Someone is Asking Nearly $700K for This Odd 1983 Ford Concept Car

As you know, it’s next to impossible to get one’s hands on those fancy concepts automakers display at car shows and other events. Some of them land in museums or private collections, while others are simply destroyed.

Here’s one that somehow found its way on eBay. It might not be an exotic sports car or a big luxury sedan, but it’s listed for an astronomical $500,000 USD, or the equivalent of $683,000 CAD at the current exchange rate.

Called Trio, this three-seat microcar from Ford was introduced at the 1983 Geneva Motor Show. What’s so special about it? Well, for starters, it’s the result of a collaboration with renowned Italian coachbuilder Ghia and is reportedly the only copy ever created. The tube-frame chassis is wrapped in an all-aluminum body, the floor has a honeycomb structure in Kevlar-fiberglass, and the seat frames are made of aluminum and fiberglass.

The super-tiny hatchback—at 2.41 metres long, it’s even shorter than a smart fortwo—weighs just under 750 pounds. Clearly, Ford’s goal was to develop a new, ultra-efficient solution for urban transportation. The Trio was said to reach a top speed of about 80 km/h and burn a mere 3.3 litres of gas per 100 km, approximately.

There’s a catch for potential buyers, though: the rear-mounted, two-stroke 250cc engine was removed from the car at some point and never replaced. According to the seller, installing a new one would cost anywhere between $4,000-$6,000 based on several quotes he received from independent specialty shops.

How did this odd Ford concept wind up for sale? And is the listing even authentic? Good questions. The seller claims to have a bill of sale, a VIN and registration provided by the state of Connecticut and various notarized paperwork to accompany the car.

Bidding closes on Saturday, November 5. The only bet we’re ready to make is that nobody will be crazy enough to spend up to half a million USD to buy the Trio.