Value Within A Supercar

Founded in 1903, Ford Motor Company skyrocketed from obscurity to dominate the American auto industry in under 12 years. The brand new LTD would like a sales resurgence, however, not before Ford as well as the U.S. With all the "horsepower race" at full gallop, the 239-cid V-8 was ousted for a 272 enlargement, packing 162/182 horsepower as an option for all models. Fairmont, meantime, finished its run in 1983 after few interim changes from '78. J Mays had succeeded Jack Telnack as Ford design chief in 1997, and Mays had helped shape the Passat in his previous job at VW/Audi. These wagons, by the way, were Ford's first all-steel models (the Squire switching from real wood to wood-look decals). But there have been still those that wanted a Taurus with performance and mechanical specifications as sophisticated as its styling. This is an uptown Fairmont also, restyled with a sloped nose, airier "six-light" greenhouse, and lipped trunklid modestly. Engineering was no less artful, especially the all-independent suspension that drew rave reviews for delivering both a smooth ride and class-leading handling. Despite sharing the same classic lines, the GT was better than the GT40 in many ways, thanks to 40 years of technical progress. Millions flocked to view it on its March 1932 unveiling. Topping the relative line was a fresh SHO with 235 bhp from the 3.4-liter V-8, another Ford-Yamaha collaboration. A primary reply to Chevrolet's Vega, also new that year, it had been smaller, less daring technically, less accommodating, and its fuel and performance economy were nothing special in comparison to that of many imports. Within the menu were a mandatory new six-speed manual gearbox Also, firm suspension with 17-inch wheels, and larger four-wheel disc brakes. The value-oriented GL wagon and sedan got an updated Vulcan pushrod V-6, as the nicer LXs were treated to a 3.0-liter version from the twincam Duratec V-6 with 200 bhp, considered by many buyers to become really worth its $500 premium. Calendar-year sales were to the high 70 down,000s by '02, when Ford tried adding a little youth tonic having an LX Sport model. More popular was the Luxury Decor Option (LDO), a 1973 package available for either body style through the finish of the line. The 1957 Fords were all-new, supplying a vast array of V-8s from a 190-bhp 272 up to 245-bhp 312. The 223-cid six was standard for all but one model. The same was true of trucks -- important given the boom in light-truck demand that began within the mid-'80s and continued into the '90s and beyond. By 2002, the ZX2 (minus Escort badging) was down to some 52,000 calendar-year orders, then slid below 25,500, an unhealthy showing for that low- to midteens pricing. Closed rumble-seat types were also in their last year. Ford used this to raise seating some four inches above that in most other cars. Though the 1949 Ford was near as radical as the 1950-51 Studebaker nowhere, it sold in numbers Ford hadn't seen since 1930: over 1.year 1 million for the extra-long model. Ford Division remained "USA-1," owning five of the country's top-10 sellers, like the big F-Series pickup and midsize Explorer SUV. The 500 fared better at a lot more than 122,000 sales for the same period, but that didn't help Ford's important thing quite definitely. Escort, Contour was very to its transatlantic cousin close, getting the same smooth, drawn styling tightly, plus an ultra-stiff structure and a sophisticated all-independent suspension that contributed to crisp, taut handling. But Henry approved it in one of those strange turnabouts that he was infamous. The similarity was an easy task to explain. Working in his kitchen with clay modelers Joe John and Thompson Lutz, Caleal shaped his design.T. However when the fuel crunch ­boosted small-car sales, Ford decided to retain Maverick and launch its erstwhile successor as a more-luxurious compact half a step up in price. So were handling and ride, thanks to a new all-coil suspension with more-precise four-bar-link location for the live rear axle. Designed for other Focus models in those five areas, the PZEV four was about as clean like a gasoline engine could be with existing technology -- not far behind the gasoline/electric powertrains earning headlines, goodwill, and profits for Toyota and Honda. Though wheelbase and engines were unchanged from your 1946-48 models, the '49 was three inches lower, shorter fractionally, and usefully lighter. The tiniest was Falcon, which bowed for 1960 as one of the new Big Three compacts (alongside Corvair and Chrysler's Valiant). Fusion's CD3 platform was the starting point for Ford's first mid-size crossover SUV, the 2007 Edge. Ford also began selling "Lifeguard Design" safety features, equipping all models with dished steering wheel, breakaway rearview mirror, and crashproof door locks; padded dash and sunvisors cost $16 extra, factory-installed seatbelts $9. Serving "active safety" were standard antilock four-wheel disc brakes and traction control. Ford held on some standard features to create those numbers back, charging extra for traction control, curtain and torso airbags, and antilock brakes, but at least the charges were reasonable. Styling was boxier and less pretentious, and visibility and fuel economy better were. Standards carried a '39 DeLuxe-style vertical-bar grille. Among them was a minimum of John Dillinger, who wrote Henry to praise the product -- an unsolicited testimonial from Public Enemy Number One. This explains why the Granada appeared on the four-door Maverick's 109.9-inch wheelbase. Still, the Crown Vic had fair thirst (about 17 mpg city, 25 highway, as rated by the Environmental Protection Agency) and was thus a drain on Ford's domestic fleet-average economy. To others, though, Falcon was the Model A reborn: cheap but cheerful, simple but not spartan unacceptably. Over­drive was optional over the board at $97. For individuals who missed Escort's spunky GT hatchback, Ford offered the new 1998 Escort ZX2, a sporty coupe with a separate trunk and Taurus-like styling. This and also a lighter look and feel made the '37 Ford one of the prettiest cars of the decade. Despite prosaic mechanicals and increasingly tough compact competition, Tempo proved another fast-selling Ford. A hatchback four-door joined the mix for 2002 for broader market coverage even. The base engine was treated to throttle-body injection and moved to 90 horsepower up. Affirmed, the Focus was developed "over there" and taken to North America with reduced change for local production. The first member of Dearborn's new "modular" engine family, it delivered 190 standard bhp or 210 with dual exhausts, a gain of 40-50 horses on the old pushrod 302. The uprated engine was contained in a Handling and Performance package that has been standard for your Touring Sedan and optional on other models. The convertible sedan made a final bow, again within the DeLuxe line. Wagons eschewed rear struts for twin control arms, a system better able to cope with the wider selection of load weights wagons carry. Buying Volvo and Land Rover enough was costly, but Nasser also splurged on wispy e-commerce ventures, a chain of auto repair shops in Britain, Norwegian-built electric cars, even junkyards. The 1942 Fords gained a lower, wider, vertical-bar grille surmounted by rectangular parking lamps within the vestigial catwalks. Both Fairlane series listed two- and four-door Victorias, plus thin-pillar equivalents that appeared as if hardtops with windows up. Prices ranged from just $435 for the essential two-seat roadster to $660 for the city Sedan. With base stickers straddling $25,000, the top-line Taurus still faced competition from the host of formidable foreign sports sedans and usually suffered by comparison. His perceived dependence on getting the engine to market as soon as possible left insufficient time for durability testing, so troubles surfaced early. Though less popular than square-roof Galaxies, the Starliner was just finished . for NASCAR racing by dint of its slipperier shape. And there is worse. From enormous pension and health-care expenses Aside, both companies had to contend with "job banks" of laid-off workers who still drew most of their former pay, thanks to lush contracts negotiated with management in palmy days. The flathead V-8 was tweaked to 110 horsepower. Ford's '69 midsizers were '68 repeats save for new fastback and notchback Torino hardtops called Cobra (after Carroll Shelby's muscular Ford-powered sports cars). In the wake from the OPEC oil embargo and the first energy crisis, Chrysler pushed compacts while GM went with plans to downsize its entire fleet forward. Initial engine choices began having a 2.5-liter 88-bhp four, an enlarged Tempo unit available with standard five-speed manual or, from late '87, optional four-speed overdrive automatic transaxles. But it cast a strange light on the inside, and heat buildup was a major problem. An interesting '95 variation was the SE (Sport Edition) sedan, some sort of budget SHO delivering alloy wheels, rear spoiler, sport front seats, along with other extras for about $18-grand with base 3.0-liter V-6 or simply under $20,000 using the punchier 3.8. Interestingly, the smaller "Vulcan" V-6 got some needed NVH improvements in preparation at the all-new second-generation Taurus. The initial Probe will undoubtedly be remembered as the car that almost replaced the Mustang ever. A comparable 3-Series Mercedes-Benz or BMW C-Class cost thousands more, yet the SVT Contour was easily their equal on a road course or perhaps a dragstrip, running 0-60 mph in 7 about.5 seconds in most road tests. The latter somehow lost six horsepower by '87, then returned to its original rating. The typical six gained five bhp to deliver 120 total. Inside, the '92 Taurus presented a redesigned dash with subtle ergonomic space and refinements for the newly optional passenger airbag. Multiple carburetors, headers, dual exhausts, and other "speed parts" were as close as local auto stores. The executives selected Caleal's design, which went into production unchanged basically, except that his vertical taillights were made bled and horizontal in to the rear quarter. Ford modernized two more of its cars for 1992. First up was a replacement for something even older than the original Escort: the best, vintage '79 Crown Victoria. Specials were sixes only now, but the lineup was otherwise unchanged. A new 312-cid "Thunderbird" unit with 215/225 horsepower was ­optional across the board, and a midrange 292-cid V-8 offered 200 horsepower. Initially, Fairlane offered two- and four-door sedans in base and sportier 500 trim, plus a bucket-seat 500 Sport Coupe. A more-exciting 1984 development was a turbocharged 1.6-liter GT with 120 horsepower and a uprated chassis suitably. This will need to have sounded all too familiar to Ford folks who remembered the unlovely and unloved EXP. Sales remained strong despite the yearly sameness. Outside was…a disappointment. Though everyone panel was new save the doors, the '92 was hard to inform instantly from previous Tauruses -- as critics loved to point out. The passenger airbag became standard for '94. Two factors appeared to be at the job. A crisp four-door notchback bowed for 1992 in mid-range LX trim, and there was a sporty LX-E version with the GT's engine and firm suspension, plus rear disc brakes -- a type or kind of pint-size Taurus SHO. Meantime, Ford Division had redesigned its Escort for the first time since the 1981 original. So Even, the base price was amazingly low at around $23,000. Two sedans, plain and fancy wagons, and a smart "basket-handle-roof" coupe reviving the Futura name were offered through 1981 (after which the wagons became Granadas). If anything, Ford was a lot more successful here than it was with cars. It was soon a familiar sight on American roads. Maverick's true successor bowed for 1978 with a name borrowed from Ford's Australian subsidiary: Fairmont. Styling was evolutionary, with wider, more-integrated front fenders; a busy vertical-bar grille with tall center section flanked by low subgrilles; larger rear fenders; and more-rakish coupe rooflines. It was an excellent engine, which helps explain why its 302 evolution continued completely into the 1990s. It completely transformed Falcon performance without affecting mileage greatly. Everything added up to a sprightly performer that could run ­circles around rivals from Chevrolet and Plymouth. Still, Ford could afford to keep the "Vicky" around and even splurge for occasional changes: a Grand Marquis-like restyle for 1998, standard horsepower bumped to 220 for 2002, and a few new features along the way. The '49 Fords suffered handling and noise problems stemming in the rushed design program. Critics raved. Road & Track called Contour "a huge step forward in the compact sedan arena." Car and Driver termed it "stunningly satisfying." Those verdicts came from road tests of the top-line SE model and its 2.5-liter "Duratec" V-6. Compression was 7.2:1 in base trim, but could possibly be taken as high as 12:1 if required (which it wasn't). Neither critics nor many consumers were amused. Though with out a hardtop and a fully automatic transmission like Chevrolet still, Ford bested 1930's imposing model-year output, making more than 1.2 million cars. Rack-and-pinion steering and front-disc/rear-drum brakes completed the essential specs. Volume eased to under a quarter million for '85, then returned to at least 363,000 each year through decade's end. Performance was what the big Fords had just, with available big-block and small-block V-8s offering from 195 up to rousing 425 horsepower. Helping all this was a wheelbase lengthened to 112 inches (where it would remain through 1940) as well as a wheel diameter shrunk to 17. V-8 durability kept improving, and the frame was completely redesigned. Using the Korean conflict ended, Ford Division built 1.2 million cars to edge Chevrolet for the model year (Chevy consoled itself with calendar-year supremacy), but only by dumping cars on dealers within a production "blitz" so they could sell for "significantly less than cost." Ironically, Chevrolet wasn't much suffering from this onslaught, but Studebaker, American Motors, and Kaiser-Willys were, because they couldn't afford to discount as much. Not that it performed that well on those roads using its untidy cornering response plus a roly-poly ride on rough sections. A more-convenient, restyled dash was featured over the relative line. The cockpit was comfortable too, and handsomely appointed with racing-style seats, leather upholstery, and an impressive spread of gauges and toggle-type switches across the dashboard. Power originated from a 2.3-liter four, only it wasn't the Pinto/Fairmont ohc "Lima" unit but a cut-down version of the old overhead-valve Falcon six, rated at 84 horsepower. Edge debuted with a single powerteam comprising Ford's new 250-bhp 3.5-liter V-6 as well as a six-speed automatic transmission. Prices ranged from $684 at the six-cylinder Special coupe to $1013 for your V-8 DeLuxe woody wagon -- the first factory-built Ford to break the $1000 barrier. Appearance alterations for 1947 involved shuffled nameplates and lower-mounted round parking lights. Doing more with less, Ford introduced a new 215.3-cid overhead-valve six with 101 horsepower as standard for Mainline/Customline. The Skyliner was gone, but there is a new fixed-roof Starliner hardtop coupe with sleek semifastback profile. Focus bowed with two-door hatchback, four-door sedan, and four-door wagon body styles, each targeted at a particular audience. Another class exclusive was a full-length Still, twin-panel "Vista Roof" with tilt/sliding forward section measuring 2x2.5 feet. Undoubtedly helped by image rub-off from its big sister, the little LTD sold much better than Granada: nearly 156,000 for '83 and over 200,000 in 1984 and '85 -- Ford's second-best-seller after Escort. Tempo was treated to some mild flush-headlamp facelift for 1986, when it also became one of the first low-priced cars to offer an optional driver-side air bag. Prices held steady, running from $1333 for your DeLuxe business coupe to $2028 for your Squire. Only detail changes would eventually this basic design through 1954. Wheelbase crept up to 115 inches to get a revised model slate that started with a cheap Mainline Tudor/Fordor, business coupe, and two-door Ranch Wagon, followed by Customline sedans, club coupe, and four-door Country Sedan wagon. Though light on many specifics, this "Way Forward" plan needed closing 14 UNITED STATES plants by 2012, erasing some 30 thus,000 jobs and cutting build capacity by greater than a fourth. There was no visual cribbing within the 2006 Fusion, the next prong of Ford's latest assault within the high-volume family car market. Torino Cobras could be potent racing machines. Reflecting the buckets-and-console craze then sweeping Detroit were the midseason 500 XL Victoria hardtop coupe and Sunliner convertible. Ford's other 1992 freshening involved the top-selling Taurus. Better Even, a PZEV Focus cost far less when compared to a Toyota Prius or Honda Civic Hybrid, was easier and simpler to maintain, and possessed noticeably more low-end torque that improved acceleration, with automatic transmission especially. Suspension was exactly the same at each end, comprising upper A-arms, lower L-shaped arms, coil-over monotube shocks, and thick antiroll bars. Keyed to the changing market Adroitly, Granada blended American-style luxury with the mock-Mercedes look in vogue then. As an "import," the Crown Vic counted in Ford's non-domestic CAFE along with the tiny South Korean-built Festiva, whose really high mileage more than offset the big car's. There is nothing half-hearted about the all-new 1996 Taurus. DeLuxes were again fully restyled for 1939, bearing a lesser Vee'd vertical-bar grille and clean front fenders with integral headlamps. To Ford's undoubted delight, the Focus was a crucial success most everywhere, the entire year trophy winning awards in Europe and the 2000 North American Car of. The four-cylinder engine was breathing its last. Ford wished to buy it because of its cars, but Studebaker refused -- much to its later regret. Besides Borg-Warner four-speed manual gearbox and 300-, 340-, 375-, and 401-bhp 390s, there was a larger-bore 406 big-block providing 385/405 horsepower. This packed 300 standard horsepower, but was available, though on an extremely limited basis, as a high-compression "Interceptor" with 375 and 401 horsepower. Sales were good at first -- a lot more than 117,000 by 1990 -- but fell victim to some sharp drop in sporty coupe demand. Contour did succeed, but not along with the motor car it replaced. Chevy then unveiled an all-new type of radical "bat-fin" cars for 1959. Ford replied with more-conservative styling that helped it close the model-year gap to significantly less than 12,000 units. Ably assisting him was the youthful "Whiz Kids" team of executives and engineers he'd recruited, including one Robert S. McNamara. A complete steel-roof model was also offered for $70 significantly less than the "bubble-topper"; predictably, it sold far better: 33,000-plus to just 1999. The totals were 9209 and 603 for '56 just, and the Crown Vic was dumped. From nose to tail, top to bottom, it had been an orgy of ovals on a lozenge-like form with concave lower bodysides -- what one journalist termed a "pre-dented" look. This "big and tall" subcompact had a large job, being assigned to fill the marketplace shoes from the Escort, ZX2, and Contour. For 1983, Granada was transformed right into a "small" LTD -- instead of the "big" LTD Crown Victoria. All were available with six or V-8 power. Appearances notwithstanding, basic architecture and underskin components were distributed to other Escorts, as the engine was exactly the same twincam Zetec found in the base Contour. V-8 choices expanded via two new "FE-series" big-blocks: a 332 offering 240/265 horsepower, plus a 300-bhp 352. A deep national recession cut Ford volume to under 988 just,000 cars. A companion four-door hatch was added for '03. Unlike Mercury's two-year-old Villager, which Ford built-in Ohio to a Nissan design, the new 1995 Windstar was Dearborn's own front-drive minivan, utilizing a modified Taurus platform and drivetrains to furnish a car-like driving feel similarly. As being a veteran of Ford Europe, Trotman brought a more-international outlook to the business's "Glass House" headquarters, which was soon populated by a lot of his European colleagues. Skyliner was also ousted for '55, but Ford had another idea. Ford Motor Company duly turned out a number of military vehicles including Jeeps (with American Bantam and Willys-Overland), and its new mile-long plant in Willow Run, Michigan, near Detroit, produced a variety of bombers through 1945. Despite the final end of the war, the doddering mogul stubbornly continued to control an increasingly troubled Ford Motor Company until his family insisted he step down. With all of this, Ford Division remained "USA-1" in the early '90s, a year plus a like number of light trucks selling well over a million cars. Engineered with help from Yamaha, the SHO engine turned out 220 horsepower, good for seven seconds 0-60 mph, according to Ford; Consumer Guide® managed "only" 7.4 -- great going still. Only evolutionary changes would occur through 1996, save the admirable adoption of a typical passenger airbag for '95 supplementing the already included driver's restraint. The Ford also had somewhat softer suspension tuning because it wasn't trying to be as sporty as the Mazda. Like other SVT efforts, the "factory tuner" Focus delivered numerous upgrades at a surprisingly modest price, initially $17,480. That was so far below expectations that Ford briefly considered dropping the Freestyle after just three model years. Needlessly to say, Taurus engines mounted transversely within a chassis with all-independent suspension. So was the basic "CVH" engine retained for several Escorts save the sporty GT three-door. Even better, it had a modern ladder-type frame with Dearborn's first fully independent front suspension (via coil springs and upper and lower A-arms), plus a modern rear end with open Hotchkiss drive (replacing torque-tube) and parallel longitudinal leaf springs supporting the live axle. But a $500 price premium over the all-steel convertible limited sales to just 1209 for '46, 2250 for '47, and just 28 for '48 (the last actually reserialed '47s). In June 1948 The reason was the first all-new postwar Fords that continued sale with great anticipation. One outside team was headed by George Walker, who hired onetime GM and Raymond Loewy employee Richard Caleal to join designers Joe Oros and Elwood Engel. Wheelbase stretched two inches to 114, bodysides outward ballooned, and also a stouter frame contributed to an average 100 pounds of added curb weight. Prime on the list of latter was an Advance Trac antiskid system with Roll Stability Control, available with either front-wheel drive or full-time all-wheel drive. The 1938 line ushered in "two-tier styling" for 60-bhp 82A and 85-bhp 81A series. The last, but most-substantial, restyle around the big 1960 body occurred for '64, bringing sculptured lower-body sheet-metal heavily, a complex grille, and slantback rooflines for all closed models. Saving the very best for last brings us to the 2004-06 Ford GT. With minor changes, Maverick would carry the division's compact sales effort through 1977, which it did well tolerably, though its old-fashioned engineering looked increasingly so with time and the arrival of more-capable domestic and foreign competitors. Optional "passive safety" pluses were front torso side airbags, plus curtain side airbags that deployed in the ceiling above the relative side windows. The "500" stood at the 500-mile NASCAR races the division was winning (Ford won every 500 in '63). Hopes were high for that 2005 Five Hundred and '06 Fusion sedans. Overall length-width-height measured 182.8x76.9x44.3 inches. Pricing probably helped close many a sale. Ford also gave it standard seven-place seating on the 120.7-inch wheelbase, slightly longer than that of Chrysler's extended-length Grand models. A conventional suspension and cast-iron six -- mostly a 170-cid unit of 101 horsepower -- certainly looked dull close to Corvair engineering, but made for friendly, roomy little cars that rode well and delivered 20-25 mpg. Power by Ford was essential, therefore the GT received a supercharged version of Ford's all-aluminum 5.4-liter V-8. Besides a new Fairmont-based Mustang, 1979 saw the fruition from the "Panther" design project within an LTD that was genuinely downsized. With base and luxury coupe, EXP eased below 26,000 for '87, was abandoned in 1988 as a bad bet then, though this did release assembly-line space for regular Escorts. Though Ford briefly considered retaining it, the low-selling Sportsman was dropped for '49 along with other offerings regrouped into Custom and Standard series. A new 250-bhp 3.5-liter V-6 was planned for 2007 to handle the lack of zip. The 1965 platform got a minor touch up for '66, and LTDs gained "7-Litre" companions powered with the Thunderbird's big 345-bhp 428 engine. So did a string of recalls and launch glitches involving the new Escape, 2001 Thunderbird, redesigned '02 Explorer, and the tiny Focus, Ford's latest attempt at a "world car." Other new models like the Lincoln LS and sister Jaguar S-Type didn't sell needlessly to say. The V-8 itself got a new carburetor and manifold that increased advertised horsepower to 85 -- some claim actual power was 90. By now, the majority of its early problems were bad memories just. Starting in 1935, Ford built these bodies itself within a plant at Iron Mountain on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, an ideal location due to nearby hardwood forests that minimized transportation costs. Lending added styling distinction were unique lower-body extensions and inboard front fog lamps. The 289 was detuned to 195 horsepower for '68, once the aforementioned 302 arrived as a fresh option. A '49 Ford couldn't quite reach 100 mph, but hopping up the flathead V-8 was simple still, cheap, and easy. The second-generation Probe was the last, with production ending in '97. In 1999 these four makes were combined with Lincoln and Mercury into a new division, Premier Automotive Group (PAG). With all this, Ford was in a fight for its life. Later, Ford didn't need such tricks to adhere to CAFE, so parts and labor were re-sourced to make the Crown Vic truly "American" again. But more downsizing wasn't the answer. Ford made only minor styling changes for 1936, but they were good ones. Mileage was at the very least respectable at 19-20 mpg, but power was lackluster despite respectable 0-60-mph times of 7.5-8.0 seconds with either powertrain. Despite its ultimate demise, Probe was as much a symbol as Taurus of Ford's strong '80s resurgence, a phoenix-like renaissance engineered by Donald E. Petersen (president from 1980, chairman after 1984) and his young, enthusiastic executive team. The plant also proved MX-6s and 626 sedans for Mazda's U.S. Most could be had with Standard or DeLuxe trim, the latter typically featuring brighter colors and spiffier interiors. Volume declined to under 110,000, but remained healthy through decade's end. The V-8 was pushed around exactly the same 90 horsepower because the six -- likely from the stroke of the engineer's pen. The "Fox" program that produced Fairmont was one of Ford's first projects initiated following the 1973-74 energy crisis, nonetheless it wasn't Dearborn's only attempt at downsizing. That engine vanished after '87. At decade's end, it was selling no more than 400 also,000 more cars each year than in 1960 -- despite expansion into important new markets: economy compacts, intermediates, and sportier standard-size models. Luxury was emphasized with a new LTD Brougham hardtop coupe further, hardtop sedan, and four-door sedan. Regardless of trim, Fusion showed the same good workmanship as the Five Hundred, the best ever from Ford and competitive with Accord and Camry fully. Numerous refinements marked Escort's evolution through 1990. There have been always three-door hatchbacks and four-door wagons, plus hatchback sedans after 1981. All rode a 94.2-inch wheelbase and employed transverse-mounted four-cylinder engines -- a fresh "CVH" single-overhead-cam design with hemispherical combustion chambers -- initially teamed with four-speed overdrive manual or three-speed automatic transaxles. The final were the nicest inside, with contemporary metal-look accents, tasteful "piano black" panels instead of the usual test-tube wood, easy-read gauges, and convenient, logical controls. Alongside that year's new Thunderbird, it announced Ford's consider "aero" styling. Models comprised two sedans and a wagon at first, an individual sedan after 1999. All aimed to supply nothing more than economical yet stylish transportation at a low price, which was all lots of people needed. Chunkier, more-"important" styling marked the '62 standards, which regrouped into Galaxie/Galaxie 500/Station Wagon lines spanning roughly exactly the same models. Come midseason, a new Galaxie group of two- and four-door pillared and pillarless sedans generated high buyer interest and strong sales with their square but stylish Thunderbird-inspired wide-quarter rooflines. To complement the chassis, the two 2 2.5 Duratec V-6 received higher compression, deep-breathing exercises, along with other measures to attain 195 bhp (later 200), delivered by way of a mandatory short-throw five-speed manual gearbox. Handling was believe it or not impressive: race-car sharp yet road-car forgiving, with mild understeer changing to power-on oversteer whenever your right foot commanded. Ford was copying the no-hassle price policy of GM's Saturn subsidiary, nonetheless it was nonetheless a timely counter to Chevy's Cavalier, that was doing the same thing -- not forgetting Japanese small cars that were rapidly upgrading the scale due to a strengthened yen. A mid-1985 upgrade brought a larger 1.9-liter (113. 5 cid) "CVH" with 86 horsepower in carbureted form or 108 with option electronic port fuel injection. A fresh camshaft and better crankcase ventilation further enhanced the lively V-8, as well as the frame and rear axle were beefed up. One reason was the simultaneous arrival of a fresh downsized Thunderbird with this same platform. Unfortunately, so was its snug interior. Unfortunately, the Fords had some structural weaknesses (principally roof panels) and were prone to rust, one reason you don't see that many today. Things really were tough in Detroit. Though sales gradually declined due to competition from both inside and outside the division, Falcon was profitable always. Iacocca soon put an final end to the mundane people-movers well-liked by Bob McNamara, and by 1970 Ford was offering some exciting cars. Leading the 1970 line were modestly facelifted full-size Fords with "poke-through" center grille sections on LTDs and XLs, plus revamped rear ends on all models. Yet such was the uncertainty in Dearborn that planners allowed Taurus to hold on through 2006, reduced to a pair of sedans with all the old pushrod V-6 just. Tempo marked time for 1989-90 apart from price/equipment shuffles then. Enthusiasts loved it, but the SVT Focus wouldn't be around long, departing after 2004. One reason was that Ford had a need to freshen its small car to keep up buyer interest. As mentioned, Taurus took over as America's most-popular car line in '92. For Ford Motor Company all together, 1959 seemed to justify the strenuous efforts of Henry Ford II and board chairman Ernest R. Breech. Prices rose slightly, now covering a $599-$921 spread. Initial engines were the proven 2.0-liter Zetec fours -- 110-bhp single-cam and 130-bhp twincam -- but most everything else was appealingly different. Known within Ford as D3, it had been designed in collaboration with Volvo to become quite strong except in a crash, when it could absorb energy in a controlled, protective fashion. To produce the motor car, Ford and Mazda set up a fresh factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, not definately not historic River Rouge, within a joint venture aptly named Auto Alliance. A zippy $1495 SR package was added for 2000 with an extra 13 horses, tuned suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, alloy wheels, performance tires and special seats, nonetheless it did nothing to spark sales. After burning through more than $15 billion in 1999-2000, Ford lost an astounding $5.45 billion in 2001 and a billion more in '02 almost. The main one major complaint was a marked tendency to nosedive in "panic" stops, aggravated by overboosted power brakes. R&T concluded. "Watch out. America is roaring to the top back." And so it seemed. But buyers didn't appear to care. The 1966 Falcons were basically shorter versions of that year's rebodied Fairlanes, with exactly the same type of curvy GM-like contours and long-hood/short-deck proportions of Mustang. Extensive revisions occurred for 2003, perhaps because that has been Ford's centennial year. Yet Pinto usually outsold the trouble-prone Vega as well as many overseas contenders. Crestliner's real purpose was to counter Chevy's true "hardtop-convertible," the 1950 Bel Air.D. LTD sales continued rising. Taurus was likely to depart after 2005, when just two varieties of wagon and sedan appeared as being a transition to all-new replacements. Although Ford family no longer owns a majority of common stock, Ford is very much indeed a family group operation still. An optional 2.0-liter (121-cid) 52-bhp diesel four from Mazda arrived for 1984 -- just in time for the start of a gas glut that quickly killed most all diesel demand in the U.S. Buyers approved wholeheartedly, and Granada zoomed from nowhere to become Ford Division's top-seller, outdistancing the full-sizers and swollen Torinos by wide margins. Why? Because Fairmont's basic engineering will be the foundation for some Ford Motor Company cars introduced with the mid-'80s, including a new-generation T-Bird and Mustang. Heading the relative line were the bucket-seat 500XL hardtop coupe and convertible in base and GT trim. This was a definite sales asset, especially for Ford after the Explorer rollover debacle. The '60s were much longer, lower, wider, and sleeker compared to the boxy '59s, and also mimicked Chevy's batfins just a little, however they looked good with their chrome-edged beltlines and bigger glass areas. Though Ford replaced pistons from the thousands to ease owner worries, the engine difficulties hurt sales. There is new styling, needless to say: smooth and rounded in Dearborn's now-expected "aero" mold, but not "jellybean" chunky. Decreasing were a longer, more-pointed hood and a more sharply Vee'd grille to complement. The Skyliner name returned in mid-1957, but on a very different Ford: the world's first mass-produced retractable hardtop. Appearance became smoother still on 1934's 40A line. By 1984, Granada engines were initially carried over plus a new 232-cid V-6. Ford spent an archive $6 billion to introduce Mondeo, Contour, and Mercury's companion '95 Mystique. The goal was to possess it ready with time for Ford Motor Company's huge June 2003 centennial gala in Dearborn. Not that many sold at list. Though conceived around a traditional front-engine/rear-drive format, it was a big improvement over Maverick: clean-lined; boxy once and for all interior space on a shorter 105 sensibly.5-inch wheelbase; lighter and thus thriftier than many expected. Bracketing the Taurus in proportions, price, and character, they represented a finish run round the issue of competing head-on with the perennially popular Accord and Camry. Ford's major 1971 announcement was the four-cylinder Pinto, a 2000-pound, 94.2-inch-wheelbase subcompact with fastback styling in two-door and Runabout three-door hatchback ­models. Studebaker had developed an excellent automatic for 1950 in colaboration with Warner Gear. Yet once again, Ford's aim was slightly off. No noticeable changes at all occurred for '48, however the six was rerated to 95 horsepower, up five. Like GM's post-1967 intermediates, models divided along two wheelbases: 114-inch two-door hardtops and fastbacks (including semisporty GT variants) and 118-inch sedans and wagons. Some wondered whether Bill Ford could turn the company around, but he silenced many skeptics by moving swiftly to place Ford's "Glass House" to be able. This have been this type of success that Ford not only bought a 25-percent stake in Mazda but decided to entrust it with most of Ford's own small-car development for THE UNITED STATES. Escort's 2.0-liter diesel option was listed through '86, but generated few sales. Though it wouldn't be evident on the highway until middecade, Ford 2000 seemed a prudent plan in light of the auto industry's ever-increasing globalization. Among their first projects was an ambitious corporate reorganization dubbed "Ford 2000." Announced in 1994, this aimed to mobilize all of the firm's global resources to further improve quality, shorten product development times, and achieve greater manufacturing efficiencies. Take aerodynamics. Because the basic physique acted like an inverted wing, the GT40 was infamous to be less-than-stable at racing speeds. New for 1982, it was Ford's first two-seater since the original Thunderbird, but its "frog-eye" styling wasn't in the same league. Engines were familiar -- initially the 140-cid Pinto four, 200-cid six, and 302-cid V-8 -- but there is a fresh all-coil suspension with modified MacPherson-strut front end geometry, which mounted the coil springs on lower A-arms. These came with the 335-bhp 428 V-8 that had first appeared in the "19681/2" Mercury Cyclone as the "Cobra Jet." A $133 option was "Ram-Air," a fiberglass hood scoop connecting to a particular air-cleaner assembly having a valve that ducted incoming air straight into the carb. Prices rose for 1949 again, the number now $1333-$2119. Riding a 106-inch wheelbase, these four-door sedans and four-door wagons represented Ford's strong­est-ever claim to Detroit design leadership: clean, smooth, and detailed carefully, yet not lumpy like some other low-drag "aero" cars. Chevrolet was pushing hard still, and Ford yielded the very best spot in 1931 model-year volume, though only by some 4100 cars. Ford would be number 1 again for 1970 and '71 at slightly over two-million cars to Chevy's 1.5/1.8 million. But Taurus as a whole kept up its initial rip-snorting pace, besting 387,000 for '88, 395,000 for '89, and 333,000 for recession-plagued 1990. Thoughtful yearly upgrades helped. For 1988, Tempo four-doors were reskinned to check like junior versions of the brand new midsize Taurus, an effective "nip-and-tuck" operation. At that true point, Ford's1942 model-year total was just shy of 160,500 cars, versus Chevy's quarter-million-plus. Bored out to 289 cid like a '63 option, it packed around 271 horsepower -- almost one horsepower per cubic inch. Where GM was content to rebody its largest cars merely, Ford overhauled the chassis, adding standard all-disc brakes with optional antilock control and making numerous tweaks to steering, springs, shocks, and suspension geometry. No-cost antilock brakes were laudable, as was first-time option of front side airbags except over the price-leading Standard. Enhancing the low look was a switch to balloon tires on smaller 19-inch wheels (replacing 21-inchers). Year included a numerically higher steering ratio for less effort at the wheel Running changes made during the model, and standardization of vacuum-operated windshield wipers that were an extra-cost accessory previously. Buyers preferred higher performance over lower retail cost evidently. Ford's model-year volume declined by about 200,000 cars, but Chevy's fell a similar amount, reflecting new government-ordered restrictions on civilian production prompted by Korean War. With competitors pushing hard, the basic '86 design was now looking for an update, so Ford spent an awesome $650 million to provide it one. Ford's path through the 1960s closely parallels that of rival Chevrolet. That left a four-door sedan with airy "six-light" roofline in base and uplevel LX trim; a sportier Touring Sedan was added within the fall. Old Henry had finally given in on the latter point -- three years after Chevrolet and 11 years behind Plymouth. Ford continued to stress safety for a couple more years, but put more focus on performance. The costs were right, running from just over $17,000 to near $22,000 before options. Corporate profits hit a record $7.2 billion in 1999 as the currency markets and new-vehicle demand stayed strong within an unprecedented boom economy. Engines were the same as Fairmont's: standard 2.3-liter four, optional 200-cid six, and "fuel crisis" 255 V-8 (the final eliminated after '81). However, only second and third gears worked automatically; a shift to low manually needed to be made. Ford tried to make them passably economical, gave up and simply fitted a more substantial fuel tank then. Billed as the first within a promised fleet of Ford "world cars," it was ­jointly created by the firm's U.S., British, and German branches under Project "Erika," but the European version ended up sleeker and faster than its American cousin. Another constant of Ford's 1980s fleet was the full-size 1979-vintage LTD, which continued beyond 1990 with just minor yearly alterations to equipment, styling and engines. Tempo's 1995 replacement stood to be always a in an easier way sell. We shouldn't leave this decade without mentioning the Probe, which was new for 1989. A sporty hatchback coupe predicated on Mazda's MX-6, it was a higher point for Dearborn's then 15-year-old partnership with japan automaker. Young Henry quickly returned Ford Motor Company to civilian production after V-J day. But months of damning publicity clobbered Dearborn's image -- and its stock price. Volvo had developed RSC because of its XC90 SUV, and Ford fast adopted it for your truck-based Explorer and Expedition. LTD became another three-model series, adding four-door sedan but losing the slow-selling 7-Litre ­models. Ford was somewhat wide from the mark using the erstwhile replacement for its old truck-like Aerostar minivan. From on now, he declared, Ford would build great cars and trucks, period. Body-on-frame construction appeared for the very first time, and dimensions ballooned to people of late-'60s Galaxies and LTDs close. Young Henry II was still scrambling to create order to the organizational and fiscal chaos he inherited from his grandfather even while the business continued losing profits by the bucketful. We were holding available using the lively "Challenger" small-block V-8 through the midsize Fairlane -- initially a 260 with 164 horsepower, a 289 with about 200 horsepower for '65 then. All previous models continued, though now on the 118-inch wheelbase. Small front air "splitters" created downforce at the nose, while side splitters beneath the doors worked together with a specific bellypan to smooth airflow on the way to rear "venturi" exits. It added a bulky "bustle," but erased the old-fashioned external trunk rack and spare tire increasingly. A front stabilizer bar was standard, as was rack-and-pinion steering, offered at extra cost with variable-ratio power assist, that year a new item distributed to several other Fords. Coming to midyear in 1965 were the poshest big Fords ever, the $3300 Galaxie 500 LTD hardtop coupe and sedan, claimed to be "quiet as a Rolls-Royce." The changing times were indeed a-changin'. The former offered six and V-8 Tudor and Fordor, alongside club and business coupes. Here, Ford applied "mini-Taurus" styling to the latest version of Mazda's small, front-drive 323/Protege to make a competent Japanese-style subcompact with much greater sales appeal against rival Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans. Ford had built 139 nearly,000 from the '68s; it built a lot more than that number for '69 twice. For 1958, Ford countered all-new passenger Chevys and modestly restyled Plymouths having a glittery facelift featuring quad headlamps and taillamps, an enormous bumper/grille a la '58 Thunderbird, and much more anodized aluminum trim. Drivelines were brand-new, however. Edsel visited work, and the new L-head six bowed for 1941. With 226 cid and 90 horsepower, it had five more cubic inches compared to the V-8 plus a like amount of extra horsepower -- a bit embarrassing. Signaling its mission of wooing younger, cash-short enthusiasts, it initially came in "Cool" and better-equipped "Hot" versions. Ford noted that these numbers were much like those of 7 proudly.0-liter racing GT40s. The rest of the '54 story was basically 1953 save a larger, 223-cid overhead-valve six with 115 bhp. The sporty XLs were in their final year. The Probe was the first fruit of that decision. While that betrayed an aging design long since covered, in addition, it helped Ford to keep moving this metal. There was also a novel new hardtop called Skyliner, a Crestline Victoria with a transparent, green-tint Plexiglas roof insert over the front seat. The '95 tally was almost nearly as good: just over 410,000. Like Escort, Taurus wouldn't see another major change until late decade. In large measure, this denial reflected the non-public view of chairman Henry Ford II, who decreed there will be no wholesale rush to smaller cars, no vast capital investment in new technology. Moreover, it had been new against Chevy's second facelift in 2 yrs. The standard manual transaxle shifted from a four- to five-speed after '84, with a three-speed automatic optional all full years. Dearborn was no less expansive in the blissful luxury field, pouring major money into services and plants for Jaguar and Aston Martin, acquired within the 1980s, adding Land Rover then, another British icon, and well-regarded Volvo of Sweden. Their "standard" wheelbase swelled to 119 inches for 1960, then became 121 after 1968. They were heavy cars (3000-4000 pounds), and most weren't rewarding to operate a vehicle except with an Interstate, but certain variations were capable on winding roads surprisingly. The Five Hundred could have replaced the Crown Victoria: more than a foot shorter overall plus some 500 pounds lighter, yet no less spacious on the wheelbase just 1.8 inches trimmer. Maverick's last gesture to the youth market was the Stallion, a 1976 trim package much like those offered for the Pinto and Mustang II. With buyers still flocking to well-equipped Japanese cars, Ford decided to ladle on all kinds of standard features (including dual dashboard airbags), but this only pushed Contour a lot upmarket from Tempo, which had been relatively cheap. Ford kept pace with Chevrolet within the '60s production race, and beat it for model years 1961 and '66 actually. A redesigned frame, altered suspension geometry, as well as a switch from recirculating-ball to rack-and-pinion steering all aimed to improve ride and handling, that they did -- a little. Though stickers had inevitably risen as time passes, the Crown Vic still offered a lot of good old-fashioned American metal your money can buy at around $24,000-$30,000. Sedans used MacPherson coil and struts springs at each corner, supplemented at the rear by parallel control arms. The practical, low-priced U.S. First was a fresh 1981 Granada, simply the two- and four-door Fairmont sedans using a square eggcrate grille, bulkier sheetmetal, and somewhat plusher appointments. Mechanical changes included internal engine enhancements inspired by the brand new Mercury and hydraulic instead of mechanical brakes. Section of that came from having to match the costly zero-percent financing program instituted by GM to jump-start a stunned market following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Topping the number was the V-8 Crestline band of Victoria hardtop, newly named Sunliner convertible, and posh Country Squire four-door wagon. By contrast, that year's Ford Standards looked like warmed-over '38 DeLuxes. The effect was surprisingly agile and responsive for a normal full-size Detroiter and a vast improvement over the old Crown Vic. This is a good way to give a vintage design new appeal, also it boosted floor traffic at Ford dealers. The midsize Torino proved exceptionally popular in the first '70s, then fell from favor once fuel economy became a pressing consumer concern. Skidpad grip was world-class at near 1g, and Road & Track's test car ran the slalom some 2-mph faster compared to the much-acclaimed Ferrari Modena. Probably one of the most charismatic roadgoing sports cars ever built, it was nothing significantly less than today's but faithful, street-legal reincarnation of Ford's legendary midengine GT40 endurance racer, four-time winner of the grueling a day of LeMans (1966-69), the ultimate "Total Performance" Ford. Ford was also being squeezed by escalating raw materials costs and -- the big hit -- a sharp drop in demand for its most profitable SUVs, set off by a spike in gas prices during 2005 to over $3 a gallon in lots of places. After shuffling key executives and drawing up a fresh organizational chart, Ford announced a recovery plan that aimed to attain $7 billion in pretax gain 2006, mainly through "leaner" manufacturing, "smarter" engineering, plant closures, worker layoffs, and supplier concessions. Ford sold 20,766 Skyliners for '57, but demand fast tapered to 14,713 for '58, then to 12,915. The model was duly axed after 1959, a victim of new division chief Bob McNamara's no-nonsense approach to products and profits. Most front-drive models employed a six-speed automatic -- Ford's first -- and there were all-wheel-drive versions using a "gearless" continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Cylinder-head cracks and excessive oil burning were the most frequent, however, many engine mounts worked loose and ignition problems cropped up. As before, the Model A spanned a wide range of body types: coupes, sport coupes, roadsters, and cabriolets with or without rumble seat; "Tudor" and "Fordor" sedans; a dignified Town Sedan surprisingly; plus a wood-body station wagon. Most pundits blamed CEO Nasser. Called LTD II, it was a little lighter than before, and sales went nowhere. And, needless to say, either could drive via an optional four-speed automatic. But options could turn this sporty hunk right into a real fire-breather. Falcons were also easily serviced by "shadetree mechanics" who wouldn't go near the complicated Chevy compact. When equipped with optional four-speed manual transmission, they were great fun to drive. The '95s got a mild facelift, "gullwing" taillights, revised climate controls and newly standard rear defroster, heated door mirrors, a radio antenna embedded in the rear window, a "battery-saver" feature, and displays for outside temperature and "gallons to empty. " Even with each one of these additions, base price was comfortably below $25,000. By 1987, Escort's plethora of alphabet series have been sifted right down to a stark three-door called Pony, volume-selling GL (all three body styles), and three-door GT. So was the LTD name -- but also the Crown Vic wagon, Ford having concluded that minivans and sport-utility vehicles had now largely replaced traditional full-size wagons in buyer affections. Yet, even these were likely surprised by success of Taurus, the front-drive 1986 replacement for the junior LTD within the all-important midsize market. After all, supply was limited -- about 4000 worldwide max, said Ford -- and demand for this thrilling machine was often greater. Production was thus meager through 1990: about 25,000 roughly. The most-important interim development was standardizing the passenger air bag for '94. For 1977, the old Torino was refurbished with cleaner exterior sheet metal and "badge-engineered" to pass being a new-wave big car. Symbolic of all everything wrong with Detroit at that time, these Torinos were needlessly out-sized, overweight, and thirsty, with limited interior room and soggy chassis. Year Ford stayed the course one more, abandoned the sporty-coupe market then, which was shrinking anyway fast. This offered a nostalgic buckets-and-console interior with floorshifter, a dual-exhaust V-8 pumped up to 235 bhp, as well as the firmer-handling suspension available for the mom-and-pop LX. Interest value was definitely not a trait of the first '90s Tempo. DeLuxes bore a chromed horizontal-bar center section flanked by painted subgrilles in the "catwalk" areas between nose and fenders. As with previous midyear model revisions, that one carried into 1989 and 1990 practically without change then. Bolstering Maverick's appeal for '71 was a notchback four-door on the 109.9-inch wheelbase (almost the same as the original Falcon's), a sportier two-door called Grabber, along with a newly optional 302 V-8 as an alternative to the 100-bhp 170 six. Wheelbase grew an inch; profiles were lower and five inches longer. GTs carried a big-block 390 making a potent 335 horsepower. That came in 1945, when he handed the reins to grandson Henry Ford II, who hold them for the next 33 years, many of them successful. See separate entries for your stories on the personal-luxury T-Bird and the new-for '65 Mustang "ponycar," the two most-specialized Fords of this period. But it all turned sour suddenly. But they were only a short-lived bridge to the entire year 2000 and the debut of a far more ambitious small Ford. But Ford as a whole did in banner 1955 splendidly, shattering its postwar record of 1953 because they build nearly 1.5 million cars. A twin-disc clutch and Ricardo six-speed manual transaxle conveyed all of the might to the trunk wheels by way of a helical limited-slip differential. SHO pricing remained unusually steady in these years, but that nor the automatic was much help to sales neither. A 115-bhp 200-cid six was standard for several but the Torino GT convertible, hardtop coupe, and new fastback hardtop (all duplicated in the 500 line), which came with the 210-bhp 302-cid V-8 as well as buckets-and-console interior, pinstriping, and more perfor­mance options than a salesman could memorize. In concept it had been similar to Virgil Exner's downsized '62 Plymouths and Dodges. Regardless of the year-to-year sameness, many buyers still craved big, Detroit-style luxury, and the truth that fewer such cars were available as gas became cheaper again only worked in the Crown Vic's favor. Ford has staked its reputation -- and its own future -- on innovation thus. The AWD/CVT combination was unique among family cars and somewhat risky thus, but many buyers took a liking to Five Hundreds so equipped because of their all-weather traction and promise of good fuel economy. Aside from better handling, this arrangement exposed more underhood space for easier servicing. Ford also hoped to gain a competitive, er, edge using a versatile five-passenger seating package, a center console big for a laptop enough, and "lifestyle" options such as a plug-in for digital music players, rear-seat DVD, and satellite radio. Slightly larger than Explorer, with lots of room, nice looks, pleasant driving manners, and competitive $25,000-$30,000 pricing, the Freestyle should have sold like 25-cent Starbucks lattes. A 2000-model restyle, much of it patterned for the less radical Mercury Sable, aimed at wider public acceptance, as did a new, more user-friendly dashboard. Start with the "New Edge" styling, a parting gift from corporate design chief Jack Telnack. That and a cost identical using the Sunliner convertible's -- $2164 -- held '54 Skyliner sales to 13,344. Only the national country Squire and Mainline business coupe fared worse. But Ford still couldn't match their independent front suspension, and wouldn't until 1949. Sealed-beam headlamps arrived, as in Detroit elsewhere, ­­neatly housed in more upright fender nacelles There have been also unexpected conveniences including automatic climate control, power windows/locks/mirrors, tilt steering wheel, and keyless entry. Dominating the spacious interiors was an obviously European-inspired dashboard with some controls sensibly copied from the very best of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Saab. Mid-1970 brought the ultimate Falcons: a stark wagon and two sedans produced from the intermediate Torino (which had evolved from the Fairlane). But Focus was a masterpiece of space utilization, offering more cargo and passenger space than those earlier small Fords, in addition to the majority of its rivals. With gotta-be-first types waving checkbooks and dealers seeing potential windfalls, market prices soared overnight, reaching a quarter-million or even more by some accounts. Year ever in 1965 Ford had its best NASCAR, winning 48 of 55 events, including 32 straight at one point. Like other Dearborn SUVs, car- and truck-based alike, the Edge also offered optional front torso side airbags and curtain side airbags -- what Ford called a "Safety Canopy. " Ford also mined Volvo's deep experience with safety design to create a unibody structure that has been tight, strong, and solid. Fields admitted. "We lost touch with this customers, particularly our car customers." One result was that Chevrolet became America's top-selling nameplate in 2005, finally wresting the crown from Ford after 19 years. Introduced during 1975, it had been conceived as just a slightly larger Maverick utilizing the same chassis and drivetrains. Ford finally offered a self-shift transmission in Ford-O-Matic Drive -- a three-speed automatic to outdo Chevy's two-speed Powerglide. A reworked suspension with stiffer springs and shocks, bigger brakes, and 16-inch rolling stock made cornering nimble and near neutral -- a revelation for the domestic front-drive sedan -- yet ride was scarcely less supple than in mainstream Contours. Assisting within their design was Gordon Buehrig, the famed designer of Classic-era Auburns, Cords, and Duesen­bergs who'd also had a submit the '51 Victoria. For some, the pre-'66 Falcons were the ultimate "throwaway" cars: made to sell at a low price -- initially just under $2000 -- also to be discarded within five years (some said one year). Standard XLs was included with a 120-bhp 200-cid six, but most were ordered with ­optional 289 V-8s. A modest reskin followed for '98, once the two low-line models were dropped and the LX and SE became better dollar values through careful realigning of prices and standard features. To maintain performance parity using the five-speed model, the 3.0-liter Yamaha V-6 was enlarged at the shiftless SHO to near 3.2 liters (192 cid), yielding a useful 20 extra pound-feet of torque (220 in every), though forget about horsepower. The venerable flathead V-8 was honorably retired for 1954 in favor of a new overhead-valve "Y-block" V-8 (so-called because of its frontal appearance in cross-section). A division mainstay through the entire '80s was the subcompact Escort, the new front-drive 1981 alternative to Pinto. Interestingly, that gearbox was designed and built-in conjunction with GM. Though Fusion was just emerging as this book was prepared, first reviews and early sales reports suggested Ford had come up with a winner. But though Plymouth arguably won the styling stakes using its finned "Forward Look," 1957 was an excellent Ford year. More's the pity, for that 1996 model represented a significant improvement over past Tauruses in lots of ways. A redesigned dash gave the inside a far more upscale look. Despite a wheelbase half-an-inch longer than Taurus', the Contour back was frankly cramped in, with little underseat footroom and marginal knee, leg, and headroom. But this was easily overshadowed by crisp new bodies with headlamps nestled firmly in the fenders and a prow-type grille composed of fine horizontal bars (stretched rearward at the very top). Starliner bowed out after 1961, when standards were face­lifted via a full-width concave grille (with '59-style insert) along with a go back to round taillights capped by discreet blades. Escort's original 1.6-liter (98-cid) engine had just 69 horsepower, but by 1983 was up to 72/80 horsepower with two-­barrel carb or 88 horsepower in optional throttle-body fuel-injected form. The Fairmont had more than done its job. Nevertheless, the SHO was a very slow mover in the sales chart, mainly because there was no automatic option and the required Mazda-supplied manual five-speed suffered balky, high-effort shift action. This is the Fairlane Crown Victoria, a hardtop-style two-door sedan using a bright metal roof band wrapped up and over from steeply angled B-posts. The hood extended back to the windshield now, fenders were "skirted" and dipped low in front, sharp corners were rounded off, and rear-hinged doors appeared on closed models. Market share, which have been sliding for a full decade, was down to 17.4 percent, the lowest since 1927, and seemed likely to go lower still. Lee A. Iacocca took charge as Ford Division general manager in 1960. George Walker left the next year and Eugene Bordinat became Dearborn's design chief. The more conventionally styled sedan and wagon emphasized value, practicality, comfort, luxury with the proper options even. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and the twenty-first-century Country Squire was presented with an indefinite reprieve. Can it succeed? While we can not say for certain as of this writing, we think there is a better-than-even chance. Ford wouldn't top Chevy again until 1934 despite scoring a coup with America's first low-priced V-8. It was the sort of small car one expected from Europe. While Ford's total volume improved to near 691,500, it remained about two-thirds of Chevy's, which went up a lot more, to over a million slightly. Sprints offered special exterior I.D., vinyl bucket seats, console, and 6000-rpm tachometer. Several magazines both in the home and abroad drove the GT against Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, along with other pricey "exoticars," and picked the Ford not merely because of its stunning abilities, but as the best value. A new confection was the V-8 Crestliner, a special-edition Custom Tudor priced $100-$200 above the standard article. Falcon replied towards the hot-selling Corvair Monza in the spring of 1961 with the bucket-seat Futura two-door. Fairmont wagons transferred to this line for '82. As in recent years, this styling was made by E.T. The glamorous droptop Sunliner was a Fairlane 500 and was included with the base V-8 now. And there is still the thorny problem of weaning buyers off the costly purchase incentives they'd been used to for years. An inspired new "one price" program helped. The tall body provided a far more natural seating posture front and rear also, plus vast trunk space. Day be a coveted keepsake Collectible Automobile magazine thought the SVT Contour so excellent that it would one. The last was standard for a new three-door GT model, which came with five-speed also, firm suspension, and black exterior trim. Though Dearborn was slow to enter this new fast-growing segment, the Edge itself was well-timed, arriving just behind a larger, redesigned Toyota RAV4 and of a new-generation Honda CR-V ahead. Underneath was a stronger chassis with a fresh front suspension evolved from NASCAR experience completely. This ran on regular gas with a two-barrel carb and delivered 210 bhp; with a four-barrel it made 230 horsepower on premium fuel, though emissions considerations soon end that version. Horsepower here was also 140, but the 3.8's extra torque provided quicker acceleration compared to the 3.0. With its ultramodern styling, good performance, and prices less than those of certain covetedGerman sedans far, Taurus charged up the sales chart just like a bull inside a china shop. Though classed as a large car by Consumer Guide®, the EPA, and others, the 500 arrived using a midsize-car engine: a modestly improved "Duratec 30" twincam V-6 with 203 bhp. While Fairmont continued carrying Ford's banner within the compact segment, two derivatives served as the division's midsize warriors. At the same time, hard-charging Jacques Nasser was elevated to president and chief executive officer after two years as head of UNITED STATES operations. For several its race-car heritage and breeding, the Ford GT was quite pleased to dawdle along at town speeds and may "soak up road imperfections with ease," to quote Road & Track. Edsel promised a six, had to reckon along with his father then. The GT arrived with one major glitch: lower suspension control arms that proved prone to cracking because of faulty casting. For the sake of everyone within the ongoing company and all who love cars, hopefully Ford should come up with the "better ideas" it so urgently needs. Dearborn designers and decision-makers evidently had the inside track on what appealed to American buyers. Consistent with a fast-growing Detroit trend, both Contour engines could go 100,000 miles with out a tune-up. The 1930 Ford Model A received several changes that seem minor now but were major at that time. Model-year '52 introduced a clean, new, square-rigged Ford having a one-piece windshield, simple grille, small round tail-lamps, and an "air scoop" motif on the lower rear flanks. Sharing a coupe bodyshell and running gear with this year's new fat-cat Mercury Cougar, this Grand Torino Elite leaned heavily on "Thunderbird tradition" with most every personal-luxury cliche of the period: overstuffed velour interior, a square "formal" grille, stand-up hood ornament, as well as a vinyl-covered rear half-roof with dual "opera" windows. By 2006, Dearborn counted five straight many years of declining sales representing more than a million units lost -- Detroit's worst performance undoubtedly. Who may have imagined that in 1956 back? However the interesting SHO was canceled for insufficient interest, along with other Tauruses changed at all over the next six seasons hardly. Still, the speedy Ford V-8 was attracting a legion of fans. Begun in 1992, this offered the four LX models with several popular options for just $10,899 with five-speed manual transmission or $11,631 with optional four-speed automatic. Year to another Soldiering on with few evident differences in one, Ford's front-drive compact tended to get lost in the great gray mass of Detroit market-fillers that you're more apt to rent on holiday than put in your driveway. Offerings expanded for '37 by adding a small-bore 136-cid V-8, originally devised for the European market to take advantage of tax laws based on displacement. Though not unexpected amid a lot turmoil, the constant personnel shuffling only added to the perception that Ford -- GM too -- was heading toward bankruptcy. Ford scored higher 1970 sales using its new compact Maverick, a semifastback two-door on a 103-inch wheelbase. Though the CVH gained sequential-port fuel injection and distributorless electronic ignition, it remained a gruff and noisy slogger with 88 horsepower just. Initial body styles were exactly like before. Like Ford, GM still relied too much on truck sales and was trying to "shrink its in the past to profitability" when confronted with market changes it hadn't foreseen. It didn't work that well, but Ford tried to make it better, fitting throttle-body injection and adding a 100-bhp "H.O." (high-output) option for '85. With a sensational top speed of 78 mph relatively, the peppy V-8 Ford caused a storm of public interest, garnering over 50,000 advance orders. So Even, they were very worthy automobiles -- the initial tangible evidence that Henry II was firmly in control. However the '49 was the most-changed Ford since the Model A, and was just as much popular. Worse, price hikes of around $1000 chilled early demand, prompting the addition of a detrimmed price-leader G sedan through the '96 season. This and the use of mechanical brakes through 1939 left Ford distinctly behind the right times, but old Henry better believed simpler was, and he was nothing or even stubborn. But "GT44" didn't sound right, and another company had legal claim to "GT40" and wouldn't cease, hence the easy GT moniker. Gregorie under Edsel Ford's guidance. A fresh all-Ford design optional on lesser Contours, this engine made 170 spirited horses -- enough for Consumer Guide®'s five-speed car to charge from 0 to 60 mph in only 8.9 seconds. A new bodyshell arrived for '69 having a two-inch longer wheelbase, a "tunneled backlight" for newly named "SportsRoof" fastbacks, and ventless door glass on hardtops and convertibles. Then came a revised four-cylinder car, the Model B. Both this and the new 1932 V-8 Model 18 shared evolutionary styling, a 106.5-inch wheelbase (up three inches from your A's), and exactly the same broad body-style array. But it wasn't a complete copy. The latter was standard for GT newly, which gained its asymmetric body-color grille, aluminum wheels, bigger tires, rear spoiler, and rocker panel "skirts." All Escorts were mildly facelifted with smoother noses within the "aero" idiom pioneered with the '83 Thunderbird, marked by flush headlamps. One was GM's two-year lead in downsizing. The "tiara" appeared as if a roll bar, but added no structural strength; a Plexiglas insert rode ahead of it, as on Skyliner. Both cars employed an aluminum space-frame overlaid with aluminum panels, however the GT benefited from manufacturing techniques unknown within the 1960s. As a total result, it had been claimed to become 40 percent stiffer than Ferrari's formidable F360 Modena, a key rival, yet curb weight loss calculator was just under 3400 pounds, a lot more than respectable for the dressed road car fully. Nasser traded charges with Firestone officials within the media and before Congressional investigators, then ponied up $3.5 billion to replace some 6.5 million tires. With all this, the Probe reaches best a "half-American" car despite all-Ford styling and availability of the 3.0-liter Taurus V-6 on midrange LX models for 1990-92. (The base GL used a 2.2-liter Mazda four, the top-line GT a turbocharged version). Falcon continued on this form through early 1970. In 1967, its last year before emissions controls, the 289 packed 225 horsepower in "Stage 2" tune with four-barrel carburetor, and designed for some extremely fast Falcons, the sportiest of which was the ­pillared Futura Sport Coupe. Also new for '51 was Ford's first hardtop coupe, the Custom V-8 Victoria. So did the Ford board, who sacked "Jac" in October 2001. A reluctant Bill Ford took command. Nevertheless, Granada bridged a big market gap at an essential time, appealing to both compact buyers with upscale aspirations and big-car owners now energy-conscious for the first time. Powerful and smooth surprisingly economical yet, it was the definitive small V-8. It averaged 371,000 buyers in its first two seasons and another 280,000 for 1986-87. Sales turned strongly upward for 1988-89 then, breaking the three-quarter-million mark for the two years combined. Ford's biggest cars from the 1960s were variously offered as Custom/Custom 500, Fairlane/Fairlane 500 (pre-'62), Galaxie/ Galaxie 500, and station wagon. The SHO came only within a sedan with standard antilock all-disc brakes, a handling package with larger antiroll bars, and 15-inch aluminum wheels wearing high-speed V-rated tires. The brand new LTD thus trailed the big Oldsmobiles for second place in full-size car sales and ran far behind Chevrolet's Caprice/Impala. The Custom wagon bore Country Squire script, but will be the last true Ford woody. The lineup ­expanded, too: low-priced Special, midrange DeLuxe, and new Super DeLuxe, all offered with either six or V-8. Still, the division was done in by an all-new Chevy, which tallied much better than 1.7 million. The inside too was special, boasting multi-adjustable front bucket seats, sport cloth upholstery, center console, and, to match the high-winding engine, an 8000-rpm tachometer. The Standard two-passenger coupe still sold for little more than $500, as the DeLuxe Fordor cost only $615. High prices -- around $400 -- made these engines relatively uncommon. The car reemerged in mid-1986 as the Escort EXP then, with an identical new flush-headlamp front, revamped dash, and 1.9-liter engines for two models: 86-bhp Luxury Coupe and 108-bhp Sport Coupe. An optional five-speed manual came along for 1983. All-coil four-wheel independent suspension persisted throughout, with MacPherson struts and lower control arms fore, modified struts on trailing arms and lower control arms aft. Still, this is the closest America had yet come to an affordable European-style sports sedan. The name itself came from Ford's exciting early-'80s series of aerodynamic concept cars, but proved to have unexpectedly offensive connotations. With ball-joint front suspension Together, also new, the Y-block narrowed the engineering gap between expensive and inexpensive cars greatly. First, though, Ford Motor Company must get on its feet back. With V-8 production at full strength, Ford's model-year volume rose by 100,000 cars -- impressive for difficult 1933, but not to beat Chevrolet enough. When Caleal became disenchanted using the direction taken by another members of the Walker team, he was presented with permission to pursue their own ideas at his home in Indiana. Then, in 2000, the cash-cow Explorer and its own original-equipment Firestone tires were implicated in rollover crashes associated with almost 300 deaths and scores of injuries. Even the Mondeo dash was little altered for the States. Another talking point was a new unibody corporate platform. New lower-body sheetmetal gave the 1963 "Super-Torque" Galaxies a cleaner, leaner look, announced by way of a simple concave grille. There is also a very deluxe Town Car with canvas-­covered formal roof. All Falcons were reskinned for 1964-65 with pointy front fenders and generally square, less-distinctive lines. Such humdrum matters were fast forgotten around the open road, and on the racetrack especially. But all this only adds to the mystique of the perfect Ford that has been gone much too soon, shot down by "Way Forward" cuts combined with the Wixom, Michigan, plant that built the cars carefully and largely by hand. Styling became smoother in mid-1988: revamped rear quarters for sedans, a fresh grille and spoiler for GT, and minor cleanups elsewhere. Ford swallowed its pride and recalled all 448 GTs built in 2004, the first full production year. That was the trouble of the initial Taurus program twice, but included the high costs of developing two brand-new engines, manufacturing facilities, and the usual new-model tooling. Nice looks, high utility, and a full selection of passenger-car safety features netted healthy sales. Chairman Alex Trotman hoped another daring design would grab the general public like the original Taurus had and turn the styling spotlight away from the brand new "cab-forward" Chrysler/Dodge models competing with Taurus. Ford wouldn't have its automatic transmission until 1951, though it tried to obtain one earlier. But nothing seemed to help, so Ford pulled the plug on Contour after 2000. Sibling Mondeo continued, however, remaining quite popular in Europe -- to become accorded a complete redesign a couple of years later enough. That engine could possibly be ordered on any Fairlane, and racers were quick to place it in stripped two-door sedans, which earned respect because of their competitive prowess. The fantastic old man himself passed on in 1947. Unlike his grandfather, "HFII" consistently sought and encouraged talented managers. Despite having a heavy option load, these Escorts seldom broke the $17,000 barrier, these were more refined and better built than previous models yet, to stand comparison with some import-brand rivals enough. The fenders themselves were curved to check body contours beautifully; rear fender skirts, long a favorite accessory, imparted an sleeker look even. Overall, Windstar was eight inches longer than a Grand along with a foot longer than Villager nearly. Without noticeable change in wheelbases, Fairlane got another body and styling change for 1968. Joining the base and 500 lines was a fresh Torino series, Ford's lushest intermediates yet. Tuned versions in sports-racers just like the Ford GT40 and Shelby Cobra disproved the old adage about there being "no substitute for cubic inches." In fact, the GT40 nearly took the planet GT Manufacturers Championship from Ferrari in 1964 away, its first full season. It comprised upgraded interior appointments color-keyed to a particular paint scheme crowned by a matching vinyl top. A lot of the money went toward things that didn't show but made an excellent car better still, particularly within the regions of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Buyer requests prompted the addition of conventional grille for '93, once the Touring was dropped. By 1985, only the four, V-6, and an optional 165-bhp 302 V-8 were fielded, the last reserved for the semi-sporting LX sedan that sold just 3260 copies. Choose an SE with desirable extras like ABS and traction control and you were more than $20,000, that was Taurus money. 170-bhp 292 V-8 and Cruise-O-Matic. Being among the most thoughtful: optional anti-lock brakes for sedans and a standard driver-side air bag for several 1990 models. Not so the GT, the total result of several effective modifications which were very hard to spot. But nothing really new was needed within the car-starved early-postwar market, and Ford output exceeded 429,000 units for 1947. The full total was only 248,000 the following year, but that only reflected an early on end to 1948 production. The firm would recover, however, not prior to making drastic product changes. With intermediates overtaking in competition, the best Fords no more needed any kind of "performance" image to support sales. Arriving in spring 1990 being an early-'91 model, it was another "world car," though just as as Probe. Wheelbase was a trim 109.5 inches through 1965, 110 then.9 (113 for wagons). Ford was more on target with a redesigned Escort that rang up more than 655,000 sales for model years 1997-98 and much more than 100,000 each for '99 and 2000. The previous Mazda Protege-based design returned having a smooth new wrapper along with a 110-bhp 2.0-liter single-cam Zetec four-cylinder, thus ousting the old CVH engine finally. Previewed being an engineering prototype on the 2002 UNITED STATES International Auto Show in Detroit, the GT originated for production by a small dedicated team. But none of this did much for sales. Your final indignity for Ford was an exodus of talented people, a "brain drain" the company could ill-afford within this new crisis. The Torino Cobra returned as Ford's "budget muscle car" with standard 360/375-bhp 429 V-8. Needless to say, there is little here to interest enthusiasts. The only options, in fact, were a power moonroof and CD player. Its initial 239 cid was the same as flathead displacement, but the ohv had different "oversquare" cylinder dimensions. The better-trimmed V-8-only Custom deleted the business coupe but added a convertible and a new two-door structural-wood wagon (replacing the prior four-door style). With all this, what Ford trumpeted as being a "New American Road Car" should have scored even higher output than the 357,000 recorded for '79. There were even reports of owners blatantly "flipping" barely used GTs in pursuit of a fat, fast profit. Speaking of which, the 272 V-8 delivered 173 horsepower being a '56 Mainline/Customline option. Acceptable road-car passenger space was the explanation, but the cockpit was still race-car cozy for six-footers. There have been ovals ­aplenty inside too, including a large one in the center of the dash with oddly curved arrays of look-alike pushbuttons for audio and climate functions. A minor recall slowed early deliveries, but the real problem was sticker shock. The foundation of the unparalleled success was the world's first mass-produced car: the cheap, simple Model T, whose lovable quirkiness was matched only by that of its creator, company founder Henry Ford. Such intense competition and a far more knowledgeable public made "new or die" imperative even yet in the family car field, yet Ford had staked its future more on new trucks than new cars. But it was delayed by the peculiar conditions Henry imposed on his engineers, so the Model A appeared with only four-cylinder power as an interim measure. Both body styles had long since lost whatever favor they once had, but Ford was far behind its rivals in realizing this fact (Plymouth's last roadster and phaeton appeared in 1932, Chevrolet's in '35). Ford tried to improve its mistakes for 1997 by adding a lower-priced low-frills Contour and scooping out leading seatbacks and rear-seat cushion for a bit more aft legroom. The romantic roadster was history, and the equally old-fashioned phaeton (a throwback to touring-car days) is at its final season. But in addition to that and some other cosmetic details, the '53s were basically '52s with higher prices, now which range from $1400-$2203. Ford also moved from "Chevy-follower" to "Chevy-leader" in the 1960s. Its compact Falcon far outsold the rival Corvair, its 1962 midsize Fairlane was 2 yrs of Chevelle ahead, and its own phenomenally successful Mustang sent Chevrolet racing towards the drawing board to come up with the Camaro. Efforts for 1950 targeted at quashing the bugs from '49. Introduced in early '69, Maverick was similar to the original Falcon in size, price, performance, and simplicity; its basic chassis and powertrain were the same even. Hidden-headlamp grilles marked the '68 Galaxie and LTDs XLs as part of a lower-body restyle for several models. The reason was CAFE, the organization Average Fuel Economy law that took effect with model-year '78 but had lately been relaxed somewhat. Ford did fumble with minivans, however, not seriously. A fuller look marked the 1935 Model 48 Fords, with smaller windows and a more prominently Vee'd grille than 1933-34. Also new was an integral trunk for sedans. The honor was rather remarkable due to the fact Focus was fending off new import competition with only evolutionary changes, a confusing parade of model names and equipment shuffles mainly. Not that Taurus was neglected entirely. As well as the 1950s were better: tighter and quieter in corners and rough-road driving alike. Chevrolet sold over 1.1 million, but spent much more money to take action. Even a relatively mild 390 XL could scale 0-60 mph in 9.3 seconds; a 427 reduced that to over 7 seconds just. Ford enjoyed its first two-­million-car year in 1965, though that has been an excellent year for several domestic automakers. The hatchback played both entry-level and sporty roles, offering the widest selection of options. It was undoubtedly Dearborn's single most significant new product from the decade, although few knew that beyond your ongoing company. Ford sold over 236,000 of the '86s and nearly 375,000 for '87 -- astounding for what was, after all, an extremely daring departure to get a middle-class American car. As a total result, Ford greeted 1980 a crucial 2-3 years behind GM within the fuel efficiency and "space" races -- and at a crucial sales disadvantage next to its domestic foes along with a horde of fast-rising Japanese makes. First, the economy unraveled as overpriced "tech stocks" tanked, taking Wall Street and the economy with them down. GL was renamed LX, and the dash was restyled a second time. Rolling stock was suitably beefy however, not "bad boy" outrageous, with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires wrapped on 18x9-inch cast-alloy rims fore, 19x11.5s aft. Power was exclusively Mazda: a 2.0-liter four for the base model, a 2.5 V-6 for your sporty GT. And even though an Escort underneath, it cost more considerably. Billed as the first FoMoCo car designed with the aid of computer analysis, the Fairmont (and its own Zephyr twin at Mercury) was a common-sense car and pretty conventional. Styling was handled by Franklin Q. Hershey, who also gets credit for that year's new two-seat Thunderbird (see separate entry). The Cobra fastback coupe remained the most-exciting of this bunch, though its standard engine was downgraded to a 285-bhp version of the ubiquitous 351 small-block first seen for 1969. High-power and big-inch engines began disappearing at Ford and throughout Detroit in 1972. By 1980, just a mildly tuned 351 remained being an option for full-size Fords. Still, Dearborn was the final of the Big Three to abandon traditional full-size cars -- and the first to suffer for it. Ford was still the house of "better ideas," but by 1990 it was also home for some of America's most-popular and respected automobiles. Even so, Ford was only catching up, not advancing the art, and Windstar was never a threat to the sales-leading Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth minivans -- not even after being lightly restyled because the 2005 Freestar. Some statisticians also had Ford in calendar-year volume for the first time since 1935 ahead, though the final score showed Chevy ahead by a mere 130 cars. So were unique front and rear fascias, side sills, plus a rear spoiler, all de rigueur for any "hot hatch." Inside were special SVT gauge graphics and two extra gauges, leather/cloth seats with heavier front bolstering, aluminum pedal caps and shift knob, and a leather-wrapped tyre. This "perfect storm" was also battering General Motors. First, Don Petersen paid the chairman's gavel in 1990 to his one-time number-two, Harold A. "Red" Poling; at the same time, the president's job was reactivated after a two-year lapse for Phillip Benton, Jr. Both these men were Dearborn veterans, but they were only a transition team, for late 1993 ushered within the worldly wise Alex Trotman as both president and chairman. The old man kept a detailed watch on the V-8's development, badgering his engineers and telling them how to proceed. The team had just 16 months but kept the appointment, and the initial three production examples delighted the thousands in attendance. Called Contour, it had been another stab in a "world car," born of "Ford 2000" thinking being an Americanized version from the year-old European Mondeo. Offerings comprised base GL and sporty GLS coupes and sedans now, plus four-door all-wheel drive and luxury LX models. If the V-8 needed to cost more, Ford reasoned, it should have at least just as much power, even though only in writing. Value in the supercar? At just five bucks shy of $150,000 before destination charge and Gas-Guzzler Tax (set off by low EPA ratings), the GT was the bargain in its class. But though eclipsed by those cars for image -- and ultimately by a V-8 successor for perfor­mance, the V-6 SHO was a rewarding driver's car with a pleasing mixture of American and European characteristics. For instance, 1982 saw the full-size F-Series pickup commence a long reign as America's top-selling vehicle of any sort. Fords looked more flowing for 1933, reflecting Detroit's swing to streamlining. Industry design trends dictated hiding some previously exposed components, so horns hooted from behind little covered holes astride the grille now. Edsel Ford have been an important force in Dearborn design for quite a while, and his tasteful new '33 Ford was applauded universally. Unique twincam heads with four valves per cylinder, dual fuel injectors at each port, and heavily fortified internals boosted output to rarefied levels: 550 bhp and 500 pound-feet of torque. Basically, RSC employed various sensors that monitored vehicle attitude and would automatically activate the stability system to prevent a tip -- within the laws of physics, of course. Skyliner "retracs" became prime collectibles, as well as the retractable-hardtop concept made a comeback in the brand new millennium. At the very least it had been cheap, which combined with better production in Mexico as well as Michigan to make for suprisingly low list prices: $7976 for that stark three-door Pony to more than $11 grand for that GT. As you example, Ford went through no less than four executives in five years in the position of president of UNITED STATES operations. The '41s were the biggest, flashiest, and heaviest Fords yet. The Ford blitz is normally considered among the key factors in the independents' mid-'50s decline. In addition, it claimed more rear-seat room, thanks to an extra 2.1 inches in wheelbase. But the true name had outlived its usefulness, and Ford had a fresh compact, the Maverick, so Falcon was consigned to history.5-inch wheelbase. In per year of questionable styling through the entire industry, Ford was a standout -- proof that streamlining didn't indicate a finish to distinctive, eye-pleasing automobiles. Ford had underestimated the purchase price sensitivity of Contour's marketplace, as telling a miscalculation as that tight back seat. Ford resisted the winds of change stubbornly, promoting its aging big cars on the basis of greater passenger space as well as the presumed safety of these "road-hugging weight." However the public didn't buy this cynical line -- or as much of the cars. It had been a coup quite, yet went basically unnoticed amid Dearborn's deteriorating fortunes. From an automaker that has been as close to collapse as Chrysler was in 1980, Dearborn remade itself into a trimmer, more-responsive, and vastly more-efficient outfit while fielding aggressive products that were right on target usually. Sadly, Ford stonewalled in a number of lawsuits all the way to federal court, which tarnished its public image severely, even if Pinto sales didn't seem to suffer much. Styling for all models was a variation on 1937 themes, announced by more-bulbous faces. Most Tauruses, though, were ordered with the new port-injected 3.0-liter "Vulcan" V-6, a 60-degree overhead-valve design rated at 140 bhp and teamed with automatic only. Taurus, too, seemed increasingly passé because the new century progressed, the essential 1995 design being left to soldier on while the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry enticed buyers with three clean-sheet makeovers. Some critics blamed tepid buyer response on me-too styling, citing a close resemblance with all the six-year-old Volks­wagen Passat. As late as 1990, Crown Vic did a wholesome 74,000. By that point, though, the cars themselves were sourced from Canada ­mainly. But he realized that the next World War was a very different situation, and had already geared his firm to war production. It again powered Standards and DeLuxes designated Model 78 now. V-8/60s were Standard-trim only. Coupes, sedans, and wagons in two trim levels were offered. What ­really put Pinto out to pasture after 1980 had not been bad publicity but relative insufficient change -- as well as the advent of a much better small Ford. The arms were replaced, and a new casting method devised. All models retained the "little Lincoln" styling crafted by Henry's artistic son Edsel (who was named Ford Motor Company president in 1919), however the fenders were lower and wider, the hoodline was higher, and stainless steel replaced nickel plate over the radiator and headlight shells. Though sales fluctuated, this relative line was best for an annual average of well over 118, 000 -- considerably more in a few years. That one benefited from a new twincam greatly, 1.8-liter Mazda four with 16 valves and 127 lively horses. Most everything hidden was the same or very similar: adept all-independent suspension, standard four-wheel disc brakes, even engines: base 2.3-liter four (originated by Mazda) and available Duratec 3.0 V-6. For all its crushing dullness Yet, Tempo remained a good seller, with steady model-year production of well over 100,000 units through swan-song '94 -- as well as the '93s made a surprise spurt to better than 238,000. Tempo's only changes of note in this era were lack of the AWD option after 1991 (when it was called "4 Wheel Drive") and the '92 addition of the 3.0-liter Taurus V-6 as standard for top-line GLS models (which in turn went away) and an option elsewhere. It had been hard to miss using its bold three-bar grille certainly, a signature destined for future Ford cars (plus an early Five Hundred facelift) and also a dim nod to 1966 Galaxies. Another new style, bowing in the autumn of 1930, was the Victoria coupe sporting a slanted windshield, soon to be commonplace throughout Detroit. The only drawbacks to commuting in the GT were Thighmaster-high clutch effort and the very limited visibility connected with midships cars. Prices were hiked about $100 throughout. The reason? Interesting cars that sold well. A set of cheap "300" sedans was added (renamed Custom/Custom 500 for '64), and there is more midyear excitement in a couple of 500 and 500XL sports hardtops with thin-pillar "slantback" rooflines, a little starchier than the old Starliner but again aimed right at the stock-car ovals. GL and midlevel LX models came with another new engine: a 2.0-liter multivalve twincam four called "Zetec," an outgrowth of Ford Europe's recently introduced "Zeta" family of small, high-efficiency powerplants. Incidentally, the Crown Vic became an "import" for a few years in the early '90s, built north from the border with a high level of Canadian content. Little visible change occurred for 1931 save a painted section atop leading from the radiator shell, which made identification easy. Though 31 nearly,000 were sold, EXP was still unequal to Japanese two-seaters just like the Honda Toyota and CRX MR2. As its name implied, this delivered firmer damping and wider wheels wearing performance tires, as well as ABS and traction control. Seeking greater competitiveness, Ford slightly downpriced its '51 models and applied an attractive facelift having a new grille with small twin bullets on a thick horizontal bar. Dearborn must have rejoiced, because upscale Fusions with different styling and show mixes could have the intimidating task of luring new buyers to Lincoln and Mercury, nameplates already abandoned for dead in many quarters. And even, by 1952, Ford Motor Company had passed a faltering Chrysler Corporation to regain the number-two spot in manufacturer volume. With this development, the familiar 221 flathead became referred to as the "V-8/85." For 1937 it benefited from improved cooling via relocated water pumps, plus larger insert bearings, and new cast-alloy pistons. However, he in the same way ­consistently encouraged their retirement -- or fired them -- if they reached a particular degree of power. But unlike Chrysler, Ford retained full-size Customs and Galaxies -- a wise move though Fairlane sold more than 297 even, 000 units its first year and over 300,000 for '63. Consumer Guide® gave its "Best Buy" endorsement towards the 2001-04 models. Safety glass was ­featured on closed models. Equally ominous, Ford's near-term domestic product pipeline looked dry, and Jaguar was gushing red ink. The Mazda, for instance, offered both engines with manual and automatic transmissions, while V-6 Fusions were confined to automatic. With 130 horse­power, this was easily the year's hottest engine within the low-price field. Fusion bowed in S, SE, and top-line SEL versions. Arriving in June was a $625 DeLuxe two-door phaeton, a jaunty with standard left-sidemount spare five-seater, chrome trunk rack, leather upholstery, and lower steering windshield and wheel. Chevy did move about 40,000 more domestic cars in ­calendar '91, but that has been the only real time it surpassed Ford in these years. That year An optional fold-out child safety seat was also added. And certain requisites like decent instruments and front-disc brakes were either late in coming (the latter didn't arrive until '76) or unavailable. But certain rivals, notably the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, now had hook edge in ride ­quality, a big one in build quality -- and were fighting fiercely for Taurus's number-one sales spot. With 130 bhp and relatively low weight (2470 pounds), the ZX2 was frisky, though no neck-snapper. More­over, Taurus took over because the country's top-selling car line in 1992 to get rid of the Honda Accord's three-year reign, though not without cash rebates along with other sales incentives. Retaining the 1952-54 shell, the 1955 Ford was reskinned completely, emerging colorful if chromey, having a rakish look of motion and also a modestly wrapped windshield. Though increasingly eclipsed by the likes of Honda and Toyota, several Ford cars did well in the early 2000s. Despite too many recalls, the front-drive Focus was an unqualified success, drawing more than 389,000 orders in debut 2000 and around 300,000 each twelve months from 2001 to '04. Longtime Japanese affiliate Mazda was also in trouble, an additional drain on corporate coffers. In America it came to be called the "V-8/60," since it produced very much horse-power. So Even, Ford had bet heavily on these cars (dubbed "CDW127" in the business's new internal code, the letters denoting "World car" within the "C/D" size class), so that it was vital they succeed. And there was a second V-8 convertible now, a novel variation on the typical item called Sportsman. Consumer Guide® among others thought ZX2 a bit pricey for what it delivered: $12,580 base for any '98 without air-con. Haulers comprised fancier and plain Del Rio two-door Ranch Wagons, a pair of four-door Country Sedans, and the wood-look four-door Squire -- Ford's priciest '57 wagon at $2684. There is also a gesture toward sport within the 1978-80 ESS -- for "European Sports Sedan" -- nonetheless it was only a gesture. Filling Fairmont's shoes for 1984 was a fresh front-drive compact called Tempo, a notchback four-door and coupelike two-door with "jellybean" styling on the 99.9-inch chassis with suspension similar to Escort's. President Franklin D. Roosevelt liked it enough to buy a convertible sedan for use at his Warm Springs, Georgia, retreat. Antilock four-wheel disc brakes were standard. All this plus starting prices in the low $20,000s lit a fire under Crown Victoria sales, which jumped past 152,000 for 1992, the best since '85. A significant reskin of the essential 1957-58 bodyshells brought square lines; simple side moldings; a heavily sculptured "flying-V" back panel; and a minimal, rectangular grille filled up with floating starlike ornaments. The secret was high-profile styling having an overall height of 61.5 inches, 3 up.2 inches on Crown Vic and 5.4 on Taurus. Will we see its like again ever? Well, the GT was the starting place for that striking Shelby GR-1 concept coupe of 2005, so that's one possibility. Developed from Bob Gregorie's wartime sketches, the Sportsman featured white ash and mahogany trim over its doors, rear body panels, and deck, as for the Chrysler Town & Country. A straight bigger bore for '63 produced a 427-cid powerhouse with 410/425 horsepower. Yet it was less successful than the Fairmont or Mustang -- and that has been curious. The GT looked nearly identical towards the GT40, but was built on the foot-longer wheelbase of 106.7 inches. Escort set a fast sales pace with at least 320,000 copies in each of its first 2 yrs. Both were vital high-profit assets in a market gone mad for trucks, and Dearborn gave them yearly improvements to safeguard their class-leading sales status. All-new aside from engines, the '65s were distinguished by simpler, more-linear styling announced by stacked quad headlamps. The twincam Zetec engine, for instance, was lifted to 170 bhp via new pistons, revised cylinder head, variable intake-valve timing, and new exhaust and intake manifolds. The entire Ford line won Motor Trend magazine's "Car of the entire year" award, partly due to the division's ever-widening "Total Performance" campaign. But old-fashioned it had been, and sales continued trailing toward oblivion off, falling below 64,000 for calendar '05. Cosmetic alterations were subtle but sufficient for those in the know, and there were plenty of extra niceties such as for example leather upholstery. For 1988, Ford added a reengineered version of its 90-degree 3.8-liter V-6 as a new option. A lot of things had obviously gone wrong. Initially priced at $4437, the Elite didn't sell along with the Monte, though over 366,000 were built through 1976. After that point, a downsized, downpriced T-bird rendered it redundant. In fact, the division scored a substantial win in model-year output with near 1.7 million cars to Chevy's 1.5 million. With much lower prices than before which magical name, the T-Bird swamped LTD II in sales. For Ford Unfortunately, the result must have scared off some buyers, for Taurus promptly lost its standing as America's top-selling car line and would never get it back. Arriving just underneath $2000 and backed by an aggressive but light-hearted ad campaign, this import-fighter scored an impressive 579,000 model-year sales, contributing greatly to Ford's production ­victory over Chevy. Ford found that the styling from the counterpart Cyclone was slightly more aerodynamic, and therefore ran the Mercurys in stock-car contests over 250 miles long usually. One magazine was disappointed when its Cobra ran 0-60 mph in 7 actually.2 seconds as well as the quarter-mile in 15 seconds at 98.3 miles each hour! But most everyone admitted that of all the '69 "supercars" -- Plymouth GTX, Dodge Charger R/T, Pontiac GTO, Chevelle 396, and Buick GS 400 -- the Torino Cobra was the tightest, best-built, and quietest. Where Standards used slightly modified 1937 bodies, DeLuxes sported a different, new look. Other passe things like vinyl roof covers, opera lights, and wire-wheel covers was forgotten, too. Like its 1990 makeover from the aged Lincoln Town Car, Ford went much further with this new Crown Victoria than was absolutely had a need to satisfy the market. That year's top engine option was the new 390-cid version from the FE-series big-block. But they'd be cleared up soon enough, and the V-8 became referred to as a trusted powerplant that could stand considerable "heating up." Hot rodders loved it. Alas, many enthusiasts either didn't believe their ears or thought the Blue Oval badge too ­ proletarian. Year The following, EXP picked up the "bubbleback" hatch of its discontinued Mercury twin, the LN7, in addition to Escort's new dash and 120-bhp turbo option. The best Crown Victoria was basically invisible before the crisis took hold long, a relic of notably happier times for Ford and most of Detroit. All models came with a driver-side air bag per Washington's insistence; a passenger-side restraint was available also. Other Focuses offered ABS, electronic traction control, and front side airbags at extra cost, but we were holding standard for the SVT. Club coupes were abandoned, wagons grouped in a separate series, and Crestline was renamed Fairlane (after the Ford family estate in Dearborn). A notable exception was the SVT Focus, arriving for 2002 being a two-door hatchback pitched toward the fast-growing "sport compact" market. But though it made for cheaper new Model 74 Fords in a year of generally higher car prices, it didn't sell nearly in addition to expected. Ford's Ranger (a 1982 newcomer) became sales king of compact pickups. Being late to game allowed Ford to understand the rules for winning it, so the Edge offered most everything competitors did and a few things they didn't. With the mid-'90s, these truck successes added to the continuing popularity of Taurus and Escort to make Ford the sales leader in five vehicle segments: full-size pickups (F-Series), midsize car (Taurus), sporty-utility vehicles (Explorer), subcompact car (Escort), and compact pickup (Ranger). These could be powered by everything from a 155-bhp 250-cid six to some big-block 429-cid V-8 with 360-370 horsepower. Ford dropped the weak four-cylinder engine also, which pleased some buyers from rent-a-car companies apart. Having made its mark with hot Cobra Mustangs and rapid F-150 Lightning pickups, SVT was asked to realize the Contour's full sport sedan prospect of 1998. Marketers doubtless hoped the new model's image would boost sales for the rest of the line. Though its new-for-'86 rear-drive Aerostar was way outpolled by Chrysler's front-drive models, sales were consistent and high enough that Ford stayed the Aerostar's planned 1994 execution, letting the older minivan run alongside the brand new front-drive Windstar. Still, Pinto remained primarily basic transportation throughout its long 10-year life. Four-door Squire and Ranch wagons along with a brace of two-door hardtops were added for '63. It was a blistering performer and its own new hardtop body with concave backlight was distinctive, but hot-car demand was fast-waning everywhere, in support of 7675 were built for that model year. A grilleless Taurus-type face replaced the dated standup eggcrate. The 1949 Ford was essential to Dearborn's survival. Some dealers had been disappointed in Edsel Ford's new Mercury, feeling a six-cylinder Ford would have been a better idea (which was, in fact, the initial concept). Another was a severe downturn within the national economy -- abetted by another fuel crisis -- that began in the spring of '79 and put a big crimp in every new-car sales. Reaching showrooms in March 1991, it had been virtually all-new despite retaining the essential rear-drive "Panther" platform and wheelbase. Two different Dearborn regimes presided over this remarkable sales performance. But unlike the initial compromised U.S. Most all of the above put on Freestyle, essentially a 500 wagon marketed being a "crossover" SUV in market where "station wagon" rivaled "minivan" as being a kiss of death for sales. Braking was by massive Brembo-brand four-wheel discs of 14 inches across in the front, 13.2 in back, all clamped and cross-drilled by four-piston monoblock calipers under antilock control. Answering competitive SUV challenges, Ford soon fielded the F-150-based Expedition and, a bit later, the jumbo Excursion and compact Escape. It had been snazzy, with a padded canvas-covered top and sweeping contrast-color panel over the bodysides, but sales were only fair at 17,601 for 1950 and another 8703 for '51. Wheelbase on all models added 2.5 inches, benefiting rear leg room, as well as handling in collaboration with a revised suspension. Luxury, however, got most of the showroom emphasis. Ford changed its name only at the final minute amid howls of protest from Mustang loyalists who'd haven't any truck using a Japanese design -- and with ­"inferior" front drive at that. Ford's '57 styling was particularly simple for the period: a blunt face with clean, full-width rectangular grille; tasteful side moldings; and tiny tailfins. You start with the '64s, Ford offered an evergrowing assortment of handling and performance options, including stiff suspensions and four-speed gearboxes. Taxi and law-enforcement fleets were its main buyers as the century turned, sister Mercury Grand Marquis having taken the lead in retail sales. It was and fun but crude rather than very quiet fast. Ford promised new vehicles that "people will ­really want also." To execute the program, Ford installed Mark Fields, the architect of a recent turnaround at Mazda, as president from the Americas, with Anne Stevens as his chief operating officer. The sportiest of the complete lot was a new ZX4 ST sedan, that was no SVT but had significance for its standard engine: a new 2.3-liter twincam four-cylinder that rated Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle status (PZEV) under the ultratight emissions limits of California and four northeastern states. A very important thing, too, because this "new" midsize sedan had been familiar, amounting to some slightly enlarged Mazda 6 without the "zoom zoom" pretensions. It had been also a more-potent big Ford with adoption of the 4. 6-liter overhead-cam V-8 first observed in the '91 Town Car. Styling, of course, was the most obvious difference, and many thought the Fusion was better looking. Options were few: a booming 260-watt McIntosh sound system, lightweight BBS forged wheels, painted brake calipers, and the traditional "LeMans" striping for the nose, roof, tail, and rocker panels. Gregorie, and Oros and Engel. Probe was redesigned for '93 on a new-generation MX-6 platform with 102.9-inch wheelbase (versus 99), with a lot more dramatic styling than its cousin again. Several trim levels were offered, including better-equipped Sport versions using the more powerful engine and firm suspension. Helping the reason were attractive prices within the $2100-$2800 range. Base prices remained very attractive, rising no higher than the low $12,000s. SVT have been formed in the first 1990s like a semi-autonomous area of the Dearborn organization, charged with souping-up various vehicles on the market through selected Ford dealers. An avant-garde mix of curves and creases, New Edge didn't focus on every car, but it here did, lending a visual personality that set Focus aside from every rival. Chairman Alex Trotman retired, handing the reins to 42-year-old William Clay Ford, Jr., great-grandson of the ongoing company founder and nephew from the late Henry Ford II. New models were likely to help, particularly new cars, which Ford heralded by proclaiming 2004 as "The Year of the automobile." But recovery proved elusive stubbornly. Economy was supposed to be a solid point, but really wasn't. Despite a broad model slate Yet, pretty styling, and prices in the $620-$950 range, Ford trailed Chevy in model-year output by way of a substantial 222,720 cars. Escort's high success was not matched by an unhappy sporty coupe offshoot, the EXP. The V-8 was a significant bargain: Standard roadster, coupe, and phaeton all the following $500. The Explorer, for example, was redesigned for 1995 and given optional V-8 power the following year. Still, many buyers were wary, so Ford kept four-cylinder cars through 1934. That compared with 40/50 horsepower through the 200.5-cid Model A/B four. Workmanship suffered for exactly the same reason also, and a 24-day auto workers' strike in May 1948 didn't help either. By 1976, there is also a youthful "Cruising Wagon" with blanked-off side windows and cute little rear portholes. With sales still slow, the V-8/60 line was reduced to just a coupe, Fordor, and Tudor. Offered with 98- and 122-cid engines through 1973, then 122- and 140-cid fours, it had been dressed-up and civilized with nicer trim and more convenience options progressively. Before the final end, Contour got a megadose of Euro-style performance, thanks to Ford's Special Vehicle Team. Not many sold at $1200 -- only 96 for that model year. Airbags and seatbelt pretensioners were improved consistent with growing buyer demand for safety features. Nineteen ninety-nine also witnessed historic changes in top Ford management. Edge faced those class favorites with bold styling on the 111.2-inch wheelbase, making it bigger than the Japanese-brand duo and close in size towards the Chevrolet Pontiac and Equinox Torrent. The Maverick kit, which was strictly for two-doors, included black paint accents, twin door mirrors, styled steel wheels, raised-white-letter tires, and special badging. A fresh, japanese-looking dash was shared with unchanged coupe models rather. Many prospects thus balked and walked when Contour attained at the least $13,300, over $1000 greater than a late loaded Tempo. Henry's decision to abandon his treasured "Tin Lizzie" after 19 years and an astounding 15-million cars -- the final not very not the same as the first -- came almost too late, and his company lost a complete lot in money and goodwill during the long changeover to the belated new Model A. Ford built a lot more than 1.1 million cars for 1930 -- almost twice as many as Chevrolet and more than 14 times as many as Plymouth. Let's remember the 1992-95 SHO, which gained greater visual distinction through more-aggressive styling rear and front, plus bolder cladding for the low bodysides. Granada was an even more rational proposition and something of Ford's best-timed ideas of the decade. Those years -- 1980-82 -- saw Ford Division output drop from 1. 16 million cars to slightly below 749,000. But thanks to an economic recovery and an ever-changing line of ever-improving Fords, the division went above the 1 back.1-million mark -- and would stay there through decade's end. The Grabber looked snazzy but was pretty tame despite having V-8. The 14-model 1971 lineup was basically a carryover of the prior year's. At exactly the same time, the Sunliner convertible and Skyliner retractable gained Galaxie rear-fender script (but retained Fairlane 500 ID at the rear). Dearborn also scored big within the burgeoning sport-utility field with Explorer, the upscale 1991 four-door replacement for the two-door Ranger-based Bronco II. The full total result was a refocused 2005 lineup with more orthodox styling inside and out, plus much more competitive "value" pricing. Aside from engines, the 1972 Torino was all-new -- and a large disappointment. The following year brought new outer sheetmetal with more flowing lines and "faster" rooflines on hardtop coupes. V-8s were to a 200-bhp 292 down, 225-bhp 332, and 300-bhp 352. Also carried over from '58 was Cruise-O-Matic, Ford's smooth new three-speed automatic transmission that proved a sales plus against Chevrolet's Powerglide, or even Plymouth's responsive three-speed TorqueFlite. This idea, suggested by Buehrig and realized by interior styling director L. David Ash, is really a forerunner of today's moonroof. Equally dismal was the tarted-up Torino bowing at mid-1974 to answer Chevy's popular Monte Carlo. Three-door wagons arrived for 1972, including a woody-look Squire (some called it "Country Squirt"). They got one, and 1989 was showtime -- or rather SHO time: a new "Super High Output" 3.0 V-6 with overhead-cam cylinder heads and four valves per cylinder (instead of two), plus dual exhausts. Despite its product fumbles, Ford Motor Company seemed in great shape because the new century opened. The big difference, of course, was beneath the hood. Four series were offered: Custom, Galaxie 500, XL, and LTD. Ford wouldn't lead Chevy again until the late '80s, but it fared well in the '70s generally. Ford built just 43, from January 1 through February 2 000 cars, once the national government ended civilian production for the duration of World War II. Volume then held at around 400,000 through 2000. But Taurus still relied a lot more on fleet sales every year than its leading Japanese-brand rivals, so Ford earned somewhat less on every owners and sale received less at trade-in time. Among these were a stiffer unibody structure, a suspension revised for a smoother ride with no injury to handling, more-responsive power steering, extra sound-deadening in strategic places, engine adjustments for improved drivability, and a more-precise solid-rod shift linkage for the dashing SHO. Also, the low-priced Special Sixes were eliminated, leaving six- and eight-cylinder DeLuxe and Super DeLuxe. Even materials were much better than expected for the costs. Two- and four-door sedans and four-door wagons were always offered, convertibles and hardtop coupes for 1963-65. All had unit construction. Several planned products hold promise, especially the hybrid-power versions of the Fusion along with other models to check out through to the popularity from the 2005 Escape Hybrid, the first gas/electric SUV from an American auto manufacturer. This Granada sold respectably: about 120,000 a year. Such may be the silliness wrought by well-meaning regulations. GL and LX price levels were offered in the $20,000-$24,000 range. Broughams featured within the 1970 Torino line also, which shared new exterior panels "shaped by wind" with a three-model Fairlane 500 series. Though it, too, was a little late, the Vicky proved no less popular than Chevy's Bel Air, selling some 110,000 that debut season. The little-changed '85s sold some 26,year 400 early into the calendar, when Ford suspended production. Assuming control of a third-rate company in 1945, they'd turned it into something approaching General Motors in under 15 years. Like the majority of other makes, Ford returned to peacetime with restyled '42 cars, though it bored its V-8 out to 239.4 cid for a supplementary 10 horsepower. They didn't get that, but enthusiasts got a "stealth" driver's car that could go trying to find BMWs, on twisty roads even. Like Chevy Also, Ford built these diverse types on few wheelbases relatively. The GT40 had been named because of its rakish 40-inch height, in order that designation would here have already been technically incorrect. Yet for all your controversy, Taurus sales remained strong, year actually improving by some 11 percent for 1996 over the prior model. Fairlane was completely rebodied for '66 on the 116-inch wheelbase (113 for wagons) gaining a sleek, tailored look via curved side flanks and glass, stacked quad headlamps, and tidy vertical taillights. Probe was a timely Ford weapon against sporty Japanese compacts like Toyota Celica, Honda Prelude, Nissan 200SX -- and Mazda MX-6. Though Pinto served Ford well in a difficult period, it'll ­forever be remembered as what one wag called "the barbecue that seats four." That refers to the dangerously vulnerable fuel tank and filler-neck design of 1971-76 sedan models implicated in the rash of highly publicized (and fatal) fires following rear-end collisions. Four-speed manual gearbox, stiff suspension and racing-style hood locks were all standard. Giving an answer to GM's 1936 "Turret-Top" bodies, Ford adopted all-steel construction for 1937 closed models, belatedly discarding the fabric roof inserts of old. Dearborn observed its Golden Anniversary in 1953, proclaimed on Fords by special steering-wheel-hub medallions. In proportions and execution this smaller LTD was fully a match for shrunken GM opponents, riding a 114.3-inch wheelbase yet offering more claimed passenger and trunk space than the outsized 1973-78 cars. Sales tapered off along with the economy, dropping from the first-year most of 461 nearly,000 to significantly less than 81,000 by 1983. Still, that has been a fine showing in the turbulent period. The following year brought another interesting new option: all-wheel drive, a part-time "shift-on-the-fly" setup intended for maximum traction on slippery roads, not dry-pavement driving or off-roading.