1993-2004 Mustang SVT Cobra, F-150 Lightning, Raptor, and 2005-2006 Ford GT. But the GN34 was one of its first projects.
Several prototypes of the Ford GN34 were developed by SVO, including more than one designed by famous studio Italdesign, but we'll focus on the version that seemed closest to reaching production. It was designed by another Italian design studio, Ghia, which Ford acquired in 1970.
The Ghia prototype featured a mid-engine rear-wheel drive configuration, aggressive wedge-shaped styling, and bright red paint that clearly showed Ford's intent to take on Ferrari (again). Focus groups were even asked to compare its styling directly against a Testarossa. However, the price point would've been closer to that of a Chevrolet Corvette.
The chassis was built by Canewdon Consultants in the UK and featured forged aluminum double-wishbone front suspension, multilink rear suspension, and racing-spec dampers. Formula 1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart was brought out to test the car head-to-head with a Porsche 944 and Ferrari 308, and the GN34 reportedly outperformed both competitors on the track.
At the heart of the GN34 was a V6, but before you balk at that choice, hear us out. This 3.0L SHO (Super High Output) V6 was developed in conjunction with Yamaha, and featured dual overhead cams, aluminum heads, and a very sophisticated variable-length intake manifold. It produced 220 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, making it a solid competitor to the 2.9L V8 in Ferrari's 308 GTS (which made 235hp and 188 lb-ft). A transaxle manufactured by ZF in Germany would've been paired with this engine.
As you may have figured out already, the SHO V6 would eventually be used for the Ford Taurus SHO project in 1989. As cool as that car was, it couldn't hold a candle to what the GN34 might've been.
So, the Ford GN34 had beautiful styling, a finely-tuned chassis, and a great engine — most of the elements needed for success. Unfortunately, what it didn't have was an appealing production cost. By 1986, the U.S. dollar had declined in value, European manufacturing costs rose, and the overall cost of making the Ford GN34 was deemed too high by Ford executives.
The project was cancelled and funds were reallocated to another project, later known as the Ford Explorer, which ended up being a very profitable financial decision. Still, we wish the GN34 had made it to dealers — it would have certainly remained a desirable classic car today. To learn more about the GN34, check out Steve Saxty's book series Secret Fords or watch the video below from The Drive:
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