Value In The 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, but not before Ford and 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 real 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 was also an uptown Fairmont, restyled using 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 much better than the GT40 in many ways, because of 40 years of technical progress. Millions flocked to view it on its March 1932 unveiling. Topping the 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, that year also new, it was smaller, less daring technically, less accommodating, and its own performance and fuel economy were nothing special compared to that of many imports. Around 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 sedan and wagon got an updated Vulcan pushrod V-6, while the nicer LXs were treated to some 3.0-liter version from the twincam Duratec V-6 with 200 bhp, considered by many buyers to become well worth its $500 premium. Calendar-year sales were to the high 70 down,000s by '02, when Ford tried adding just a little youth tonic with 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 the 190-bhp 272 up to a 245-bhp 312. The 223-cid six was standard for all but one model. Exactly 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, slid below 25 then,500, an unhealthy showing for that low- to midteens pricing. Year Closed rumble-seat types were also within their last. Ford used this to raise seating some four inches above that generally in most other cars. Although 1949 Ford was near as radical as the 1950-51 Studebaker nowhere, it bought from numbers Ford hadn't seen since 1930: over 1.year 1 million for the extra-long model. Ford Division remained "USA-1," owning five from the country's top-10 sellers, including the big F-Series midsize and pickup 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 very much. Escort, Contour was very near its transatlantic cousin, getting the same smooth, tightly drawn styling, 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 for which 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 made a decision to retain Maverick and launch its erstwhile successor like a more-luxurious compact half a step up in cost. So were handling and ride, thanks to a fresh all-coil suspension with more-precise four-bar-link location for your live rear axle. Designed for other Focus models in those five areas, the PZEV four was about as clean as being a gasoline engine could possibly be with existing technology -- not far behind the gasoline/electric powertrains earning headlines, goodwill, and profits for Honda and Toyota. Though wheelbase and engines were unchanged in the 1946-48 models, the '49 was three inches lower, fractionally shorter, and usefully lighter. The smallest was Falcon, which bowed for 1960 among the new Big Three compacts (alongside Corvair and Chrysler's Valiant). Fusion's CD3 platform was the starting place for Ford's first mid-size crossover SUV, the 2007 Edge. Ford also began selling "Lifeguard Design" safety features, equipping all models with dished tyre, 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 were better. Standards carried a '39 DeLuxe-style vertical-bar grille. Among them was a minimum of John Dillinger, who wrote Henry to praise the merchandise -- 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 across the board at $97. For those 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 a lighter look and feel made the '37 Ford one of the prettiest cars from the decade. Despite prosaic mechanicals and tough compact competition increasingly, Tempo proved another fast-selling Ford. A hatchback four-door joined the mix for 2002 for even broader market coverage. The bottom engine was treated to throttle-body injection and moved to 90 horsepower up. Sure enough, the Focus originated "over there" and brought to North America with minimal change for local production. The initial 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 was standard for that Touring Sedan and optional on other models. The convertible sedan made your final bow, again within the DeLuxe line. Wagons eschewed rear struts for twin control arms, a operational system better in a position to deal with the wider selection of load weights wagons carry. Buying Volvo and Land Rover enough was costly, but Nasser splurged on wispy e-commerce ventures also, 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 looked like hardtops with windows up. Prices ranged from just $435 for the basic two-seat roadster to $660 for the city Sedan. With base stickers straddling $25,000, the top-line Taurus still faced competition from a host of formidable foreign sports sedans and usually suffered by comparison. His perceived need for obtaining the engine to market at the earliest opportunity left insufficient time for durability testing, so troubles surfaced early. Though less popular than square-roof Galaxies, the Starliner was just the plain thing for NASCAR racing by dint of its slipperier shape. And there was worse. Aside from enormous pension and health-care expenses, both companies needed to contend with "job banks" of laid-off workers who still drew the majority 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 of the OPEC oil embargo and the initial energy crisis, Chrysler pushed compacts while GM went with plans to downsize its entire fleet forward. Initial engine choices began using 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 interior, and heat buildup was a problem. A fascinating '95 variation was the SE (Sport Edition) sedan, a type or 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, small "Vulcan" V-6 got some needed NVH improvements in preparation for the all-new second-generation Taurus. The initial Probe will ever be remembered as the car that almost replaced the Mustang. A comparable 3-Series BMW or Mercedes-Benz C-Class cost thousands more, the SVT Contour was easily their equal on the road course or a dragstrip, running 0-60 mph in 7 about.5 seconds generally in most road tests. The latter somehow lost six horsepower by '87, returned to its original rating then. The typical six gained five bhp to provide 120 total. Inside, the '92 Taurus presented a redesigned dash with subtle ergonomic space and refinements for any newly optional passenger airbag. Multiple carburetors, headers, dual exhausts, along with other "speed parts" were as close as local auto stores. The executives selected Caleal's design, which went into production basically unchanged, except that his vertical taillights were made horizontal and bled into the rear quarter. Ford modernized two more of its cars for 1992. First up was a replacement for something even more than the initial Escort: the big, vintage '79 Crown Victoria. Specials were now sixes only, but the lineup was otherwise unchanged. A new 312-cid "Thunderbird" unit with 215/225 horsepower was ­optional across the board, along with 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 suitably uprated chassis. This will need to have sounded all too familiar to Ford folks who remembered the unloved and unlovely EXP. Sales remained strong despite the yearly sameness. Outside was…a disappointment. Though every physical body panel was new save the doors, the '92 was hard to tell at a glance from previous Tauruses -- as critics loved to indicate. The passenger airbag became standard for '94. Two factors appeared to be at work. A crisp four-door notchback bowed for 1992 in mid-range LX trim, and there is a sporty LX-E version with the GT's engine and firm suspension, plus rear disc brakes -- a sort or kind of pint-size Taurus SHO. Meantime, Ford Division had redesigned its Escort for the first time because the 1981 original. Even so, the bottom price was amazingly low at around $23,000. Two sedans, fancy and plain wagons, and a good "basket-handle-roof" coupe reviving the Futura name were offered through 1981 (and the wagons became Granadas). If anything, Ford was more lucrative here than it was with cars even. It had been 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 had been a fine engine, which helps explain why its 302 evolution continued all the real way in to the 1990s. It completely transformed Falcon performance without greatly affecting mileage. Everything added up to sprightly performer that could run ­circles around rivals from Chevrolet and Plymouth. Still, Ford could afford to help keep the "Vicky" around and also splurge for occasional changes: a Grand Marquis-like restyle for 1998, standard horsepower bumped to 220 for 2002, and a few new features on the way. The '49 Fords suffered handling and noise problems stemming through the rushed design program. Critics raved. Road & Track called Contour "a giant step forward within the compact sedan arena." Car and Driver termed it "stunningly satisfying." Those verdicts originated from road tests of the top-line SE model and its own 2.5-liter "Duratec" V-6. Compression was 7.2:1 in base trim, but could 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 a lot more than 1.2 million cars. Rack-and-pinion steering and front-disc/rear-drum brakes completed the basic specs. Volume eased to under 25 % million for '85, then returned to at the very 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) and also a wheel diameter shrunk to 17. V-8 durability kept improving, and the frame was completely redesigned. With 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 in the 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, since they couldn't afford to discount as much. Not it performed that well on those roads with its untidy cornering response and also a roly-poly ride on rough sections. A more-convenient, restyled dash was featured across the relative line. The cockpit was comfortable too, and handsomely appointed with racing-style seats, leather upholstery, and an extraordinary 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 an individual powerteam comprising Ford's new 250-bhp 3.5-liter V-6 plus a six-speed automatic transmission. Prices ranged from $684 at the six-cylinder Special coupe to $1013 for the V-8 DeLuxe woody wagon -- the initial 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 fresh 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. Still another class exclusive was a full-length, twin-panel "Vista Roof" with tilt/sliding forward section measuring 2x2.5 feet. Helped by image rub-off from its big sister Undoubtedly, the little LTD sold a lot 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 in addition, it became among the first low-priced cars to offer an optional driver-side air bag. Prices held steady, running from $1333 at the DeLuxe business coupe to $2028 at the Squire. Only detail changes would eventually this basic design through 1954. Wheelbase crept around 115 inches for a revised model slate that started with a cheap Mainline Tudor/Fordor, business coupe, and two-door Ranch Wagon, accompanied by Customline sedans, club coupe, and four-door Country Sedan wagon. Though light on many specifics, this "Way Forward" plan called for closing 14 North American plants by 2012, thus erasing some 30,000 jobs and cutting build capacity by greater than a fourth. There is no visual cribbing in the 2006 Fusion, the second prong of Ford's latest assault over 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 Sunliner and coupe convertible. Ford's other 1992 freshening involved the top-selling Taurus. Even better, a PZEV Focus cost less when compared to a Toyota Prius or Honda Civic Hybrid far, was easier and better to maintain, and possessed more low-end torque that improved acceleration noticeably, especially with automatic transmission. 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 using the mock-Mercedes look then in vogue. Being an "import," the Crown Vic counted in Ford's non-domestic CAFE along with the tiny South Korean-built Festiva, whose really high mileage a lot 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 everywhere most, winning awards in Europe as well as the 2000 North American Car of the Year trophy. The four-cylinder engine was breathing its last. Ford wanted to buy it for 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, like a high-compression "Interceptor" with 375 and 401 horsepower. Sales were proficient at first -- a lot more than 117,000 by 1990 -- but fell victim to some sharp drop in sporty coupe demand then. Contour did succeed, however, not as well as the 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 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 just 603 for '56, after which the Crown Vic was dumped. From nose to tail, top to bottom, it was 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 market shoes of the Escort, ZX2, and Contour. For 1983, Granada was transformed right into a "small" LTD -- as opposed to the "big" LTD Crown Victoria. All were available with six or V-8 charged power. Appearances notwithstanding, basic architecture and underskin components were distributed to other Escorts, while 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, and a 300-bhp 352. A deep national recession cut Ford volume to just under 988,000 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 brand 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. Being a veteran of Ford Europe, Trotman brought a more-international outlook to the company's "Glass House" headquarters, that was populated by a lot of his European colleagues soon. Skyliner was also ousted for '55, but Ford had another basic idea. Ford Motor Company duly turned out a variety 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. Regardless of 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 this, Ford Division remained "USA-1" in the first '90s, selling well over a million cars per year plus a like number of light trucks. Engineered with help from Yamaha, the SHO engine turned out 220 horsepower, best 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 attempting 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 has been so far below expectations that Ford briefly considered dropping the Freestyle after just three model years. Needlessly to say, Taurus engines mounted inside a chassis with all-independent suspension transversely. So was the basic "CVH" engine retained for all Escorts save the sporty GT three-door. Even better, it had today's 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 why 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 the average 100 pounds of added curb weight loss calculator. 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 final, but most-substantial, restyle over the big 1960 body occurred for '64, bringing sculptured lower-body sheet-metal heavily, a complex grille, and slantback rooflines for several closed models. Saving the 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 tolerably well, though its old-fashioned engineering looked increasingly so as time passes as well as 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 medial side windows. The "500" stood for your 500-mile NASCAR races the division was winning (Ford won every 500 in '63). Hopes were high for that 2005 500 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. The standard suspension and cast-iron six -- mostly a 170-cid unit of 101 horsepower -- certainly looked dull close to Corvair engineering, but designed for friendly, roomy little cars that rode well and delivered 20-25 mpg. Power by Ford was a must, 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 of the "Panther" design project within an LTD that has been 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 free up assembly-line space for regular Escorts. Though Ford briefly considered retaining it, the low-selling Sportsman was dropped for '49 and other offerings regrouped into Custom and Standard series. A new 250-bhp 3.5-liter V-6 was planned for 2007 to handle having less zip. The 1965 platform got a touch up for '66, and LTDs gained "7-Litre" companions powered by the Thunderbird's big 345-bhp 428 engine. So did a string of recalls and launch glitches relating to the new Escape, 2001 Thunderbird, redesigned '02 Explorer, and the small Focus, Ford's latest attempt in a "world car." Other new models just like the Lincoln LS and sister Jaguar S-Type didn't sell needlessly to say. The V-8 itself got a fresh carburetor and manifold that increased advertised horsepower to 85 -- some claim actual power was 90. Right now, the majority of its early problems were bad memories just. Starting in 1935, Ford built these bodies itself in a plant at Iron Mountain on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a perfect location because of nearby hardwood forests that minimized transportation costs. Lending added styling distinction were unique lower-body inboard and extensions front fog lamps. The 289 was detuned to 195 horsepower for '68, when the aforementioned 302 arrived as a fresh option. A '49 Ford couldn't quite reach 100 mph, but hopping in the flathead V-8 was still simple, cheap, and easy. The second-generation Probe was the last, with production ending in '97. In 1999 these four makes were coupled with Mercury and Lincoln right into a new division, Premier Automotive Group (PAG). With all of this, Ford was in a fight because of its life. Later, Ford didn't need such tricks to comply with 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 just as much symbolic 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 turned out 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 then declined to under 110,000, but remained healthy through decade's end. The V-8 was pushed up to exactly the same 90 horsepower because the six -- likely by the stroke of the engineer's pen. The "Fox" program that produced Fairmont was among 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 had been selling only about 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 further emphasized with a fresh LTD Brougham hardtop coupe, hardtop sedan, and four-door sedan. Irrespective of trim, Fusion showed the same good workmanship as the Five Hundred, the very best ever from Ford and competitive with Accord and Camry fully. Numerous refinements marked Escort's evolution through 1990. There were three-door hatchbacks and four-door wagons always, plus hatchback sedans after 1981. All rode a 94.2-inch wheelbase and employed transverse-mounted four-cylinder engines -- a new "CVH" single-overhead-cam design with hemispherical combustion chambers -- initially teamed with four-speed overdrive manual or three-speed automatic transaxles. The last were the nicest inside, with contemporary metal-look accents, tasteful "piano black" panels rather than the usual test-tube wood, easy-read gauges, and convenient, logical controls. Along with that year's new Thunderbird, it announced Ford's turn to "aero" styling. Models comprised two sedans plus a wagon at first, a single sedan after 1999. All aimed to supply only economical yet stylish transportation at a minimal price, that 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 the same models. Come midseason, a fresh Galaxie series 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 check the chassis, the two 2 2.5 Duratec V-6 received higher compression, deep-breathing exercises, and other measures to accomplish 195 bhp (later 200), delivered through 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, but it was nonetheless a timely counter to Chevy's Cavalier, that was doing the same thing -- not forgetting Japanese small cars which were rapidly moving up the scale because of 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 further enhanced the lively V-8 ventilation, as well as the frame and rear axle up were beefed. One reason was the simultaneous arrival of a new downsized Thunderbird on this same platform. Unfortunately, so was its snug interior. Unfortunately, the Fords had some structural weaknesses (principally roof panels) and were susceptible to rust, one reason you don't see that many today. Things were tough in Detroit really. Though sales gradually declined because of competition from both inside and outside the division, Falcon was always profitable. Iacocca soon put an final end towards 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 hang on through 2006, reduced to just a pair of sedans with all the old pushrod V-6. Tempo then marked time for 1989-90 aside from price/equipment shuffles. 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 as a whole, 1959 appeared to justify the strenuous efforts of Henry Ford board and II chairman Ernest R. Breech. Prices slightly rose, 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 was designed in collaboration with Volvo to be quite strong except in a collision, when it would absorb energy inside a controlled, protective fashion. To create the motor car, Ford and Mazda setup a fresh factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, not far from historic River Rouge, as part of a joint venture named Auto Alliance aptly. A zippy $1495 SR package was added for 2000 having 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 a lot more than $15 billion in 1999-2000, Ford lost a staggering $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, frustrated by overboosted power brakes. R&T concluded. "Watch out. America is roaring back to the top." Therefore it seemed. But buyers didn't seem to care. The 1966 Falcons were basically shorter versions of that year's rebodied Fairlanes, with the same sort of curvy GM-like contours and long-hood/short-deck proportions of Mustang. Extensive revisions occurred for 2003, perhaps because that was Ford's centennial year. Yet Pinto usually outsold the trouble-prone Vega in addition to 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 sedan and wagon appeared being a transition to all-new replacements. Though the Ford family longer owns a majority of common stock no, Ford continues to be very much a family operation. An optional 2.0-liter (121-cid) 52-bhp diesel four from Mazda arrived for 1984 -- just with time for the beginning 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 would be the foundation for some Ford Motor Company cars introduced through the mid-'80s, including a new-generation T-Bird and Mustang. Heading the line were the bucket-seat 500XL hardtop coupe and convertible in base and GT trim. This was an absolute sales asset, especially for Ford following the Explorer rollover debacle. The '60s were a lot longer, lower, wider, and sleeker compared to the boxy '59s, and also mimicked Chevy's batfins a little, but they looked good making use of their chrome-edged beltlines and bigger glass areas. Though Ford replaced pistons by 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. The most obvious were an extended, more-pointed hood and a more sharply Vee'd grille to match. The Skyliner name returned in mid-1957, but on an extremely different Ford: the world's first mass-produced retractable hardtop. Appearance became smoother still on 1934's 40A line. By 1984, Granada engines were carried over along with a new 232-cid V-6 initially. Ford spent a record $6 billion to introduce Mondeo, Contour, and Mercury's companion '95 Mystique. The goal was to have it ready with time for Ford Motor Company's huge June 2003 centennial gala in Dearborn. Not that lots of sold at list. Though conceived around a normal front-engine/rear-drive format, it was a large improvement over Maverick: clean-lined; sensibly boxy for good interior space on a shorter 105.5-inch wheelbase; lighter and thriftier than many expected thus. Bracketing the Taurus in proportions, price, and character, they represented an final end run around the problem of competing head-on with all 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 a fantastic automatic for 1950 in colaboration with Warner Gear. Yet once again, Ford's aim was slightly off. No changes whatsoever 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 around turn the company, but he silenced many skeptics by moving swiftly to place Ford's "Glass House" to be able. This had been this type of success that Ford not merely bought a 25-percent stake in Mazda but decided to entrust it with most of Ford's own small-car development for North America. 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 automobile industry's ever-increasing globalization. One of 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 body shape acted as an inverted wing, the GT40 was infamous for being less-than-stable at racing speeds. New for 1982, it was Ford's first two-seater because the original Thunderbird, but its "frog-eye" styling wasn't in exactly 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 within the "19681/2" Mercury Cyclone because the "Cobra Jet." A $133 option was "Ram-Air," a fiberglass hood scoop connecting to a particular air-cleaner assembly using a valve that ducted incoming air straight into the carb. Prices rose again for 1949, 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 will be number one 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 look like junior versions of the new midsize Taurus, an effective "nip-and-tuck" operation. At that point, Ford's1942 model-year total was just shy of 160,500 cars, versus Chevy's quarter-million-plus. Bored out to 289 cid as being a '63 option, it packed around 271 horsepower -- one horsepower per cubic inch almost. 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 availability of front side airbags except for 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 from the Korean War. With competitors pushing hard, the essential '86 design was in need of an update now, so Ford spent a cool $650 million to give it one. Ford's path with 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 in the fall. Old Henry had finally given in over the latter point -- 3 years after Chevrolet and 11 years behind Plymouth. Ford continued to stress safety for a few more years, but put more emphasis on performance. The prices were right, running from just over $17,000 to near $22,000 before options. Corporate profits hit an archive $7.2 billion in 1999 because the stock market 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 last eliminated after '81). However, only third and second gears worked automatically; a shift to low manually needed to be made. Ford tried to create them passably economical, gave up and simply fitted a larger fuel tank then. Billed as the first inside a promised fleet of Ford "world cars," it had been ­jointly created by the firm's U.S., British, and German branches under Project "Erika," however the European version finished 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 a in an easier way sell. We shouldn't leave this decade without mentioning the Probe, that was new for 1989. A sporty hatchback coupe predicated on Mazda's MX-6, it had been 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 own stock price. Volvo had developed RSC for its XC90 SUV, and Ford fast adopted it for the truck-based Explorer and Expedition. LTD became a separate three-model series, adding four-door sedan but losing the slow-selling 7-Litre ­models. Ford was somewhat wide of the mark with the erstwhile alternative to its old truck-like Aerostar minivan. From now on, he declared, Ford would build great trucks and cars, 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 bring order towards the organizational and fiscal chaos he inherited from his grandfather even as the business continued losing profits from the bucketful. We were holding available using the lively "Challenger" small-block V-8 in the midsize Fairlane -- initially a 260 with 164 horsepower, a 289 with about 200 horsepower for '65 then. All previous models continued, though in the 118-inch wheelbase now. Small front air "splitters" created downforce in the nose, while side splitters beneath the doors worked together with a specific bellypan to smooth airflow on the path to rear "venturi" exits. It added a bulky "bustle," but erased the increasingly old-fashioned external trunk rack and spare tire. A front stabilizer bar was standard, as was rack-and-pinion steering, offered at extra cost with variable-ratio power assist, that year a fresh item shared with 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 being a Rolls-Royce." The times were indeed a-changin'. The former offered six and V-8 Fordor and Tudor, alongside club and business coupes. Here, Ford applied "mini-Taurus" styling to the most recent version of Mazda's small, front-drive 323/Protege to produce a competent Japanese-style subcompact with much greater sales appeal against rival Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans. Ford had built nearly 139,000 of the '68s; it built more than twice that number for '69. 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 more anodized aluminum trim. Drivelines were brand-new, however. Edsel went to work, and the brand new L-head six bowed for 1941. With 226 cid and 90 horsepower, it had five more cubic inches than the V-8 as well as a like amount of extra horsepower -- a little embarrassing. Signaling its mission of wooing younger, cash-short enthusiasts, it initially came in "Cool" and better-equipped "Hot" versions. Ford proudly noted that these numbers were comparable to those of 7.0-liter racing GT40s. All of those other '54 story was basically 1953 save a larger, 223-cid overhead-valve six with 115 bhp. The sporty XLs were within their final year. The Probe was the first fruit of this decision. While that betrayed an aging design since paid for long, in addition, it helped Ford to keep moving this metal. There was a novel new hardtop called Skyliner also, 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 personal view of chairman Henry Ford II, who decreed there would 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 two years. 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 new products and plants for Aston and Jaguar Martin, acquired in the 1980s, adding Land Rover then, another British icon, and well-regarded Volvo of Sweden. Their "standard" wheelbase swelled to 119 inches for 1960, became 121 after 1968 then. They were heavy cars (3000-4000 pounds), and most weren't rewarding to operate a vehicle except on an Interstate, but certain variations were capable on winding roads surprisingly. The Five Hundred may have replaced the Crown Victoria: over a foot shorter overall plus some 500 pounds lighter, yet believe it or not spacious on a wheelbase just 1.8 inches trimmer. Maverick's last gesture towards the youth market was the Stallion, a 1976 trim package much like those offered in the Mustang and Pinto II. With buyers still flocking to well-equipped Japanese cars, Ford decided to ladle on all sorts of standard features (including dual dashboard airbags), but this only pushed Contour quite a bit upmarket from Tempo, which had been cheap relatively. Ford kept pace with Chevrolet in the '60s production race, and actually beat it for model years 1961 and '66. A redesigned frame, altered suspension geometry, along with a switch from recirculating-ball to rack-and-pinion steering all aimed to improve ride and handling, which they did -- just a little. Though stickers had risen as time passes inevitably, the Crown Vic still offered a lot of good old-fashioned American metal for the money at around $24,000-$30,000. Sedans used MacPherson struts and coil springs at each corner, supplemented at the trunk by parallel control arms. The practical, low-priced U.S. First was a new 1981 Granada, basically 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 new Mercury and hydraulic rather than mechanical brakes. Section of that came from needing to match the costly zero-percent financing program instituted by GM to jump-start a stunned market after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Topping the range was the V-8 Crestline group 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 massive improvement on the old Crown Vic. This was a good way to give an old design new appeal, also it boosted floor traffic at Ford dealers. The midsize Torino proved popular in the first '70s exceptionally, 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 than the much-acclaimed Ferrari Modena. Perhaps one of the most charismatic roadgoing sports cars built ever, it had been nothing less than a modern 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 best "Total Performance" Ford. Ford was also being squeezed by escalating raw materials costs and -- the big hit -- a sharp drop popular because of its most profitable SUVs, triggered 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 new organizational chart, Ford announced a recovery plan that aimed to attain $7 billion in pretax profit by 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 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 an array of body types: coupes, sport coupes, roadsters, and cabriolets with or without rumble seat; "Tudor" and "Fordor" sedans; a dignified Town Sedan surprisingly; along with a wood-body station wagon. Most pundits blamed CEO Nasser. Called LTD II, it had been only a little lighter than before, and sales went nowhere. And, needless to say, either could drive through 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 close to the complicated Chevy compact. When equipped with optional four-speed manual transmission, these were great fun to operate a vehicle. 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. " with all these additions Even, 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 figured minivans and sport-utility vehicles had largely replaced traditional full-size wagons in buyer affections now. Yet, these were likely surprised with the success of Taurus even, the front-drive 1986 alternative to the junior LTD in the all-important midsize market. After all, supply was limited -- about 4000 worldwide max, said Ford -- and demand because of 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 like a new-wave big car. Symbolic of most everything wrong with Detroit at the time, these Torinos were needlessly out-sized, overweight, and thirsty, with limited interior room and soggy chassis. Ford stayed the course yet another year, abandoned the sporty-coupe market then, that 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 not a trait of the early '90s Tempo definitely. DeLuxes bore a chromed horizontal-bar center section flanked by painted subgrilles in the "catwalk" areas between nose and fenders. Much like previous midyear model revisions, this one carried into 1989 and then 1990 practically without change. 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, and also 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 would hold them for the next 33 years, many of them successful. See separate entries for your stories over the personal-luxury T-Bird as well as the new-for '65 Mustang "ponycar," both most-specialized Fords of the period. But it all turned sour suddenly. But they were just 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 by building nearly 1.5 million cars. A twin-disc clutch and Ricardo six-speed manual transaxle conveyed all the might to the trunk wheels by way of a helical limited-slip differential. SHO pricing remained unusually steady in these years, but neither that nor the automatic was much help sales. A 115-bhp 200-cid six was standard for all but the Torino GT convertible, hardtop coupe, and new fastback hardtop (all duplicated in the 500 line), which was included with the 210-bhp 302-cid V-8 in addition to buckets-and-console interior, pinstriping, and much more perfor­mance options than a salesman could memorize. In concept it was much like Virgil Exner's downsized '62 Plymouths and Dodges. Despite the year-to-year sameness, many buyers craved big still, Detroit-style luxury, and the fact 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 future -- on innovation thus. The AWD/CVT combination was unique among family cars and therefore somewhat risky, but many buyers took a liking to Five Hundreds so equipped for their all-weather traction and promise of good fuel economy. From better handling Aside, this arrangement opened up more underhood space for easier servicing. Ford also hoped to get a competitive, er, edge with a versatile five-passenger seating package, a center console big to get a laptop computer enough, and "lifestyle" options such as a plug-in for digital music players, rear-seat DVD, and satellite radio. Slightly larger than Explorer, with plenty of room, nice looks, pleasant driving manners, and competitive $25,000-$30,000 pricing, the Freestyle must have sold like 25-cent Starbucks lattes. A 2000-model restyle, a lot of it patterned around the less radical Mercury Sable, aimed at wider public acceptance, as did a fresh, more user-friendly dashboard. Focus on the "New Edge" styling, a parting gift from corporate design chief Jack Telnack. That and a price identical using the Sunliner convertible's -- $2164 -- held '54 Skyliner sales to 13,344. Only the united states 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 tyre, 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 derived from the intermediate Torino (which had evolved from the Fairlane). But Focus was a masterpiece of space utilization, offering more passenger and cargo space than those earlier small Fords, as well as the majority of its rivals. With gotta-be-first types waving dealers and checkbooks seeing potential windfalls, market prices overnight soared, reaching a quarter-million or more by some accounts. Ford had its best NASCAR year ever in 1965, 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, wresting the crown from Ford after 19 years finally. Introduced during 1975, it was 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 shocks and springs, bigger brakes, and 16-inch rolling stock made cornering nimble and near neutral -- the truth for a domestic front-drive sedan -- yet ride was scarcely less supple than in mainstream Contours. Assisting in their design was Gordon Buehrig, the famed designer of Classic-era Auburns, Cords, and Duesen­bergs who'd also had a hand in the '51 Victoria. To some, the pre-'66 Falcons were the best "throwaway" cars: designed to sell at a minimal price -- initially just under $2000 -- and 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, when 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 with the five-speed model, the 3.0-liter Yamaha V-6 was enlarged for 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 fresh overhead-valve "Y-block" V-8 (so-called due to its frontal appearance in cross-section). A division mainstay throughout the '80s was the subcompact Escort, the brand new front-drive 1981 replacement for Pinto. Interestingly, that gearbox was built and designed in conjunction with GM. Though Fusion was emerging as this book was prepared just, first reviews and early sales reports suggested Ford had think of a winner. But though Plymouth arguably won the styling stakes using its finned "Forward Look," 1957 was a great Ford year. More's the pity, for your 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 within the fenders and a prow-type grille composed of fine horizontal bars (stretched rearward at the top). Starliner bowed out after 1961, when standards were face­lifted with a full-width concave grille (with '59-style insert) along with a return 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 a lot more than done its job. Nevertheless, the SHO was an extremely slow mover over the sales chart, due to the fact there was no automatic option and the mandatory Mazda-supplied manual five-speed suffered balky, high-effort shift action. This is the Fairlane Crown Victoria, a hardtop-style two-door sedan with a bright metal roof band wrapped up and over from steeply angled B-posts. The hood now extended back to the windshield, 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 more likely to get smaller 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 styled sedan and wagon emphasized value conventionally, practicality, comfort, luxury with the proper options even. Cooler heads prevailed, however, as well as the twenty-first-century Country Squire was presented with an indefinite reprieve. Did it succeed? While we can not say for sure 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 more even, to slightly over a million. Sprints offered special exterior I.D., vinyl bucket seats, console, and 6000-rpm tachometer. Several magazines both in the home and drove the GT against Ferrari abroad, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and other pricey "exoticars," and picked the Ford not merely for its stunning abilities, but as the best value. A fresh confection was the V-8 Crestliner, a special-edition Custom Tudor priced $100-$200 above the standard article. Falcon replied to the hot-selling Corvair Monza within the spring of 1961 with all the bucket-seat Futura two-door. Fairmont wagons used in this relative line for '82. As lately, this styling was created by E.T. The glamorous droptop Sunliner was a Fairlane 500 and was included with the base V-8 now. And there was still the thorny problem of weaning buyers from the costly purchase incentives they'd been used to for years. An inspired new "one price" program helped. The tall body also provided a more natural seating posture front and rear, plus vast trunk space. Collectible Automobile magazine thought the SVT Contour so excellent that it could one day be considered a coveted keepsake. The final was standard for a fresh three-door GT model, which also came with five-speed, 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 new front suspension evolved from NASCAR experience completely. This ran on regular gas having a two-barrel carb and delivered 210 bhp; with a four-barrel it made 230 horsepower on premium fuel, though emissions considerations end that version soon. Horsepower here was also 140, but the 3.8's extra torque provided quicker acceleration than the 3.0. With its ultramodern styling, good performance, and prices lower than those of certain covetedGerman sedans far, Taurus charged up the sales chart just like a bull within a china shop. Though classed as a large car by Consumer Guide®, the EPA, among others, the 500 arrived having a midsize-car engine: a modestly improved "Duratec 30" twincam V-6 with 203 bhp. While Fairmont continued carrying Ford's banner in the compact segment, two derivatives served because the division's midsize warriors. At exactly the same time, hard-charging Jacques Nasser was elevated to president and ceo after 2 yrs 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 "absorb road imperfections easily," to quote Road & Track. Edsel promised a six, needed to reckon along with his father then. The GT arrived with one major glitch: lower suspension control arms that proved susceptible to cracking because of faulty casting. With regard to everyone in the business and all who love cars, hopefully Ford should come up with the "better ideas" it so urgently needs. Dearborn designers and decision-makers had the within track on what appealed to American buyers evidently. 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 the 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 that 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, and a vinyl-covered rear half-roof with dual "opera" windows. By 2006, Dearborn counted five straight years of declining sales representing over a million units lost -- Detroit's worst performance by far. Who may have imagined that in 1956 back? However the interesting SHO was canceled for lack of interest, and other Tauruses changed hardly at all around the next six seasons. Still, the speedy Ford V-8 was attracting a legion of fans. Begun in 1992, this offered any of 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. Soldiering on with few evident differences from one year to the next, Ford's front-drive compact tended to get lost in the great gray mass of Detroit market-fillers that you were more apt to rent on holiday than devote your driveway. Offerings expanded for '37 by adding a small-bore 136-cid V-8, originally devised at the European market to benefit from 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 much higher 1970 sales with its new compact Maverick, a semifastback two-door on a 103-inch wheelbase. Although 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 attempting to "shrink its way back to profitability" when confronted with market changes it hadn't foreseen. It didn't work that well, but Ford better tried to create it, fitting throttle-body injection and adding a 100-bhp "H.O." (high-output) option for '85. With a relatively sensational top speed of 78 mph, the peppy V-8 Ford caused a storm of public interest, garnering over 50,000 advance orders. Even so, they were very worthy automobiles -- the first tangible evidence that Henry II was firmly in control. However the '49 was the most-changed Ford because the Model A, and was as much a hit. 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 usage of mechanical brakes through 1939 left Ford distinctly behind the proper 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, the easy GT moniker hence. Gregorie under Edsel Ford's guidance. A new 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 fresh bodyshell arrived for '69 having a two-inch longer wheelbase, a "tunneled backlight" for newly named "SportsRoof" fastbacks, and ventless door glass on convertibles and hardtops. Then came a revised four-cylinder car, the Model B. Both this and the brand new 1932 V-8 Model 18 shared evolutionary styling, a 106.5-inch wheelbase (up three inches through the A's), and the same broad body-style array. Nonetheless 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 in the "aero" idiom pioneered from 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 before 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 result, it was claimed to become 40 percent stiffer than Ferrari's formidable F360 Modena, a key rival, yet curb weight was slightly below 3400 pounds, more than respectable for a 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 of this, the Probe reaches best a "half-American" car despite all-Ford styling and option of the 3.0-liter Taurus V-6 on midrange LX models for 1990-92. (The bottom GL used a 2.2-liter Mazda four, the top-line GT a turbocharged version). Falcon continued in 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 very fast Falcons, the sportiest 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 large market gap at a crucial time, attractive 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 then turned strongly upward for 1988-89, breaking the three-quarter-million mark for both 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 in 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 interior was special too, boasting multi-adjustable front bucket seats, sport cloth upholstery, center console, and, to complement the high-winding engine, an 8000-rpm tachometer. THE TYPICAL two-passenger coupe still sold for bit more than $500, while 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 just two models: 86-bhp Luxury Coupe and 108-bhp Sport Coupe. An optional five-speed manual arrived 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 arrived at an inexpensive European-style sports sedan yet. The name itself came from Ford's exciting early-'80s series of aerodynamic concept cars, but proved to have offensive connotations unexpectedly. With ball-joint front suspension Together, also new, the Y-block greatly narrowed the engineering gap between expensive and inexpensive cars. 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, however, not enough to beat Chevrolet. When Caleal became disenchanted with all the direction taken by the other members from the Walker team, he was given 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 linked to almost 300 deaths and scores of injuries. The Mondeo dash was little altered at the States Even. Another talking point was a fresh unibody corporate platform. New lower-body sheetmetal gave the 1963 "Super-Torque" Galaxies a cleaner, leaner look, announced by a simple concave grille. There was an extremely deluxe Town Car with canvas-­covered formal roof also. All Falcons were reskinned for 1964-65 with pointy front fenders and generally square, less-distinctive lines. Such humdrum matters were forgotten over the open road fast, and especially for the racetrack. But all of this only increases the mystique of a fabulous Ford that was gone much too soon, shot down by "Way Forward" cuts along with the Wixom, Michigan, plant that built the cars carefully and largely yourself. Styling became smoother in mid-1988: revamped rear quarters for sedans, a new 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 twice the trouble of the original Taurus program, but included the high costs of developing two brand-new engines, manufacturing facilities, and the most common new-model tooling. Nice looks, high utility, and a complete range of passenger-car safety features netted healthy sales. Chairman Alex Trotman hoped another daring design would grab the general public just 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 own 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 -- enough to be accorded a complete redesign a few years later. That engine could be ordered on any Fairlane, and racers were quick to put it in stripped two-door sedans, which earned respect for his or her competitive prowess. The fantastic old man himself offered in 1947. Unlike his grandfather, "HFII" consistently sought and encouraged talented managers. Even with a heavy option load, these Escorts seldom broke the $17,000 barrier, yet they were more refined and better built than previous models, to stand comparison with some import-brand rivals enough. The fenders themselves were curved to check body contours beautifully; rear fender skirts, long a popular accessory, imparted a straight sleeker look. Overall, Windstar was eight inches longer when compared to a Grand along with a foot longer than Villager nearly. Without change in wheelbases, Fairlane got another physical body and styling change for 1968. Joining the bottom 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 replacement for cubic inches." Actually, the GT40 nearly took the planet GT Manufacturers Championship from Ferrari in 1964, 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 amount of money went toward items that didn't show but made a good car better still, particularly in the regions of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Buyer requests prompted the addition of conventional grille for '93, when the Touring was dropped. By 1985, only the four, V-6, and an optional 165-bhp 302 V-8 were fielded, the final reserved to get a semi-sporting LX sedan that sold just 3260 copies. Opt for an SE with desirable extras like ABS and traction control and you were well over $20,000, that was Taurus money. 170-bhp 292 V-8 and Cruise-O-Matic. Among the most thoughtful: optional anti-lock brakes for sedans and a typical driver-side air bag for all 1990 models. Not so the GT, the total consequence of several effective modifications which were very hard to identify. But nothing new was needed in the car-starved early-postwar market really, 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 end to 1948 production. The firm would recover, but not before making drastic product changes. With intermediates overtaking in competition, the big Fords no longer needed any sort of "performance" image to support sales. Arriving in spring 1990 as an early-'91 model, it had been another "world car," though just as as Probe. Wheelbase was a trim 109.5 inches through 1965, then 110.9 (113 for wagons). Ford was more on target having a redesigned Escort that rang up more than 655,000 sales for model years 1997-98 and more than 100,000 each for '99 and 2000. The previous Mazda Protege-based design returned with a smooth new wrapper and also a 110-bhp 2.0-liter single-cam Zetec four-cylinder, thus ousting the old CVH engine at last. Previewed being an engineering prototype in the 2002 UNITED STATES International Auto Show in Detroit, the GT originated for production by a small dedicated team. But none of the did much for sales. Your final indignity for Ford was an exodus of talented people, a "brain drain" the company could ill-afford in this particular new crisis. The Torino Cobra returned as Ford's "budget muscle car" with standard 360/375-bhp 429 V-8. Needless to say, there was little here to interest enthusiasts. The only options, actually, were an electrical moonroof and CD player. Its initial 239 cid was exactly like 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 previous four-door style). With all this, what Ford trumpeted like a "New American Road Car" must 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. Talking about which, the 272 V-8 delivered 173 horsepower like a '56 Mainline/Customline option. Acceptable road-car passenger space was the explanation, however the cockpit was still race-car cozy for six-footers. There have been ovals ­aplenty inside too, including a large one in the middle of the dash with oddly curved arrays of look-alike pushbuttons for audio and climate functions. A minor recall slowed early deliveries, however the real problem was sticker shock. The building blocks of this 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 in the family car field, yet Ford had staked its future more on new trucks than new cars. Nonetheless it was delayed by the peculiar conditions Henry imposed on his engineers, therefore the Model A appeared with only four-cylinder power as an interim measure. Both body styles had since lost whatever favor they once had long, 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 correct 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, as well as the equally old-fashioned phaeton (a throwback to touring-car days) is at its final season. But aside from that and a few other cosmetic details, the '53s were '52s with higher prices basically, now which range from $1400-$2203. Ford also moved from "Chevy-follower" to "Chevy-leader" within the 1960s. Its compact Falcon far outsold the rival Corvair, its 1962 midsize Fairlane was two years before Chevelle, and its phenomenally successful Mustang sent Chevrolet racing to the drawing board to come up with the Camaro. Efforts for 1950 aimed 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 exactly the same even. Hidden-headlamp grilles marked the '68 LTDs and Galaxie XLs within a lower-body restyle for all models. The nice 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 intrinsic trunk for sedans. The honor was rather remarkable due to the fact Focus was fending off new import competition with only evolutionary changes, mainly a confusing parade of model names and equipment shuffles. 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. A good relatively mild 390 XL could scale 0-60 mph in 9.3 seconds; a 427 reduced that to just over 7 seconds. Year in 1965 Ford enjoyed its first two-­million-car, though that has been a great year for all domestic automakers. The hatchback played both sporty and entry-level roles, offering the widest selection of options. It had been 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 for a middle-class American car. As a result, Ford greeted 1980 a crucial two to three years behind GM within the fuel efficiency and "space" races -- with a critical sales disadvantage close to its domestic foes and a horde of fast-rising Japanese makes. First, the economy unraveled as overpriced "tech stocks" tanked, taking Wall Street and the economy using them down. GL was renamed LX, as well as the dash was restyled another 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 bottom model, a 2.5 V-6 at the sporty GT. And even though an Escort underneath, it cost considerably more. Billed because the first FoMoCo car made with aid from computer analysis, the Fairmont (and its Zephyr twin at Mercury) was a common-sense car and pretty conventional. Styling was handled by Franklin Q. Hershey, who also gets credit for your 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, only 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 this. Ford was the house of "better ideas still," but by 1990 it was also home to some of America's most-popular and respected automobiles. Even so, Ford up was only catching, not advancing the art, and Windstar was never a threat towards the sales-leading Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth minivans -- not after being lightly restyled because the 2005 Freestar. Some statisticians also had Ford in calendar-year volume for the very first time since 1935 ahead, although final score showed Chevy ahead by way of a mere 130 cars. So were unique front and rear fascias, side sills, and also a rear spoiler, all de rigueur for the "hot hatch." Inside were special SVT gauge graphics and two extra gauges, leather/cloth seats with heavier front bolstering, aluminum pedal shift and caps knob, and also a leather-wrapped steering wheel. 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 a transition team merely, for late 1993 ushered within the worldly wise Alex Trotman as both elected president and chairman. The old man kept a close 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 was another stab in a "world car," born of "Ford 2000" thinking being an Americanized version from the year-old European Mondeo. Offerings now comprised base GL and sporty GLS coupes and sedans, plus four-door all-wheel luxury and drive LX models. If the V-8 had to cost more, Ford reasoned, it should have at least just as much power, if only in some recoverable format even. Value in a supercar? At only 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 way of a V-8 successor for perfor­mance, the V-6 SHO was a rewarding driver's car with a nice blend of American and European characteristics. For instance, 1982 saw the full-size F-Series pickup begin 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 exposed components previously, so horns hooted from behind little covered holes astride the grille now. Edsel Ford have been a significant force in Dearborn design for a few right time, and his tasteful new '33 Ford was universally applauded. 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 avoid a tip -- within the laws of physics, of course. Skyliner "retracs" became prime collectibles, and the retractable-hardtop concept enjoyed a resurgence in the brand new millennium. At the very least it was cheap, and that combined with better production in Mexico in addition to Michigan to create for suprisingly low list prices: $7976 for your stark three-door Pony to more than $11 grand for the GT. As one example, Ford went through no fewer 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. However the name had outlived its usefulness, and Ford had a fresh compact, the Maverick, so Falcon was consigned to history.5-inch wheelbase. Per year of questionable styling through the entire industry In, Ford was a standout -- proof that streamlining didn't indicate an end to distinctive, eye-pleasing automobiles. Ford had underestimated the purchase price sensitivity of Contour's target market, as telling a miscalculation as that tight back seat. Ford stubbornly resisted the winds of change, promoting its aging big cars based on greater passenger space and the presumed safety of their "road-hugging weight." But the public didn't buy this cynical line -- or as many from the cars. It had been quite a coup, yet went all but unnoticed amid Dearborn's deteriorating fortunes. From an automaker that was as near to collapse as Chrysler was in 1980, Dearborn remade itself right into a trimmer, more-responsive, and vastly more-efficient outfit while fielding aggressive products that were usually right on target. Sadly, Ford stonewalled in several lawsuits completely to federal court, which tarnished its public image severely, even if Pinto sales didn't appear to suffer much. Styling for several 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 passé because the new century progressed increasingly, the basic 1995 design being left to soldier on as 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 the six-year-old Volks­wagen Passat. As as 1990 late, Crown Vic did a healthy 74,000. By that point, though, the cars themselves were sourced from Canada ­mainly. But he realized that the next World War was an extremely different situation, and had geared his firm to war production already. 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 far greater 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), but the fenders were lower and wider, the hoodline was higher, and stainless steel replaced nickel plate over the headlight and radiator shells. Though sales fluctuated, this line was best for an annual average of more than 118, 000 -- more in a few years considerably. That certain benefited from a new twincam greatly, 1.8-liter Mazda four with 16 valves and 127 lively horses. Most everything hidden was exactly 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. Yet for all its crushing dullness, Tempo remained a good seller, with steady model-year production of more than 100,000 units through swan-song '94 -- as well as a surprise was created by the '93s spurt to raised than 238,000. Tempo's only changes of note in this period were lack of the AWD option after 1991 (when it had been called "4 Wheel Drive") and the '92 addition from 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 with its bold three-bar grille certainly, a signature destined for future Ford cars (plus an early 500 facelift) along with a dim nod to 1966 Galaxies. Another new style, bowing within the autumn of 1930, was the Victoria coupe sporting a slanted windshield, soon to be commonplace throughout Detroit. The only real drawbacks to commuting in the GT were Thighmaster-high clutch effort and the limited visibility connected with midships cars. Prices were hiked about $100 throughout. The good reason? Interesting cars that sold well. A set of cheap "300" sedans was added (renamed Custom/Custom 500 for '64), and there was more midyear excitement in a couple of 500 and 500XL sports hardtops with thin-pillar "slantback" rooflines, a bit starchier than the old Starliner but again aimed right at the stock-car ovals. GL and midlevel LX models was included with another new engine: a 2.0-liter multivalve twincam four called "Zetec," an outgrowth of Ford Europe's recently introduced "Zeta" category of small, high-efficiency powerplants. Incidentally, the Crown Vic became an "import" for a couple years in the early '90s, built north of the border with a higher degree of Canadian content. Little visible change occurred for 1931 save a painted section atop the front from the radiator shell, which made identification easy. Though nearly 31,000 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 also, in addition to ABS and traction control. Seeking greater competitiveness, Ford slightly downpriced its '51 models and applied a stylish facelift featuring a new grille with small twin bullets on the thick horizontal bar. Dearborn will need to have rejoiced, because upscale Fusions with different styling and feature mixes could have the intimidating task of luring new buyers to Lincoln and Mercury, nameplates abandoned for dead in many quarters already. And indeed, by 1952, Ford Motor Company had passed a faltering Chrysler Corporation to regain the number-two spot in manufacturer volume. With this particular 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 -- when they reached a particular level 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 to the 2001-04 models. Safety glass was newly ­featured on closed models. Ominous Equally, Ford's near-term domestic product pipeline looked dry, and Jaguar was gushing red ink. The Mazda, for example, 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 was the only time it surpassed Ford in these full 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, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry notably, now had hook edge in ride ­quality, a large one in construction -- 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 as the country's top-selling car line in 1992 to end 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 completely reskinned, emerging colorful if chromey, with a rakish look of motion along with a modestly wrapped windshield. Though increasingly eclipsed by the likes of Honda and Toyota, several Ford cars did well in the first 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 in big trouble also, an additional drain on corporate coffers. In America it came to be called the "V-8/60," since it produced very much horse-power. Even so, Ford had bet heavily on these cars (dubbed "CDW127" in the company's new internal code, the letters denoting "World car" within the "C/D" size class), so that it was vital they succeed. And there is now a second V-8 convertible, 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 to get a '98 without air conditioning. Haulers comprised fancier and plain Del Rio two-door Ranch Wagons, a pair of four-door Country Sedans, as well as the wood-look four-door Squire -- Ford's priciest '57 wagon at $2684. There was also a gesture toward sport in the 1978-80 ESS -- for "European Sports Sedan" -- nonetheless it was just 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 a 99.9-inch chassis with suspension much like 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 with floating starlike ornaments. The secret was high-profile styling with an overall height of 61.5 inches, up 3.2 inches on Crown Vic and 5.4 on Taurus. Will we see its like again ever? Well, the GT was the starting place for the 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 over the Chrysler Town & Country. An even bigger bore for '63 produced a 427-cid powerhouse with 410/425 horsepower. Yet it was less successful compared to the Mustang or Fairmont -- and that was curious. The GT looked identical to the GT40 nearly, but was built on a foot-longer wheelbase of 106.7 inches. Escort set an easy sales pace with at least 320,000 copies in each of its first two years. Both were vital high-profit assets in market gone mad for trucks, and Dearborn gave them yearly improvements to protect their class-leading sales status. All-new except for engines, the '65s were distinguished by simpler, more-linear styling announced by stacked quad headlamps. The twincam Zetec engine, for example, 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 Year" award, partly because of the division's ever-widening "Total Performance" campaign. But old-fashioned it was, and sales continued trailing toward oblivion off, falling below 64,000 for calendar '05. Cosmetic alterations were subtle but sufficient for all those in the know, and there have been 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. Many things had gone wrong obviously. Initially coming in 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 lower prices than before which magical name, the T-Bird swamped LTD II in sales. Unfortunately for Ford, the total result will need to have scared off some buyers, for Taurus promptly lost its standing as America's top-selling car line and could not 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 discovered that the styling from the counterpart Cyclone was slightly more aerodynamic, and therefore usually ran the Mercurys in stock-car contests over 250 miles long. 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 modified 1937 bodies slightly, DeLuxes sported another, new look. Other passe stuff 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 particular new Crown Victoria than was absolutely needed to fulfill the market. That year's top engine option was the brand new 390-cid version from the FE-series big-block. But they'd be cleared up soon enough, as well as the V-8 became referred to as a reliable powerplant that could stand considerable "warming up." Hot rodders loved it. Alas, many enthusiasts either didn't believe their ears or thought the Blue Oval badge too ­ proletarian. The following year, 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 big Crown Victoria was all but invisible long before the crisis took hold, a relic of much 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 they were standard at the SVT. Club coupes were abandoned, wagons grouped in a separate series, and Crestline was renamed Fairlane (following 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 designed for cheaper new Model 74 Fords in per year of generally higher car prices, it didn't sell nearly as well as expected. Ford's Ranger (a 1982 newcomer) became sales king of compact pickups. Being late to game allowed Ford to learn the rules for winning it, so the Edge offered most everything competitors did and some things they didn't. With the mid-'90s, these truck successes put into the continuing popularity of Taurus and Escort to create 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 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 aside from rent-a-car companies. Having made its mark with hot Cobra Mustangs and rapid F-150 Lightning pickups, SVT was asked to understand the Contour's full sport sedan potential for 1998. Marketers doubtless hoped the brand new model's image would boost sales for all of those other 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 and also a brace of two-door hardtops were added for '63. It had been a blistering performer and its own new hardtop body with concave backlight was distinctive, but hot-car demand everywhere was fast-waning, and only 7675 were built for your model year. A grilleless Taurus-type face replaced the dated standup eggcrate. The 1949 Ford was essential to Dearborn's survival. Some dealers have been disappointed in Edsel Ford's new Mercury, feeling a six-cylinder Ford would have been a better idea (which was, in fact, the original concept). The other was a severe downturn within the national economy -- abetted by another fuel crisis -- that began in the spring of '79 and put a large 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 also applied to Freestyle, essentially a Five Hundred wagon marketed as 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 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, using a padded canvas-covered top and sweeping contrast-color panel around 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 -- sufficient reason for ­"inferior" front drive at that. Ford's '57 styling was particularly simple for the time: a blunt face with clean, full-width rectangular grille; tasteful side moldings; and tiny tailfins. Beginning with the '64s, Ford offered a growing range of handling and performance options, including stiff suspensions and four-speed gearboxes. Taxi and law-enforcement fleets were its main buyers because the century turned, sister Mercury Grand Marquis having taken the lead in retail sales. It had been and fun but crude and not 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 recently available turnaround at Mazda, as president from the Americas, with Anne Stevens as his chief operating officer. The sportiest from the lot was a new ZX4 ST sedan, which 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 was already familiar, amounting to some slightly enlarged Mazda 6 without the "zoom zoom" pretensions. It had been also a more-potent big Ford with adoption from the 4. 6-liter overhead-cam V-8 first seen in the '91 Town Car. Styling, needless to say, was decreasing 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 within the nose, roof, tail, and rocker panels. Gregorie, and Engel and Oros. Probe was redesigned for '93 on the new-generation MX-6 platform with 102.9-inch wheelbase (versus 99), with much more dramatic styling than its cousin again. Several trim levels were offered, including better-equipped Sport versions with the better engine and firm suspension. Helping the cause were attractive prices in the $2100-$2800 range. Base prices remained very attractive, rising no higher than the low $12,000s. SVT have been formed in the early 1990s being a semi-autonomous area of the Dearborn organization, charged with souping-up various vehicles for sale through selected Ford dealers. An avant-garde mixture of curves and creases, New Edge didn't work on every car, but it did here, lending a visual personality that set Focus from every rival apart. Chairman Alex Trotman retired, handing the reins to 42-year-old William Clay Ford, Jr., great-grandson from the ongoing company founder and nephew from the late Henry Ford II. New models were supposed to help, particularly new cars, which Ford heralded by proclaiming 2004 as "THE ENTIRE YEAR of the automobile." But recovery proved stubbornly elusive. Economy was said to be a strong point, but really wasn't. Despite an easy model slate Yet, styling pretty, and prices in the $620-$950 range, Ford trailed Chevy in model-year output by a substantial 222,720 cars. Escort's high success had not been matched by an unhappy sporty coupe offshoot, the EXP. The V-8 was a tremendous bargain: Standard roadster, coupe, and phaeton all listed below $500. The Explorer, for instance, 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 weighed against 40/50 horsepower from the 200.5-cid Model A/B four. Workmanship also suffered for exactly the same reason, and also 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 slow still, 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 was dressed-up and civilized with nicer trim and much more convenience options progressively. Before the end, Contour got a megadose of Euro-style performance, courtesy of Ford's Special Vehicle Team. Not many sold at $1200 -- only 96 for that model year. Seatbelt and Airbags pretensioners were improved in line with growing buyer demand for safety features. Nineteen ninety-nine witnessed historic changes in top Ford management also. Edge faced those class favorites with bold styling on the 111.2-inch wheelbase, rendering 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 new, japanese-looking dash was shared with unchanged coupe models rather. Many prospects thus balked and walked when Contour arrived at a minimum of $13,300, over $1000 greater than a late loaded Tempo. Henry's decision to abandon his treasured "Tin Lizzie" after 19 years and a staggering 15-million cars -- the final not very not the same as the initial -- came almost too late, and his company lost a whole lot in money and goodwill through the long changeover to the belated new Model A. Ford built more than 1.1 million cars for 1930 -- almost doubly many as Chevrolet and much more than 14 times as many as Plymouth. Let's remember the 1992-95 SHO, which gained greater visual distinction through more-aggressive styling front and rear, plus bolder cladding for the lower bodysides. Granada was an even more rational proposition and one of Ford's best-timed ideas of this decade. Those full years -- 1980-82 -- saw Ford Division output drop from 1. 16 million cars to just under 749,000. But because of an economic recovery and an ever-changing type 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 scored big in the burgeoning sport-utility field with Explorer also, the upscale 1991 four-door alternative to the two-door Ranger-based Bronco II. The effect was a refocused 2005 lineup with more orthodox styling inside and out, plus more competitive "value" pricing. Aside from engines, the 1972 Torino was all-new -- and a big disappointment. The following year brought new outer sheetmetal with an increase of 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, if not Plymouth's responsive three-speed TorqueFlite. This idea, suggested by Buehrig and realized by interior styling director L. David Ash, is 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 (rather than 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 before late '80s, nonetheless it generally fared well in the '70s. Ford built 43 just, from January 1 through February 2 000 cars, when the government ended civilian production throughout World War II. Volume held at around 400,000 through 2000. Each year than its leading Japanese-brand rivals But Taurus still relied a lot more on fleet sales, so Ford earned somewhat less on every owners and sale received less at trade-in time. Among we were holding a stiffer unibody structure, a suspension revised to get a smoother ride without harm to handling, more-responsive power steering, extra sound-deadening in strategic places, engine adjustments for improved drivability, as well as 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 better than expected for the prices. 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 from the Fusion and other models to check out up on the popularity of the 2005 Escape Hybrid, the initial 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 prices were offered in the $20,000-$24,000 range. Broughams also featured in the 1970 Torino line, which shared new exterior panels "shaped from the wind" having 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 26,400 early in to the calendar year, when Ford suspended production. Assuming control of a third-rate company in 1945, they'd turned it into something approaching General Motors in less than 15 years. Like most 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 hunting for BMWs, even on twisty roads. Like Chevy Also, Ford built these diverse types on few wheelbases relatively. The GT40 have been named for its rakish 40-inch height, so that designation would here have already been technically incorrect. Yet for all the controversy, Taurus sales remained strong, year actually improving by some 11 percent for 1996 on the prior model. Fairlane was completely rebodied for '66 on a 116-inch wheelbase (113 for wagons) gaining a sleek, tailored look via curved side glass and flanks, 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 a 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 size and execution this smaller LTD was a match for shrunken GM opponents fully, 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 in the first-year high of nearly 461,000 to significantly less than 81,000 by 1983. Still, that was an excellent showing inside a turbulent period. The next 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.