XD Computer One

[Nikked]

Stumbled on this via google...

Unfortunately, only this one photo exists...with no info other then saying it was from the Sydney Motor Show 1980...




Having a wild guess, i assume that it was to highlight the digital dashboard, as they were wiz-bang fan-dangled technology back then.

[jaydee]

Different, whats with the protector strips above the wheel arch.
Looks like the seats have been redone too

[ozpacman]

I didn't think XD's had a digital dash - wasn't that XF?

[V8 Ghia Mike]

No digital dash until XF. It also has the rear headrest/speaker pods that didn't appear until XE either. Unless the LTD had them?

[Nikked]

Hence it being a concept, they often preview future ideas...

Dash is only a vague guess...computer one could also point to EFI or anything else using silicone chips...

[XR8235]

There was no digital dash until XF(as V8 Ghia Mike says and ozepacman), no EFI until XE and as far as I remember no electronic ignition until alloy head version XD (as this one doesn't have alloy head badges on the side- which were released in June- we can presume it is a cast iron head version) pretty sure head rests were not until XE, I was working at a Ford dealer in 1984 and the computer one image looks familiar, but I can't quite remember why?
Cheers

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Nikked

computer one could also point to EFI or anything else using silicone chips...

That would be SILICON chips, not SILICONE. 2 very different materials.

Dr Terry

[xr6tjet]

I would say it would have some electronics well before they were available in the next model. Development would have started on the EFI and digital dash a lot earlier than 1982/1984 when they were made available. Food for thought. Would like to know more info on this car, I'm sure somebody will know.

[falconhell74]

possibly a V8 and if so it would have electronic ignition as they came out in the XC 351's

[Mercury Bullet]

And I thought ELB in my Val was cool. haha.

[V8 Ghia Mike]

I think that my XD had electronic ignition with the alloy head six? Don't remember having to fiddle with the points at all. The XD above would most likely have been a teaser for EFI I'd say.

[whitelion65]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Different, whats with the protector strips above the wheel arch.
Looks like the seats have been redone too

Are they protector strips, or air outlets / vents??

[sirkwhyxf]

Originally Posted by XR8235

There was no digital dash until XF(as V8 Ghia Mike says and ozepacman), no EFI until XE and as far as I remember no electronic ignition until alloy head version XD (as this one doesn't have alloy head badges on the side- which were released in June- we can presume it is a cast iron head version) pretty sure head rests were not until XE, I was working at a Ford dealer in 1984 and the computer one image looks familiar, but I can't quite remember why?
Cheers

I know nothing about it, but i reckon there's a good chance it features all those things you mention being a show/concept car.

[Ford17]

Found an archived article from the SMH for the 1980 Sydney Motor Show, but with absolutely no word of the 'Computer One' concept; the only Ford items mentioned were the 'Probe 1' & a stretched LTD:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,6833555&hl=en

[Blue Roo]

Wasn't there an XD that was used as a Promotional Car for the James Bond Movie Moon Raker?

[Ford17]

There's also an achieved article from The Age for the 1980 Melbourne Motor Show:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,1592607&hl=en

This mentions the "Ford Action Car":

"Both the Nissan and Ford show cars use modern microprocessors on their interiors...

...Ford's action car is the result of co-operation between VDO, the German instrument maker, with an Australian subsidiary, and Ford to build the latest in car electronic technology here."

[Ghiaman]

Interesting. FC (XD) LTD had rear headrests. No other XD model did though. XE Ghia and ZK on introduction of EFI also did.
The EFI in the XE was a Bosch Jetronic system.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by Blue Roo

Wasn't there an XD that was used as a Promotional Car for the James Bond Movie Moon Raker?

There was, and I stood up close to it at Hoyts Cinema in George Street Sydney. It was a nice car.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Ford17

There's also an achieved article from The Age for the 1980 Melbourne Motor Show:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,1592607&hl=en

This mentions the "Ford Action Car":

"Both the Nissan and Ford show cars use modern microprocessors on their interiors...

...Ford's action car is the result of co-operation between VDO, the German instrument maker, with an Australian subsidiary, and Ford to build the latest in car electronic technology here."

Interesting, cheers!

[Nikked]

What's the best way to contact ford about historical stuff like this? Just shot through and email via there customer service email, but im sure its more suited to requesting sales brochures etc lol

[GTLEGEND]

Is it a Ford concept vehicle or a "Computer One" company concept car? Just like the Roman Autotek or other aftermarket concepts vehicles, Ford would most probably have no information on other vehicles if it was not done by them?

[xr6tjet]

Originally Posted by Nikked

What's the best way to contact ford about historical stuff like this? Just shot through and email via there customer service email, but im sure its more suited to requesting sales brochures etc lol

You will not get much luck with the customer team, they don't know anything historical other than what they have written on paper. Worth a try I guess!

Judging by the XE interior, I would say this car was an early bosch jetronic prototype with an EFI setup and possibly some sort of digital features that would go in the XF. Wish we had more photos!! Surely there must be more.