Yes. Ford developed GN34 as a mid-engine sports car intended to take on Ferrari and Porsche while selling closer to the price of a Corvette or Porsche 944. It reached running development mules, but Ford canceled the program on August 27, 1986, before production. Its targets and prototypes show serious intent—not proof that a production GN34 would have beaten Ferrari.
What Ford intended GN34 to be
Ford Special Vehicle Operations began exploring the project in 1983; GN34 received its codename and an initial budget by early 1984. The business idea was to pair the visual appeal and mid-engine layout associated with exotic European sports cars with a price aimed at a broader market. The Ferrari 328 was among the intended rivals, while Corvette and Porsche 944 pricing provided reference points.
Retrospective reporting gives an intended price of $26,500 and says a consumer clinic valued the car at $38,000. Those are reported planning and clinic figures, not a confirmed retail price: GN34 never reached production. Ford analysts also forecast that U.S. dedicated sports-car sales would rise from 88,000 in the early 1980s to 120,000 annually by 1990. That was a forecast reported in later coverage, not a verified 1990 sales result.
Ronald Muccioli, identified as SVO’s planning and program manager, summarized the ambition in an interview recounted by the retrospective coverage: “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity: Build something to tackle Ferrari and sell it at a Corvette/Porsche 944 price.” MotorTrend’s account of the program and WhichCar/Wheels’ retrospective describe the market intent and historical figures.
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How far the design and engineering got
From Maya concepts to Ford and Ghia proposals
Ford worked with Italdesign in Turin, using Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Ford-powered Maya concept as a starting point. The original Maya ran as a concept in 1984. Italdesign then developed Maya II ES as a styling model and Maya II EM as a mechanical evaluation mule. Ford’s own design team and Ghia also submitted proposals; the later Ghia design was selected for further refinement.
The production-minded design was not just an exercise in exotic styling. Plans called for a stowable targa roof, useful visibility, and storage behind the seats—features intended to make the car more usable than its dramatic mid-engine proportions might suggest.
Planned engine versus the mule’s engine
The intended production powertrain was a Yamaha-developed Ford V6: a reported 3.6-liter version targeting about 280 hp, paired with a close-ratio five-speed transaxle. That specification was a plan, not a production-tested result. Because the engine was not ready when the Maya II EM was evaluated, the mule instead used a twin-turbo Ford V6 and a ZF five-speed gearbox. Those mule components should not be mistaken for the intended retail specification.
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Chassis work and handling targets
Canewdon Consultants in England worked on the chassis. Reported plans included forged-aluminum front suspension components, a multilink rear, adjustable dampers, variable-ratio power steering, ABS, and four-piston brake calipers. Ford SVO’s reported lateral-grip target was 0.95 to 1.00 g; it was an engineering target, not a measured production-car result.
Jackie Stewart drove the Maya II mule in 1985. In the retrospective account, Muccioli recalled that it rode steadily and handled well on a test track. That is a reported impression of a development mule, not an independent comparison against Ferrari or Porsche production cars. The design, powertrain plans, chassis work, and test mule are described in MotorTrend’s feature.
GN34’s Ferrari ambition versus what was actually demonstrated
| Comparison | GN34 plan or evidence | What that establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Market position | Ferrari and Porsche were performance and image benchmarks; Corvette and Porsche 944 were price references. | A deliberate attempt to offer exotic appeal at a more attainable price—not a confirmed price or successful market position. |
| Layout | Mid-engine, two-seat sports car. | A different basic configuration from front-engine sports cars such as the Corvette; layout alone does not prove superior performance. |
| Usability | Plans included a stowable targa roof, useful visibility, and storage behind the seats. | An effort to combine a dramatic shape with everyday practicality; no production car was built to validate it. |
| Performance | About 280 hp and 0.95–1.00 g were reported targets; a development mule was driven on a test track. | Ambitious engineering intent and prototype evaluation, not verified production specifications or a head-to-head Ferrari result. |
The distinction matters: GN34 was more than a sketch, but less than a finished competitor. It had design proposals, chassis development, a planned engine, and running mules. It did not have a production specification, sale price, or road-going record against Ferrari.
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Why Ford canceled GN34
In July 1986, Ford executives weighed GN34 against a proposed sport utility vehicle. Retrospective reporting says the board chose the SUV opportunity, which ultimately became the Ford Explorer, and canceled GN34 on August 27, 1986. That timing came before the reported target of production as a 1989 model.
MotorTrend reports that currency moves increased the cost of Europe-sourced parts by 17 percent and that GN34’s projected cost was running 40 percent over plan. The Drive’s account also cites currency and profitability problems, but reports a different dollar-devaluation figure. The retrospective accounts therefore support cost pressure as part of the story, but do not establish one definitive currency calculation.
Ford faced a strategic choice between a specialized, lower-volume sports car and an SUV opportunity. The SUV won; the program’s rising projected cost made GN34 harder to justify. The available accounts do not establish that either factor alone determined the decision.
What the canceled project says about Ford’s intent
GN34 was genuinely conceived to challenge Ferrari and Porsche for buyers drawn to exotic sports cars. Ford gave it a development path and tested running mules, while aiming for a price associated with more attainable performance cars. But “meant to fight Ferrari” describes the goal, not an outcome: cancellation in 1986 ended the project before Ford could sell the car or prove its performance in production form.
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