Ford Indigo Concept: How to out-Ariel Atom the Atom
We were looking at the latest Ariel Atom specs recently and lamenting the fact that we’d heard that it is no longer street legal. GM cut off it’s supply of EcoTec turbo engines (something Jay Leno and Bob Lutz championed) and the Ariel Atom manufacturer lost the only means it had of inexpensively getting thru Federal emissions certification. So now the Ariel Atom is back to the Honda K series engine it was originally designed for – and (except for lack of street legal registration ability) better off for it. But also lost is the attraction of driving one of these on the street, surprising pedestrians, and having a great driving experience on back roads.
Then we were reminded that Ford had once upon a time dreamed about building a sportscar not unlike the Atom in concept and perhaps just a bit more sane (?) in execution. In fact, it pre-dated the Atom and was revealed in 1996. And it was powered by Ford’s own V-12 (which is still used by Aston Martin). Read on for more information.
The Ford Indigo was a concept car, designed with the possibility of limited – and legal – production. Note the windshield, safety bumpers, and full body. It’s inspiration was Formula 1 and Indy Cars. It’s creator was none other than John Coletti of SVT. In a Coletti-typical (and blatantly-orchestrated) bid to convince Ford bean counters that the creation of such an outrageous showcar was justified, and that production would provide benefits that could trickle down to “pedestrian” cars, much was made at the introduction that lessons were learned in this program and that a net contribution to Ford engineering capability was achieved. And remember that Coletti’s very enthusiastic sponsor was none other than Jacques Nasser, who at NAIAS two years later would be seen in a promotional film proclaiming “it’s about time we put an IRS on the Cobra” as he was driving a ’99 Cobra prototype around Ford’s Dearborn test track.
The Indigo was created at the high point of the original SVT organization. Ford management had not yet realized that SVT products were seriously flawed in their engineering and durability testing – and the accounting of the full costs of warranty claims had not yet come to light. They probably missed the recall of the ’96 SVT Cobra and blamed it on the similar recall of the ’96 Mustang GT. They probably accepted the recall of the ’99 Cobra and blamed it on Team Mustang, since that separate organization had responsibility for launch. But they couldn’t miss the disaster of the 2003 Cobra, with it’s flawed tuning and widespread engine replacements. And then came the Ford GT – which at the time was labeled by Ford as “the pace car for the entire company” (an all-too-true prophecy). The production and quality disaster this became - detailed here - was probably the final straw, leading to the virtualization of SVT, the distribution of it’s personnel back into the general workforce, and – very possibly – to the abrupt departure of John Coletti. We’ve talked to some of their former SVT workers who managed to survive, including one unlucky individual who was relegated to suspension design of the stillborn Ford Ranger replacement.
But as a high point, the years that saw the creation of the Boss 604, the Super Stallion, the Indigo, the GT-90, the Tremor Concept (all of which we encountered in press unveilings), and the production Ford GT and Cobra R were probably the all-time high of the former SVT organization. Flaws and aggravation aside, this author bought 4 of them, high speed open-tracked them all to the max, and had great fun with them when they weren’t in the shop getting warranty work.
It’s hard to imagine that Ford would ever have approved the Indigo for production, but if they had it would have made a very unusual and powerful high speed open track ride. A 2300 pound car, with 435 naturally aspirated horsepower and an optimized suspension would have done very well against Corvettes (+1000 pounds, poor suspension), the Ariel Atom (-900 pounds and an even more race-like suspension), and assorted Loti (same weight, great suspension, little buzzy Toyota motor with no torque and it’s own over-heating issues).
See over 100 Ford concepts, prototypes, and showcars on DrivingEnthusiast.net here.
What’s become of the Indigo concept? Ford sold it (along with a lot of other concepts and showcars) to help pay off it’s debts and it’s currently sitting in a private collection. It can’t be licensed for the street, but perhaps it’s new owner will bring it to a Ford enthusiast show someday.
For your consideration, here are the specs of the Indigo, the original press releases, and full size copies of the brochures. We were fortunate enough to attend the original press unveiling, and even have several copies of the original brochures in our library. We remember walking around and looking at details of the car at the unveiling, scarcely believing our eyes. There was nothing like it from GM and Chrysler; they were incapable of such a creation.
Click on the thumbnails below for a full-size image.
Specs
VEHICLE TYPE
DIMENSIONS/CAPACITIES
CHASSIS/BODY
ENGINE
TRANSMISSION
WHEELS
TIRES
BRAKES
SUSPENSION
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Press
Race track design and technology drives the Ford Indigo concept sports carThe Ford Indigo is a high performance, V-12 concept sports car that takes its design and technology inspiration from some of the fastest cars in the world, Indy car and Formula 1 racing cars. With over 260 Indy car triumphs — including 17 Indianapolis 500 wins — plus more than 200 Grand Prix victories and 13 constructor’s world championships in Formula 1, Ford is the most successful manufacturer in the history of Indy car and Formula 1 motor racing. The Indigo combines Ford and primarily Indy car technologies and practices in the areas of materials, construction techniques, powertrain and aerodynamics to create a new dimension in driving excitement by bringing the thrill of the race track to the street. But the Indigo is much more than just an exciting new show car. Two versions of the car have been produced: a non-driveable “Show” car that will tour the major international auto shows in 1996; and a fully-functional, engineered and driveable model, nicknamed the “Go” car by the Indigo team. Monocoque chassis technology The “Go” derivative of the Indigo features a monocoque chassis which was designed and manufactured using current Indy car build practices. The chassis was developed in conjunction with Reynard Racing Cars, the UK-based specialist supplier and winner of the 1995 CART/PPG Indy Car World Series Constructor’s Championship. The chassis consists of a specially designed central tub formed of a lightweight carbon fiber, aluminum honeycomb composite material. This monocoque chassis differs from a conventional chassis in that it is a one-piece, highly-efficient racing-inspired structure that both forms the Indigo’s interior and has the front suspension and running gear attached to it.
Indy car suspension The front suspension — Indy car-type double wishbones with pushrods operating inboard coil-over shock absorbers — is fitted directly to the chassis tub. The rear suspension also features double wishbones with pushrods and inboard coil-over shock absorbers and locates directly to the transaxle. Both front and rear suspensions are formed from the same high strength, aero section chrome moly steel tubing that Reynard uses on its Indy cars. The rear suspension arms and geometry are virtually identical to those of an Indy car, while the Indigo’s two-passenger tub required the front suspension arms be shorter and have a slightly different geometry than that found on the racing cars. And while Indy cars often require as little as one inch of suspension travel to achieve maximum handling, the Indigo has considerably more travel to cope with the demands of driving on the street. No rubber or neoprene bushings are used in the suspension system; pivot points are all rosejoints or spherical bearings. Steering is by a modified Taurus rack-and-pinion fitted with custom-designed electric power-assist.
The Indigo is equipped with an all-new V-12 engine developed by the Core & Advanced Powertrain Engineering team within Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Technology group, the organization responsible for generating new technologies for future production vehicles. The V-12 is a 6.0-liter, four-cam, 48-valve, 60 degree engine which currently has an output of 435 hp (SAE net) at 6,100 rpm and 405 lbs-ft torque at 5,250 rpm. The engine is still undergoing development testing, but these are the expected final horsepower/torque levels when the engine is tuned to meet current and future projected emissions levels running through catalysts fitted to the stainless steel exhaust system. As powerful as the engine is, one of its main features is the abundance of low-end torque. Approximately three-quarters of the V-12′s maximum torque is available at just 1,000 rpm. The engine is also notable for its fuel efficiency and is expected to achieve over 28 mpg in normal highway driving. The V-12 represents not only a very powerful engine but also a breakthrough in development cost and timing. This is largely the result of the unit’s clever use of existing Ford engine components. The basis for the V-12 is the current production 3.0-liter Duratec V-6 engine used in the 1996 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. It uses the same bore and stroke dimensions (89.0 mm x 79.5 mm) as the Duratec, and also shares its pistons, rings, rods, valves, valve seals, valve springs and retainers. However, the V-12 block and cylinder heads are all-new, cast from 356-T6 aluminum alloy by Cosworth in Great Britain. The cylinder heads retain the Duratec’s combustion chamber and exhaust port design. The intake ports incorporate a new, “tumble-port” design that creates low-rpm, intake-charge turbulence without the need for throttling one of each pair of intake valves. Unlike the Duratec, the V-12 block is not a girdled design. Instead, it is deep-skirted for extra torsional stiffness. (The V-12 approximates the torsional rigidity of the Duratec V-6 despite its extra length.) The crankshaft is formed using an all-new casting process called “electro-slag casting”, which is claimed to result in crankshafts that are 10 percent stronger than forged units. Several other revisions were made to the Duratec design to adapt components to the new V-12 configuration. These include a new water pump, extra internal cooling passages and oil-spray jets that cool the underside of the pistons to add an extra measure of thermal control for sustained high-rpm driving, such as autobahn runs. Dual spray fuel injectors — single injectors for each cylinder that spray both intake ports at the same time — are used in the V-12 and are similar to the components utilized in the last production Taurus SHO V-6 engine. Fuel is fed to the engine via pumps housed in the racing-style, bladder fuel cell. A dry sump system is also fitted to the engine to ensure consistent oil flow through the block. Cooling is provided by twin 14 x 14-inch radiators, one each side of the passenger compartment, with air being force-fed through the large side air scoops behind the front tires. Additional cooling in low-speed driving is available from electric fans. The V-12 is perfectly balanced to minimize noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Included in its second-generation onboard diagnostic system (OBD II), is a flame ionization sensor which detects in-cylinder misfire. The engine is also bolted rigidly to the chassis’ passenger compartment rear bulkhead and also acts as a load-bearing member — standard practice on Indy cars. The development of the V-12 began prior to the Indigo project and took just 18 months from inception until the first engine was tested on a dyno in September 1995. Racing-derived transaxle The Indigo utilizes a longitudinally-mounted, modified Reynard Indy car transaxle. This unit has six forward gears and a reverse, and features a racing-style, manually-operated carbon clutch. The forward gears are selected sequentially by a an electronic, hydraulic shifter. Buttons on the front of the Nardi steering wheel signal the system to upshift, while alternate buttons on the back of the wheel control downshifts. The clutch must be used on all shifts.
The V-12′s power reaches the ground via the Indy car-style Fikse three-piece modular wheels. Wheel sizes are 11.5 x 17-inch front and 12.5 x 18-inch rear, and have a five-bolt pattern instead of the more usual racing single center-lock design. (The five-bolt pattern is considered to be safer for street use as wheel-to-hub positioning is more consistent when the wheels are installed by someone other than a fully-trained pit crewman.) The massive wheels are wrapped in special hand-cut Goodyear Eagle high performance racing tires, correlating to street-tire sizes of 335/30ZR-17 on the front and 355/35ZR-18 at the rear. Brembo 335 x 20 mm front and 355 x 20 mm rear disc brakes help to stop the Indigo in an estimated 100 feet in computer simulated 60 to 0 mph testing. Exhilarating yet functional design Functionality and the racing car theme were strong influences in the design of the body. In keeping with Indy car practice, the Indigo’s exterior body panels consist of composite carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb. Just as on racing cars, some of the panels are retained in their black composite carbon fiber finish to contrast with the bright red of the remaining body panels. The scissor-style doors are hinged at the front and are raised by lifting them forward and slightly out from the body, allowing the driver and passenger to step down into the car. The car has undergone wind tunnel testing. The results show that enough downforce is being generated by the wings, underbody diffuser and overall body shape to enable the Indigo to corner at a projected lateral acceleration of 1.2g.
Additional HID fog lights and turn signals are located in the front wing, which also acts as a bumper. The rear taillights, consisting of small projector lights, are located at the outboard edges of the rear wing.
The interior of the Indigo is geared towards creating the racing car experience for the road. It consists of a black carbon fiber finish with some elements trimmed in black leather. An electronic, Indy car-style instrument cluster features gauges for engine rpm, gear position, a speedometer and engine temperature. A premium stereo radio with a mini disc changer are positioned in the center of the instrument panel. The leather-trimmed, power-operated, deep bucket seats jointly designed with Johnson Controls include four-point harnesses, with the lap belts integrated into the seat base. Usually, a four-point racing belt system would comprise of four separate belts which lock into a central buckle. However, this semi-integrated restraint system is divided into a left and right side belt — each side containing two of the four belts — with just one connection into the buckle for greater ease of use. The interior also has provision for the fitment of driver and passenger airbags. The building of the Indigo — which took just six months to complete from the first computer design rendering to a driveable car — was primarily the responsibility of Ford’s Advanced Design team and Advanced Vehicle Technology group, suppliers Reynard Racing Cars and ASC, with Ford’s New Concepts Organization overseeing the management of the project. Many other Ford suppliers were also involved in the construction of the car. The New Concepts Organization is a group within Ford Product Development that fosters fresh ideas on niche and “breakthrough” vehicle concepts and also assists in developing low-cost vehicle designs and production processes. |
Status
The Indigo has been reported to be on display at the Spirit of Ford in Dearborn.
Introduction Photos
 The media from the North American International Auto Show swarm over Ford Motor Company’s Indigo after it was revealed 1/2/96. The Indigo is a two-seat sports car concept sporting a V-12 6.0 liter engine. |
 Ford Motor Company’s Jac Nasser, Vice President of Product Development, welcomes race car driver Andy Walrus, winner of the 1988 LeMans, after he drove the Indigo into Ford’s concept car area at the 1996 North American International Auto Show 1/2/96. The Indigo is a two seat V-12 powered concept sports car. |
Brochure Copyright Ford Motor Company
More Information:
Jay Leno: new Ariel Atom video!
A new video on the Ariel Atom, as manufactured in the United States. This post is follow-up to my post of last month, where Jay Leno was spotted driving his own Atom (the first built in the United States). The US version is powered by the GM Ecotech 4-cylinder engine, which Jay Leno labels as “the small block of the future”.
Hmmm… it’s a dull engine, without much in the way of revs. I’d rather have the Honda engine that is used in Europe in the original Atom. Regardless, the Ariel Atom is one of the fastest cars in the world with the top of the line supercharged engine – if not the fastest. And it’s certainly the most visceral drive imaginable.
Not familiar with the Atom? See the article on “How Stuff Works”: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ariel-atom1.htm
Brammo Motorsports builds the “Ariel Atom 2″ for United States customers: http://www.arielatom.com/ You can build a car via the configurator, and also get a FAQ document.
Here’s my Atom, as configured on the site, setup for track driving:
| Item Description | Price ($) |
| GM Ecotec 2.0 Liter 300hp 250 ft/lbs Supercharged | 47,125.00 |
| Ceramic Coated Steel Header & Exhaust | 0.00 |
| Track Brake Package | 3,375.00 |
| Koni 2-Way Adjustable Race Dampers 2812 | 3,750.00 |
| Billet Aluminum Bellcranks (Rockers) | 850.00 |
| Billet Aluminum Steering Rack | 0.00 |
| Red Body Panels | 0.00 |
| Standard Fenders | 650.00 |
| 15″ Front / 16″ Rear – 12 Spoke – Silver | 695.00 |
| Yokohama AVS ES100* – 195/50VR/15 Front, 225/45VR16 Rear | 410.00 |
| MasterLube Accumulator System – Ecotec Engines | 1,200.00 |
| Roll Protection Bar | 1,195.00 |
| Remote Brake Bias Adjuster | 250.00 |
| Wing Package – Carbon Fiber | 6,250.00 |
| Towing Eye Kit | 215.00 |
| 3″ Competition 6 Point Belts | 325.00 |
| 3″ Competition Seat Belt Pads | 70.00 |
| Passenger footrest & Driver Deadpedal | 325.00 |
| TOTAL | $66,685.00 |
The Masterlube system is certainly a good idea, and not just because it’s a GM engine. The track brakes and Konis are also appropriate for track use. I’ve selected some billet peices add strength in places where you’d see stress in track usage. The belts are for track use - as long as they have a safety cert and are properly mounted. The Roll Protection Bar is ungainly… I have to wonder if something different could be designed. But it’s a requirement as track groups across the country are cracking down on convertibles and similarly open cars (at some point, ‘verts won’t be able to be used without an add-on and certified rollbar). This is a concern, however the Atom 2 folks are working with groups such as NASA to get the cars approved for use there.
Ariel Atom Creator Wins Award
The creator of the Ariel Atom has won a prestigious award from the Royal Automobile Club (RAC).
Continue at link: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/13485.htm
BBC Top Gear – Ariel Atom
Simply astounding… how do you get one here in the US? It couldn’t be registered, would have to be brought in as race-only, or perhaps as some sort of kit without the engine.
http://www.ariel.us.com/04/topgear.htm
