FORD vs FERRARI RELOADED

A former Ford product designer recalls the forgotten GN34 supercar, the Blue Oval's biggest attempt at taking on the Prancing Horse since the GT40

- STEVE SAXTY

Everyone loves a secret, and Ford's never-seen Ferrari challenger of the late '80s acquired almost mythical status online after a single photo surfaced. The story remained untold, until now. The Blue Oval's supercar started out on its doomed journey to oblivion in 1984, the same year that the Pininfarina-designed Honda NPX mid-engined show car began morphing into the NSX. The first true Japanese supercar might have bested the Ferrari in road testers' hands, but it was made in tiny numbers, just over 1000 units per year, with sales forever throttled by its Ferrari-like cost. The sweet spot was – and still is - in the 944/Boxster and Corvette price point, where there is far higher volume and profit.

This was an opportunity, and Ford's product planners were the best in the business. There was real money to be made in taking on Porsche, Corvette and Ferrari, instead of a Honda-like vanity project sold in penny numbers. All Ford could muster was the Mustang, the original pony car that was limping along on just four cylinders, and those planners needed to aim far higher.