Ford to sell 51 concept cars as part of centennial affair

April 29, 2002 REUTERS is reporting that Ford Motor Co. plans to auction 51 concept vehicles seen at auto shows over the last four decades to raise money for charity.

The sale, to be held June 16 near Ford's Dearborn headquarters by Christie's auction house, will include the 1992 Mustang Mach III roadster concept, the 1993 Lagonda Vignale luxury sedan and one of only two remaining concept versions of the new Ford Thunderbird convertible.

Automakers rarely let their concept vehicles fall into private hands, preferring to either maintain them as historical artifacts or have them destroyed. Some concept-vehicle collectors have managed to rebuild several models from junked parts.

"This is an unprecedented event, and the first time a manufacturer has kindly agreed to release them," Miles Morris, the international head of Christie's motor car department, said Friday. The concepts "are works of art."

None of the concept vehicles is certified for driving on public roads. Some are running models, while others are simply platform vehicles -- bodies on frames without interiors or engines.

The oldest model is the 1960 Ghia Selene II concept, but most of the vehicles come from the 1980s and '90s. The cars and trucks will be auctioned by Christie's without a minimum price. Morris said the majority would likely fetch between $10,000 and $40,000, but the Mustang Mach III could bring up to $200,000, and a 1992 Ghia Focus roadster could bring $120,000.

Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said all proceeds will go to charities through Ford, and the sale will begin a year of celebrations by the company to mark its centennial. The world's second-largest automaker is in the midst of a turnaround plan aimed at producing $7 billion in annual pretax profits by mid-decade.

Morris said potential buyers included not just car collectors and enthusiasts, but also museums, colleges and design schools.