Ford Forty-Nine concept was retrofuturism at its finest
The '49 Ford saved the Blue Oval from financial ruin, and this early-2000s revival could've spiced up showroom and its balance sheet, too.
This stunning Ford Forty-Nine concept debuted at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show.
This streamlined homage to the Blue Oval's hugely successful '49 Ford came in for rave reviews, and calls to put it into production.
Powered by a 3.9-liter, 32-valve V8 backed by a five-speed automatic transmission, the engine shared the same displacement as the 239-cubic-inch flathead in the original '49 Ford.
Check out that roofline.
The Forty-Nine featured a stripped-down but classy interior. If it had lived to see production, this area would've likely had to change a lot, including the fitment of headrests.
Back in the early 2000s, there were murmurs this car could make production, possibly in four-door guise to court a larger audience.
At the time, Ford's mainstay four-door sedan was the already ancient Crown Victoria, a model best known for serving duty as a police car and taxi.
Surely this would've looked fantastic in your rearview mirror.
The Forty-Nine debuted during the height of the so-called "retrofuturism" craze, which also produced production cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Plymouth Prowler and Ford Thunderbird.
Speaking of Thunderbirds...
We're still a little miffed that this model never made it to dealerships. Missed opportunity, Dearborn.
Keep clicking or scrolling for more images of the 2001 Ford Forty-Nine concept.