The Cobra 230 ME was a mid-engined concept coupe produced by Ford, presented as a study for a European sports car in the higher performance class. Its name referenced the Mid-Engine layout, and its styling recalled the AC-Ghia, a design that Ford's Italian studio Ghia had shown at the Geneva show in 1981 as its own interpretation of the AC 3000 ME. The concept emerged in the mid-1980s, a period in which Ford was considering building an upmarket sports car in Europe, with production plans reportedly discussed with the French manufacturer Chausson. Those plans, like a related front-engined, four-wheel-drive AC Ace project shown as a prototype in Birmingham in 1986, were ultimately abandoned; Ford acquired both AC and Aston Martin in 1987, but the Ace program was cancelled for good in 1990.
The Cobra 230 ME carried European design cues and was noted for a resemblance to contemporary Ferrari styling, particularly the Ferrari 328, against which it was frequently compared. Its wheelbase of 243 cm was 8 cm longer than the Ferrari's, yet its overall length of 409 cm was shorter than the 328's 426 cm, while it was slightly wider and taller than the Italian car. Track measured 149.5 cm at the front and 145 cm at the rear.
Power came from a heavily modified 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine derived from the Ford Taurus, fitted with double overhead camshafts and 16 valves in place of the production single-cam, along with a turbocharger and intercooler. Output reached 233 hp at 6000 rpm and 275 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, compared with just 89 hp in the standard front-wheel-drive Taurus. According to Ford design chief Donald F. Kopka, the concept could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 6 seconds, reach a top speed of 210 km/h, and generate up to 0.9 g in cornering. Air intakes ahead of the rear wheel arches and a scoop atop the rear roof section fed the engine.
Design features included stepped rear wings integrated with the tail treatment, pop-up headlights, a windscreen raked at 65 degrees with a single-arm wiper, and a steering wheel incorporating both cruise control and turn signal switches. The leather-trimmed cabin used bucket seats with an electrically adjustable lumbar support, plus front and rear luggage compartments and a larger storage shelf behind the seats. Tires measured 205/50 HR 16 at the front and 225/50 HR 16 at the rear. The body achieved a drag coefficient of 0.33, with Ford suggesting a figure of 0.30 was achievable with minor design revisions. The Cobra 230 ME remained a concept car and did not reach production.
