Ford opens a heritage vault holding more than 100 cars, including never-seen concepts

Ford has gathered more than 100 vehicles, among them concepts, one-offs and studio models never shown publicly, into a new collection called the Ford Vault, housed in a former Amazon fulfilment centre between Ann Arbor and Detroit. The project began three years ago after CEO Jim Farley saw the collection Ford had assembled in England, according to Ford archive and heritage brand manager Ted Ryan.

What is on display

The Vault is not a second Henry Ford Museum: it is Ford-centric, and it mixes production landmarks with memorabilia, signage, a kitchen and even an arcade game. Among the cars is a 2000 Ford Contour SVT with just 123 miles on the odometer and its window sticker still attached.

The collection also draws on vehicles owned by others. Jay Leno's 1934 Ford pickup is on show, the Cougar II concept is on loan from the Detroit Historical Society, and four blue police cars dating back to 1957 come from the Michigan State Police.

The exhibit is organised around themes including "Answering The Call", "America's Race Team" and "Backbone of Work", with a separate design pillar that holds the rarest material.

The prototypes that survived the crusher

The most striking exhibit may be a V10-powered New Edge Mustang GT that served as a development mule for the Cobra R and GT programmes. Ford engineers originally swapped the Mustang's 4.6-litre V8 for a 5.4-litre unit, then fitted a naturally aspirated V10 while the 2005 GT was being developed with several engine options under consideration; the GT ultimately received a supercharged V8 and the mule should have been crushed.

"We couldn't crush this car," Ford Racing heritage business manager Nick Terzes said, explaining that the prototype was moved from group to group and hidden away rather than destroyed.

The car is still doing work. Because Ford lacked a powertrain control module that could run at the speeds a 10-cylinder needed, the mule originally used two PCMs; it has since been given a new PCM and an all-new harness, and Terzes said it made a lot more power and is still used for learnings today.

That matters because it makes the Vault something other than a static museum: at least one exhibit is still a working engineering tool, which is a more honest way to tell a development story than polishing a show car.

Design studies shown for the first time

The design pillar includes an early Ford Bronco design study, created to persuade management to revive the nameplate as a proper off-road SUV, displayed publicly for the first time next to the 2005 Ford SYNus concept. The Bronco study is not a complete model: it has no proper interior, only the tops of the headrests and the steering wheel.

Also on the floor is a compact studio reference model made from high-density foam that served as an early Focus prototype, with a cab-forward design and aerodynamic shape created to study how to maximise interior space. The elusive Ford UXC concept, which looks like a four-door version of the last Mercury Cougar, is displayed as well.

For car buyers, these are the artefacts that explain how the road cars they can actually purchase came to look and package the way they do, which is a more useful kind of heritage than a row of polished production models.

Public access is not settled

Ford is working with the City of Romulus to update the property's zoning and meet building codes so the public can visit, but the automaker has given no timeline for when that could happen. Until then, the Vault is a collection assembled and guarded rather than a destination with opening hours, so anyone hoping to see the Contour SVT or the V10 mule in person has no date to plan around.

Acura is marking its 30th anniversary with a Heritage Edition of the 2027 Integra Type S, finished in Blazing Phoenix Yellow paint that recalls the DC2 Integra Type R sold in the United States from 1997 to 2001. The special edition is limited to 700 examples for the US market and is priced $2,300 above the regular Type S, which starts at $55,995.

Acura says the 2027 Integra Type S range, Heritage Edition included, will reach dealerships sometime next month. The Heritage car is the only way to get the new yellow paint for the 2027 model year, and it is the first Integra offered in yellow since the 2001 Type R.

What the Heritage Edition adds

Beyond the Blazing Phoenix Yellow body colour, the Heritage Edition wears black badges and copper-coloured wheels. Its cabin is restricted to the black-and-yellow theme available on other 2027 Type S models, but only the Heritage car gets a titanium shift knob, the same item fitted to the Honda Civic Type R.

The retro theme is a deliberate nod to the DC2 generation, the car that established the Integra's performance reputation in America. Buyers who missed the original Phoenix Yellow Type R now get a second chance at the colour, albeit in a heavier, four-door package.

Changes across the 2027 Type S line

Every 2027 Integra Type S now rides on gloss-black 19-inch wheels and gets gloss-black mirror caps, while the Brembo-branded brake calipers are painted yellow. The powertrain is unchanged: a 320-hp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder sends drive to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

Inside, the door-panel trim, door handles and shift boot move to dark grey, and the dashboard adopts the same finish with a new diamond pattern. The three climate control knobs are now gloss black, and Acura says the upholstery options have been redesigned. The Red and Orchid (white) themes carry black and blue faux-suede accents respectively, while the Ebony option gets yellow stitching that extends to the steering wheel, door panels and shift boot.

The driver's seat gains memory settings, as does the brake-hold feature, and both exterior mirrors tilt down when reverse is selected.

Why a yellow special matters for Acura

The Integra's revival gave Acura a credible entry-level performance model, and the Type S variant restored the kind of focused driver's car the brand had largely abandoned. A colour-and-trim special edition is a low-cost way to keep that story alive late in the model's life, and capping it at 700 cars protects its collectability without demanding new engineering.

The catch for buyers is that the Heritage Edition changes nothing mechanical. Anyone hoping for more power or a chassis tweak gets the same 320-hp turbo four and manual gearbox as the standard car. The premium buys paint, wheels, badges and a shift knob, which is the traditional recipe for a modern nostalgia special.

Availability and what is still unknown

Acura has confirmed US deliveries for next month but has not announced pricing or availability for other markets, including Australia. The $55,995 starting figure and the $2,300 Heritage premium are US prices.

Acura has also not said whether the Blazing Phoenix Yellow paint will spread to the wider Type S range beyond the 2027 model year.