THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE
Model dossier
- Production period
- 1983
- Body style
- Hatchback
- Engine
- Inline-2
- Type
- Concept
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR
Coachbuilding, design & conversions
PRICE & SALES RECORD
Vehicle value
- Original price
- Not documented
- Latest recorded sale
- Not documented
01 / THE STORY
History & context
The Ford Trio by Ghia made its debut at the 1983 Geneva Motor Show as a striking city concept car, showcasing innovative design and engineering elements. One of its most distinctive features was its seating arrangement, which consisted of three seats positioned in an arrowhead configuration within a remarkably narrow width of only 53 inches. To achieve such a compact design, the Trio incorporated advanced materials and construction techniques. The floor was crafted from a honeycomb sandwich of glass fiber and Kevlar, providing lightweight yet robust support. Similarly, the seat frames were constructed from a combination of aluminum and glass fiber, ensuring strength and durability while keeping weight to a minimum. Powering the Ford Trio was a rear-mounted 250cc twin-cylinder two-stroke engine, delivering propulsion to the rear wheels through a continuously-variable belt transmission. This unconventional powertrain layout contributed to the Trio’s compact footprint and unique driving dynamics, offering agility and responsiveness on the road. Overall, the Ford Trio by Ghia represented a bold exploration of automotive design and engineering concepts. Its innovative seating arrangement, lightweight construction, and rear-mounted powertrain showcased Ghia’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive innovation. While the Trio remained a concept vehicle and never entered production, its forward-thinking design elements undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the automotive industry.
02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY
Specifications & construction
Production & construction
- Production type
- Concept
Engine & performance
- Engine configuration
- Inline-2
Design & manufacture
- Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
- Ghia
- Manufacturer · Documented
- Ford
06 / EVENTS & AWARDS
Events & awards
Geneva General · legacy_preserved
- Date
- 1983
- Chassis
- General
Preserved CI 1.0 relation. Evidence field: _al_listing_engine_location. No award inferred.
07 / THE VEHICLE IN DETAIL
Photo gallery 3 photographs
08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE
Archive
References held in the vehicle dossier. Their inclusion does not establish that every historical claim has been independently verified.
| Reference | Source type |
|---|---|
| AllCarIndex — Concept Car of the Day: 1983 Ford Trio www.allcarindex.com | Independent concept history with period context |
| AllCarIndex — 1983 Ford Trio www.allcarindex.com | Independent concept registry |
| CarStyling.ru — 1983 Ford Trio (Ghia) carstyling.ru | Specialist design archive |











THE CONVERSATION
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