Thanks a lot for your replies.
I wonder if the brand ghia has any possibilities to come alive again as an retro brand or if the connotations with it are too bad.
If yes, what were the positive associations, one had with it in the 'good old days'?
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If you could say what the exact topic of your research is I'm sure people will help. For example is brands as whole (which may take you off this site's motoring remit) or car brands or Ford or Ghia and then say a bit more about what you want to know. Meanwhile based on what you have said already here's a few points. Arguably Ford have diluted the Ghia brand so far as for it to be meaningless as anything other than a model label totally tied to Ford They would not be able to launch it as a non-Ford brand or sell it to anyone else (Passat Ghia....I think not!). If you saw a car "cold" you could not distinguish a new Ghia model by its design from any mid range Ford - there are no distinct design clues. Ghia then is now a marketing name only. Some companies have launched new brands under a new name - Toyota and Lexus being an obvious example. And I'm sure more knowledgable backroomers than me will be able to cite design houses that have lent their name to more than one manufacturer. Finally I can comment personally on why I've just ordered a Ghia Mondeo. Its not for strong design reasons but for minor issues such as its got the least amount of shiny fake metal of all the models (it does have fake wood but that's less in your face). Also its now the mid range model (not top as it was 10 years or more ago) so has a decent amount of kit for an OK price on our car list. Does the name make a difference? I have to admit it does as in a "My dad had one of those" kind of way - it does have some quality connotations. Hiowever it was not a strong point in my choice.
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catsdad,
I think you also don't get the sports suspension, another plus in my view, as the Zetecs are a bit too firm.
The OP shouldn't take the 'old man's spec' line too seriously.
Fiesta, Escort, Cortina and Granada Ghias were desired by many younger motorists, simply because they had the best spec.
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Katrin
I am of the age (mid 50) where the term "ghia" had some input into my car buying /wanting history
I remember Ghia as a styling house name but to be honest its output had dipped to almost zero public knowledge. When ford bought the brand it did bring something to the models that sported the logo, but mostly as a "cor thats fully loaded with goodies". I disagre it was an "old man thing" only
The name is now utterly devalued even as a top of the range marker. Ask many who Ghia was and its just a trim level for older fords. As it has no value in public awareness outside that its chances for future life is probably nil.
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I agree totally with AE .
>>but mostly as a "cor thats fully loaded with goodies".
>>
I have never been a company car owner but IIRC there was a period when the tax situation on company cars had a big step at 2.0L This had the effect of a sudden adding many features to e.g. Ford Granadas and the Ghia was the top model.
It was a strange period with cars that size with "only" 2.0L in an era of a lot less power per litre.
I disagree it was an "old man thing" only
It certainly wasn't in that period.
I have a 98 Mondeo Ghia X bought for the many standard features.
I do not now recall the extras for the X version but I would rather it did not have the low profile tyres.
I too want the the extras but not the bling dash and crashing suspension of the latest top models.
IMO Ford have a record of not reading the market too well. The Granada was a brilliant example of how to mess things up.
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The Ghia name will be retained by Ford and will no doubt be revived in the future. One of the reasons I bought a Focus Ghia was that it was the only model in the range that had cruise control fitted as standard, the Titanium model (top of the range) did not have it fitted. As for the "good old days" it was the "luxury" trim in any range and was seen by some as a status symbol. A bit like the AUDI being an upmarket VW or Skoda.
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When I got a Mondeo Ghia TDCi in 2003 it was because that was the model with the options I wanted. And thankfully the plastic wood was just about okay inside.
Fast forward to 2007 and I was contemplating the new Mondeo but the Ghia I saw in the showroom had horrible fake/plastic wood trim. The new Titanium (not the X version) was not yet out. The monthly cost was also a bit high so I got a Mazda6 Sport instead.
I personally think they should stop using the Ghia name for a while and when the time is right bring out a car using that as a brand rather than a badge. A bit like what FIAT are doing with Abarth. Okay the Abarth 500 is a FIAT 500 but it has an Abarth badge on the front etc.
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Anyone know if "Ford plastic genuine fake wood" was invented / developed for the Ghia models?
Edited by Old Navy on 03/03/2009 at 16:38
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A neighbour had an Audi - no not the A4 probably the one before that - with fake wood trim.
Lovely car, beautifully made but that trim was horrible!
I would compare it to plastic windows. They make them in a wood-grain effect but you can tell from about 1/2 mile away that they are not made from mahogany/whatever.
Edited by Webmaster on 05/03/2009 at 00:28
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Don't forget, Katrin - buying a Ford, especially some years ago, was a statement that you didn't know much about taste, engineering or anything else. And being fooled into believing 'top of the range from a respected stylist' means a bit of fake wood trim, a leather gear knob and (sometimes in Ford's case) a second windscreen wiper speaks for itself as well.
Good luck with the project. About the last car made in any numbers and with actual style input from Ghia was the - rather pretty - version of the late 1950s Volkswagen Beetle. Ghia shared that project with the German firm Karmann. Before that the firm made a series of rather outlandish-looking versions of existing sports cars, which eventually led to its demise and 'rebirth' as a Ford trim level. A similar fate befell the respected British coachbuilder Vanden Plas, which fell into the hands of the British Motor Corporation and ended up as a trim level designation for 'top-of-the-range' motors from the Metro upwards. But at least in the case of the Daimlers it was the old firm that still painted and trimmed the cars - with real wood and leather.
PS: If you don't believe that you once had to buy a better than basic model Ford to get more than one windscreen wiper, you aren't as old as I am!
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A near neighbour of mine has a Californian Karmann Ghia VW in slightly garish red and cream, with upholstery in cream with red piping (but a nice woodrim steering wheel on the left of course). Despite its age it copes manfully with central London. He and his wife have spent money on it over the years and love it dearly. The rear springs have been renewed in the last year, a change apparent in its stance. It has recently been reversed fairly hard into a post, looks like, and needs a back bumper and a small amount of panel beating. I imagine they will do it though.
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...buying a Ford, especially some years ago, was a statement that you didn't know much about taste, engineering or anything else...
Mike Hannon,
Wash your mouth out with soap!
Actually, you're not far wrong, 'gentlemen' did not drive Fords.
'Bricky's motors' was another description.
Ford probably bought Ghia to counteract those impressions.
Edited by ifithelps on 03/03/2009 at 18:19
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IIH, saw a CC3 this morning - in gold!
I have a Ghia because it has the following:
Soft lovely velour seats like a boudoir
leather steering wheel
proper directional map lights (which I have in the permanently "off" position)
electric seat (driver only)
Funky badge (erm...scaping the barrel perhaps)
chrome trim on the back (barrel relevant)
In other words, it's got some unnecessary extras which make it that tiny bit nicer but generally, wherever I go, I attract people's stares anyway so I don't need a car to do that for me. I'm a "Ghia" human.
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>Don't forget, Katrin - buying a Ford, especially some years ago, was a statement that you >didn't know much about taste, engineering or anything else.
I know what buying a ford, a capri, did for me in the 70s. Girls, youth respect, jealous coppers.
that was sufficient for me at the time.
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...IIH, saw a CC3 this morning - in gold!...
Luna metallic, suits the car well and it was high up my list.
Dealer couldn't oblige for the heavily discounted price, so it's Blue Di Cina for me.
Choosing a colour is hard, in some ways it matters a lot, in others it matters not at all.
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IIH, good choice...phew!
For a moment there I thought "oh no, not that ghastly baby blue". Thankfully Blue Di Cina is a lovely, lustrous colour which suits very well, much better than gold imVHo. Just been looking at some pics on t'web and it's a really nice looking car in your blue. I wonder if the one I saw will be parked up again tomorrow. If there isn't a mad person behind me I'm going to slow down for a long gawp.
ttfn
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For me, a Ford owner on and off since 1959, the Ghia tag still implies pretensions towards luxury without the "sportiness" of the Zetec level yet without some of the technical features of Titanium.
I find it interesting that in some markets Ford continues to offer Ghia variants. For example in the Irish Republic a Focus Ghia is offered alongside the Focus Titanium, Zetec and something called a Focus WRC. In Germany there's a Mk7 Fiesta Ghia as well as the Fiesta Titanium.
It's irritating that the same choice is not available in the UK. I imagine that a Fiesta Ghia might possibly suit me better than the Titanium I have on order. Guessing wildly, I suppose a Ghia version might come with features like sill scuff protectors, chrome exhaust finisher, chrome interior door handles, thicker carpet and 15" alloys for a softer ride. It wouldn't necessarily have Bluetooth connectivity and automatic wipers. I can certainly manage without the traditional Ghia "Ford plastic genuine fake wood" though.
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I remember in my dad's company car days, his company only had Cortinas and they spec of them was reflective of your position in the company.
My dad was senior so had a lovely Mk 4 2.3 Ghia Estate with blck vinyl roof. Can't remember what Ghia gave you, maybe PAS, bumper overriders, velour upholstery.
Can't remember it having a tape on the radio though probably did. Certainly no sunroof, elec windows air con or anything like that!
Oh, just remembered, it had alloy wheels, or were they just specially designed steel wheels?
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