Ford Motor Company – named after its founder, Henry Ford, who introduced automobile mass production in 1914. 

Ford Motor Company is a multinational automaker that has its main headquarter in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand.

 

Headquarters Dearborn, Michigan, United States 

thunderbird

The first generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a two-seat convertible produced by Ford for the 1955 to 1957 model year, the first 2-seat Ford since 1938. It was developed in response to the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, which showed the Chevrolet Corvette.

The Thunderbird proved more suited to the American market than the Corvette, with sales of 16,155, versus 674 Corvettes in 1955. 

The 1957 Thunderbird was the last two-seater Ford sold until the 1982 Ford EXP sport compact car.

mkI  1955-1957

The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in February 1953 as a response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year. Though inspired by and positioned directly against the Corvette, Ford billed the Thunderbird as a "personal luxury car|personal car,” putting a greater emphasis on the car's comfort and convenience features rather than its inherent sportiness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emsSUN3P3vU

mkII   1958-1960

Although the 1955–57 Thunderbird was a success, Ford executives—particularly Robert McNamara—were concerned that the car's position as a two-seater limited its sales potential. As a result, the car was redesigned as a four-seater for 1958.

The new Thunderbird began a sales momentum previously unseen with the car, selling 200,000 units in three years, four times the result of the two-seat model. This success spawned a new market segment, the personal luxury car. It was the first individual model line (as opposed to an entire company) to earn Motor Trend "Car of the Year" honors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYhhs0gzRg0

mkIV landau  1967-1971

The 1970 model year Thunderbird continued with the same platform and many of the same parts and styling cues from the 1967 through 1969 models such as the sequential turn signals incorporated into the full-width tail lamps. The most noticeable change was in the front fascia, where a large, prominent projection resembling a bird or eagle's beak was now used, in line with long, angular lines in the hood. Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, a former GM executive now president of Ford, is said to be responsible for this dramatic change. The T-bird was offered in coupe or sports-back models for these two years, the latter being a further distinction from the 1967 through 1969 models.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vVxCGm0i-o&ab_channel=thebiggarage

mkVII  1977-1979

For the 1977 model year, the Thunderbird was shifted to the smaller  2,896 mm wheelbase chassis that underpinned the 1972–76 Ford Torino and its replacement, the LTD II which also debuted for 1977. 

Compared to the previous generation Thunderbird, the new car lost nearly 217.7mm in length  and 408 kg of weight, although height and width were relatively unchanged.

In 1978, Ford offered the "Diamond Jubilee Edition" Thunderbird to commemorate the company's 75th year as an auto manufacturer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO2IzMlNlbY

mk XI  2002-2005

The eleventh generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a two-seater grand touring convertible manufactured between 2001 and 2005. 

Mechanically borrowing heavily from the Lincoln LS, it was built on the Ford DEW platform with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and was powered by a 3.9-liter V8 engine. 

Sales declined each year thereafter until its cancellation.  11,998 were sold in 2004. Ford announced in March 2005 that the Thunderbird would be discontinued in July of that year, with 9,548 sold for 2005. The last Ford Thunderbird rolled off the assembly line on July 1, 2005.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvGny-DoIpY

fairlane 500 convertible 1957-1959

The Ford Fairlane is an automobile model that was sold between 1955 and 1970 by Ford in North America. The name is derived from Henry Ford's estate, Fair Lane, near Dearborn, Michigan.

Over time, the name referred to a number of different cars in different classes; the Fairlane was initially a full-sized car, but became a mid-sized car from the 1962 model year. 

For 1957, a new style gave a longer, wider, lower, and sleeker look with low tailfins. The new proportions and modern styling were a hit with customers to the extent that the Ford outsold Chevrolet in 1957 for the first time since 1935.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZKdSj5tqQ

cortina mkI  1962-1966

The Ford Cortina is a medium-sized family car that was built initially by Ford of Britain, and then Ford of Europe in various guises from 1962 to 1982, and was the United Kingdom's best-selling car of the 1970s.

The Cortina was produced in five generations (Mark I through to Mark V, although officially the last one was only the Cortina 80 facelift of the Mk IV) from 1962 until 1982. From 1970 onward, it was almost identical to the German-market Ford Taunus (being built on the same platform), which was originally a different car model. This was part of Ford's attempt to unify its European operations. By 1976, when the revised Taunus was launched, the Cortina was identical. The new Taunus/Cortina used the doors and some panels from the 1970 Taunus. It was replaced in 1982 by the Ford Sierra.

The car was designed to be economical to buy, cheap to run, and easy and inexpensive to produce in Britain. The front-wheel drive configuration used by Ford of Germany, a similar-sized model, was rejected in favour of traditional rear-wheel drive layout. Originally to be called Ford Consul 225, the car was launched as the Consul Cortina until a modest facelift in 1964, after which it was sold simply as the Cortina.

The Cortina was launched in 1962 with a 1198 cc engine, which was an enlarged version of the 997 cc engine then fitted in the Ford Anglia. A few months later the Cortina Super was announced with a 1498 cc engine.

The name was inspired by the name of the Italian ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics. Several Cortinas were driven down the Cortina Olympic bobsled run at that resort, a publicity stunt which Ford called "Cortina Auto-Bobbing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRY0F3fHpPQ

taunus

The Ford Taunus is a family car that was sold by Ford Germany throughout Europe. Models from 1970 onward were built on the same basic construction as the Ford Cortina MkIII in the United Kingdom, and later on, the two car models were essentially the same, differing almost only in the placement of the steering wheel. The model line was named after the Taunus mountain range in Germany, and was first made in 1939, and continued through several versions until 1994.

p5 1964-1967

The Ford Taunus 17 M is a middle-weight family saloon/sedan that was produced by Ford Germany between 1964 and 1967. The entire range was first presented in September 1964 and volume production of the two and four door saloons/sedans began in November 1964. The "Turnier" (estate/station wagon) version followed in January 1965 with coupé bodied cars coming along some time later.

The Taunus 17M name had been applied to the car's predecessor and it would apply also to subsequent Ford models which is why the 17M introduced in 1964 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P5. It was the fifth newly designed German Ford to be launched after the war and for this reason it was from inception known within the company as Ford Project 5 (P5) or the Ford Taunus P5.

The car was slightly larger in its overall exterior dimensions than its predecessor, but appeared in many respects to be a slightly toned down evolution from the more radical “Badewannetaunus” which it replaced. The big changes with the P5 were under the hood/bonnet where a broadened range of engines included, for the first time on a post-war German Ford, a V6 engine. The Ford Taunus P5, thus propelled, was West Germany's least expensive 6-cylinder-engined car, and the “Turnier” estate version could be promoted as Germany's first (and for some years only) six-cylinder station wagon.

All the four-cylinder cars were badged as Taunus 17Ms. All the six-cylinder cars in the range were badged as Taunus 20Ms. A feature of all the engines which marked them out as "modern" was the over-square cylinder dimensions.

The mainstream models were powered by a 1699 cc unit: this was now a newly developed V4 engine derived from the smaller 1498 cc unit with which it shared its 90 mm bore, but the stroke was slightly lengthened. Claimed maximum power in 1964 for the two units was respectively 60 PS and 70 PS, both at 4,500 rpm. A subsequently introduced version of the 1699 cc car came with a quoted power output of 75 PS.

The Ford Taunus P5 was reasonably successful. The company produced 710.059 between 1964 and 1967.

Ford Taunus P5 (youtube.com)

tc1 1970-1975

The Ford Taunus TC is a range of large family cars that were built by Ford Germany from 1970 until 1982. The Taunus TC was based on the same basic construction as the Ford UK's Cortina range, with the "TC" badge standing for Taunus Cortina.

In September 1970, a new Taunus, the "Taunus Cortina" (TC), was introduced by Ford Germany. Ford offered a two or four door sedan/saloon and a five-door station wagon/estate (identified as with previous Taunus station wagons, as the Taunus Turnier).

The Ford Taunus TC series was conceived in the late 1960s to be a "world car" alongside its technical sibling the Cortina Mk III, with development and design work taking place on both sides of the Atlantic.

Rather than specify optional extras from a long list of possibilities as might have happened a few years earlier, customers were now encouraged to select from a range of "equipment packages", identified by suffix letters. The standard Taunus was identified in sales material as the "Taunus N", while progressively more extensive or sporty packages of extras were identified in 1970 with the suffixes "L", "XL", "GT", and "GXL". The base version was not destined to be produced in large numbers, with Ford hoping that most customers would select one of the packages. A similar approach with "options packages" was being introduced in Germany by Opel at this time.

The rather lumpy V4 engine that had powered the Taunus P6 models in the 1960s (and which, in enlarged and more powerful form, would live on to power Ford Germany's Transit vans and full-size Granada model through much of the 1970s) was also passed over for the Taunus TC.

The less powerful Taunus TCs were powered by a new four-cylinder OHC engine that was shared with the newly introduced American Ford Pinto and was offered, at this stage, with 1294 cc or 1593 cc: a 1993 cc version of the four-cylinder engine would be added from 1976 in the Taunus TC2. 

In the meantime, signalling a move away from the strategy followed with the Taunus P6, customers willing to pay for more power could now specify one of the compact V6 units carried over from the top range P7 models, the six-cylinder engines offering a choice between 1999 cc and 2294 cc engine displacements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2_7kvXMll4

tc1 coupe 1970-1975

The Taunus was offered as a two- and four-door sedan with notchback and as a station wagon, dubbed "Turnier" by Ford. From the first TC series, built from 1970 to 1975, there was also a two-door fastback coupe.

Ford already had the Capri and yet the brand chose to also bring a fastback version of the Taunus to the market. It had to appeal to the customer who was charmed by the Capri, but wanted a more practical car. 

The brand new Ford Taunus makes a deep impression. It is long, low and wide, completely different from the practical cars that formed the middle class until then. Critics have to get used to the chrome-plated bay window that Knudsen had screwed onto the façade of the Taunus, but the public can't get enough of it. The imposing nose is exactly the kind of ostentation that the increasingly wealthy European needs. The Taunus TC is a great success. Ford sold more than a million of them until 1976.

The Taunus TC is a beloved classic in Germany, which is still known as the 'Knudsen-Taunus'. Knudsen traveled to the design studios in Germany, where he had new models fitted with a Pontiac-inspired front.

Ford Taunus TC1 Coupe (youtube.com)

mustang

The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best selling Ford car nameplate. 

Originally predicted to sell 100.000 vehicles yearly, the 1965 Mustang became the most successful vehicle launch since the 1927 Model A. Introduced on April 17, 1964, over 400,000 units in its first year; the one-millionth Mustang was sold within two years of its launch.

Through its production, multiple nameplates have been associated with the Ford Mustang series, including GT, Mach 1, Boss 302/429, Cobra (separate from Shelby Cobra), and Bullitt.

 

set of mustang coupe and convertible   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gafCdMwCkwI

mkI  1965-1973

The Ford Mustang began production five months before the normal start of the 1965 production year. The early production versions are often referred to as "1964½ models" but all Mustangs were advertised, VIN coded and titled by Ford as 1965 models.  The Mustang was based heavily on familiar yet simple components, many of which were already in production for other Ford models. Many (if not most) of the interior, chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components were derived from those used on Ford's Falcon and Fairlane. 

mkI mach 1  1971

The Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a performance-oriented option package of the Ford Mustang, originally introduced by Ford in August 1968 as a package for the 1969 model year. 

One of the most recognizable features of the '71–'73 Mach 1s is the hood design with dual scoops.

After a 17 year hiatus, the fifth installment of the Mach 1 uses the GT's 5.0 L Coyote V-8 producing 480 hp in the 2021 mustang.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWkdraxiu8Y&ab_channel=thebiggarage

mkII  1974–1978

Lee Iacocca, who had been one of the forces behind the original Mustang, became President of Ford Motor Company in 1970 and ordered a smaller, more fuel-efficient Mustang for 1974. Initially, it was to be based on the Ford Maverick, but ultimately was based on the Ford Pinto subcompact.

The new model, called the "Mustang II", was introduced on September 21, 1973, two months before the first 1973 oil crisis, and its reduced size allowed it to compete against successful imported sports coupés such as the Japanese Datsun 240Z, Toyota Celica and the European Ford Capri.

Engines for the 1974 models included the venerable 2.3 L I4 from the Pinto and the 2.8 L Cologne V6 from the Mercury Capri.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji1T_eiCCHc

mkIV 1994-2004

In November 1993, the Mustang debuted its first major redesign in fifteen years. Code-named "SN95" by the automaker, it was based on an updated version of the rear-wheel drive Fox platform called "Fox-4." The new styling by Patrick Schiavone incorporated several styling cues from earlier Mustangs. For the first time since its introduction 1964, a notchback coupe model was not available. The door windows on the coupe were once again frameless; however, the car had a fixed "B" pillar and rear windows.

The base model came with a 3.8 OHV V6 3.8 L engine rated at 145 bhp in 1994 and 1995, or 150 bhp (1996–1998), and was mated to a standard 5-speed manual transmission or optional 4-speed automatic. Though initially used in the 1994 and 1995 Mustang GTS, GT and Cobra, Ford retired the 302 cid pushrod small-block V8 after nearly 30 years of use, replacing it with the newer Modular 4.6 L SOHC V8 in the 1996 Mustang GT. The 4.6 L V8 was initially rated at 215 bhp, 1996–1997, but was later increased to 225 bhp in 1998.

For 1999, the Mustang was reskinned with Ford's New Edge styling theme with sharper contours, larger wheel arches, and creases in its bodywork, but its basic proportions, interior design, and chassis remained the same as the previous model. The Mustang's powertrains were carried over for 1999, but benefited from new improvements. The standard 3.8 L V6 had a new split-port induction system, and was rated at 190 bhp 1999–2000, while the Mustang GT's 4.6 L V8 saw an increase in output to 260 bhp (1999–2004), due to a new head design and other enhancements. In 2001, the 3.8 L was increased to 193 bhp. In 2004, a 3.9 L variant of the Essex engine replaced the standard 3.8 L mid year with an increase of 4 N⋅m of torque as well as NVH improvements. There were also three alternate models offered in this generation: the 2001 Bullitt, the 2003 and 2004 Mach 1, as well as the 320 bhp 1999 and 2001, and 390 bhp 2003 and 2004 Cobra.

Ford Mustang MKIV (youtube.com)

mkV  2005–2014

Ford introduced a re-designed 2005 model year Mustang at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, codenamed "S-197", that was based on the new D2C platform. Developed under the direction of chief engineer Hau Thai-Tang, a veteran engineer for Ford's IndyCar program under Mario Andretti, and exterior styling designer Sid Ramnarace, the fifth-generation Mustang's styling echoes the fastback Mustang models of the late-1960s. Ford's senior vice president of design, J Mays, called it "retro-futurism". 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsjGQTB21R4

dark horse mk VII 2024-present

This is the seventh-generation Mustang and will be available as of 2024. It is currently Ford’s flagship vehicle. It is a performance/sports car, sold in either Coupe or Convertible body styles.

This 7th generation is not a completely new car, but a significant update of the current S550 which has been around since the 2015 model year. Outwardly, the seventh-generation Ford pony car boasts a heavily updated front fascia and revised rear deck and panel, with angular, LED triple tail-lights.

Trim levels on regular Mustangs comprise EcoBoost and GT, powered by updated versions of the 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged and 5.0-litre Coyote V8 engines respectively. The EcoBoost gets a new twin-fuel injection system that combines both port and direct-injection, plus a new twin-scrolled turbocharger and electronic wastegate. Although Ford hadn’t released specific power output figures at the time of launch, the updated EcoBoost is rumoured to deliver more than 330 horsepower. The GT, which is distinguished by a more aggressive front fascia and larger grille opening, new hood vents and revised front splitter, gets an updated version of the fourcam 32-valve Coyote 5.0-litre V8 engine. 

Transmissions are carried over, which means a choice of Getrag six-speed manual, or 10-speed automatic. 

Ford is introducing a brand new Dark Horse series which will be the first performance-based Mustangs in more than two decades. The Mustang Dark Horse will be much more track-ready than its GT counterparts. In addition to the usual Mustang performance features (which are impressive on their own), the Dark Horse will add distinct styling, a high-output version of the 5.0-liter V8 engine, and race-friendly technology. It’s also the only Mustang to offer optional carbon-fiber wheels and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4CMRZ9zT78

bronco

The Ford Bronco is a model line of SUVs manufactured and marketed by Ford. The first sport-utility vehicle developed by the company, five generations of the Bronco were sold from the 1966 to 1996 model years.

Originally developed as a compact off-road vehicle using its own chassis, the Bronco initially competed against the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout. For 1978, Ford enlarged the Bronco, making it a short-wheelbase version of the F-Series pickup truck.

mkI  1966-1977

Developed as an off-road vehicle (ORV), the Bronco was intended as a competitor for the Jeep CJ-5, International Harvester Scout and Toyota Land Cruiser. Today a compact SUV in terms of size, Ford marketing shows a very early example of promoting a civilian off-roader as a "Sports Utility" (the two-door pickup version).

Initially selling well, following the introduction of the Chevrolet Blazer, Jeep Cherokee, and International Scout II (from 1969 to 1974), demand shifted towards SUVs with better on-road capability, leading to a decline in demand for the Bronco.

The first-generation Bronco is built upon a chassis developed specifically for the model range, shared with no other Ford or Lincoln-Mercury vehicle.

At its August 1965 launch, the Bronco was offered with an inline six, derived from the Ford Falcon. The 105-hp engine was modified with solid valve lifters and carburetor. In March 1966, a 200-hp V8 was introduced as an option. For the 1969 model year, the V8 was enlarged, remaining through the 1977 model year. For 1973, a new inline six became the standard engine, offered through 1977.

To lower production costs, at its launch, the Bronco was offered solely with a three-speed, column-shifted manual transmission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzaqlmwQJ5o

mkII  1977-1979

For the 1978 model year, the second-generation Bronco was introduced; to better compete with the Chevrolet K5 Blazer, Dodge Ramcharger, and Jeep Cherokee, the Bronco entered the full-size SUV segment. In place of a model-specific chassis, the Bronco was adapted directly from the Ford F-Series, becoming a shortened version of the F-100 4x4. Originally intended for a 1974 launch, the second-generation Bronco (named "Project Shorthorn" during its development) was postponed to 1978 in response to fuel economy concerns related to the 1973 fuel crisis; the second-generation Bronco was released for sale after development was nearly finalized on its 1980 successor.

Two different V8 engines were offered for the second generation Bronco: the 5.8L 351M and the 6.6L 400. While offering virtually the same horsepower output, the 400 produced a higher torque output over the 351M. As the 460 V8 was restricted to rear-wheel drive F-Series trucks, it was not offered in the Bronco.

For 1979, Ford added emissions controls to its light-truck engines; the Bronco gained a catalytic converter (among other equipment) in both engine configurations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HbVcpYjIMc

escort

The Ford Escort is a small family car which was manufactured by Ford of Europe from 1968 until 2000.

The Escort was frequently the best selling car in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s. A total of more than 4.1 million Escorts of all generations were sold there over a period of 33 years.

The first use of the Ford Escort name was for a reduced specification version of the Ford Squire, a 1950s estate car version of the British Ford Anglia 100E.

mkI  1967-1975

The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in Ireland and the United Kingdom at the end of 1967, making its show debut at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1968. It replaced the successful, long-running Anglia. The Escort was also presented in Europe as the first passenger car to be developed by the merged Ford of Europe.

The Escort was a commercial success in several parts of Western Europe, but nowhere more so than in the UK, where it was the national bestseller of the 1960s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQWhWb5Ea98

mkII   1974-1980

The squarer-styled Mark II version appeared in January 1975. The first production models had rolled off the production lines on 2 December 1974.

Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, it used the same mechanical components, floorpan and core structure as the Mark I. Production ended in Britain in August 1980, other countries following soon after.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETey9tv7WUo

mkIII cabriolet 1980-1986

Codenamed "Erika", the third generation Escort was launched in September 1980. The code name alluded to the leader of the product planning team, Erick A. Reickert. The North American Escort introduced at this time was a derivative. The two vehicles were intended to share component designs, but separate engineering organizations and government regulations made this impractical.

The Escort Mark III was intended to be a hi-tech, high-efficiency design which would compete with the Volkswagen Golf, and indeed the car was launched with the advertising tagline "Simple is Efficient". The Mark III was a radical departure from the two previous models, the biggest changes being the adoption of front-wheel drive, and the new hatchback body, which introduced trademark styling cues which would be later seen in the forthcoming Sierra and Scorpio, most notably the "Aeroback" rear end — the "sawn off" bootlid stump which was proved to reduce the car's drag coefficient.

Also new were the overhead camshaft CVH engines in 1.3 L and 1.6 L formats, with the Valencia engine from the Fiesta powering the 1.1 L derivative. The suspension was fully independent all around, departing from the archaic leaf spring arrangement found on its predecessors. The Escort Mark III was voted European Car of the Year in 1981, fighting off stiff competition from Italy's Fiat Panda and British Leyland's Austin Metro.

From launch, the car was available in base (Popular), L, GL, Ghia and XR3 trim.

In order to compete with Volkswagen's Golf GTI, a hot hatch version of the Mark III was created from the outset — the XR3. Initially this featured a tuned version of the 1.6 L CVH engine fitted with a twin-choke Weber carburettor, uprated suspension and numerous cosmetic alterations. Despite the initial lack of a 5-speed transmission and the absence of fuel injection, the XR3 instantly caught the public's imagination and became a cult car which was beloved by boy racers in the 1980s. Fuel injection finally arrived in 1983 (creating the XR3i), along with the racetrack-influenced RS1600i. The final performance update arrived in the form of the turbocharged RS Turbo model in 1984.

The convertible version was a courtesy of coachbuilder Karmann. It was the first drop-top car produced by Ford Europe since the Corsair of the 1960s. The Escort Cabriolet was initially available in both XR3i and Ghia specification, but the Ghia variant was dropped after a couple of years.

Ford Escort MKIII Cabriolet (youtube.com)

mkv rs cosworth  1992-1996

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth is a rally version homologation special of the fifth generation European Ford Escort. It was designed to qualify as a Group A car for the World Rally Championship, in which it competed between 1993 and 1998. It was available as a road car from 1992 until 1996 in very limited numbers. The first 2500 cars made before 1 January 1993 are in fact "Homologation special versions." It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler. One of the main selling points was the Cosworth YBT, a highly tunable turbocharged 2.0 L  inline-four engine,  which had an output of 227 PS  in standard trim. Tuning companies have achieved power outputs of over 1,000 bhp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FBnNj93bms

capri

The Ford Capri is a fastback coupé built by Ford of Europe, designed by Philip T. Clark, who was also involved in the design of the Ford Mustang. It used the mechanical components from the Mk2 Ford Cortina and was intended as the European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. The Capri went on to be highly successful for Ford, selling nearly 1.9 million units in its lifetime. A wide variety of engines were used in the car throughout its production lifespan, which included the Essex and Cologne V6 at the top of the range.

mkI  rs2600   1968-1973

Production of the Capri began in November 1968 at Ford's Halewood plant in the UK, and on 16 December 1968 at the Cologne plant in West Germany. The intention was to reproduce in Europe the success Ford had had with the North American Ford Mustang: to produce a European pony car. It was mechanically based on the Cortina and built in Europe.

The name Capri comes from the Italian island and this was the second time Ford had used the name, the previous model being the Ford Consul Capri, often just known as the Capri in the same way the Ford Consul Cortina and Ford Consul Classic rarely used the "Consul" in everyday use (the Ford Consul Cortina was officially renamed Ford Cortina in 1964).

Although a fastback coupé, Ford wanted the Capri Mk I to be affordable for a broad spectrum of potential buyers. To help achieve that, it was available with a variety of engines. The British and German factories produced different line-ups. The continental model used the Ford Taunus V4 engine in 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 L engine displacements, while the British versions were powered by the Ford Kent straight-four in 1.3 and 1.6 L form. The Ford Essex V4 engine 2.0 L (British built) and Cologne V6 2.0 L (German built) served as initial range-toppers. At the end of the year, new sports versions were added: the 2300 GT in Germany, using a double-barrel carburettor with 125 PS, and in September 1969 the 3000 GT in the UK, with the Essex V6, capable of 138 hp.

The Capri proved highly successful, with 400,000 cars sold in its first two years. Ford revised it in late 1971. In 1973, the Capri saw the highest sales total it would ever attain, at 233000 vehicles: the 1.000.000th Capri, an RS 2600, was completed on 29 August.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfWfQZPTnKE

mkII 1974-1978

On 25 February 1974, the Capri II was introduced. After 1.2 million cars sold, and with the 1973 oil crisis, Ford chose to make the new car more suited to everyday driving with a shorter bonnet, larger cabin and the adoption of a hatchback rear door (accessing a 630-litre boot). This made it the first Ford to feature a hatchback, at a time when the hatchback was becoming increasingly popular in Europe after first being patented by Renault in the mid-1960s. By the standards of the mid-1970s, the Capri II was a very well evolved vehicle with very few reliability issues. For Germany the Capri now offered 1.3-litre (55 PS), 1.6-litre (72 PS), 1.6-litre GT (88 PS), or 2.0-litre (99 PS) in-line four-cylinder engines, complemented by a 2.3-litre V6 (108 PS) and the UK sourced 3.0-litre V6 with (140 PS), available with either a four-speed Ford Type 5 manual transmission or one of Ford's new C3 three-speed automatic transmissions available on all models except the 1.3, the C3 automatic transmission proved to be a very popular option among Ghia buyers, therefore it became standard on all Ghia models after the 1976 model year and the four-speed manual transmission became optional.

Although it was mechanically similar to the Mark I, the Capri II had a revised, larger body and a more modern dashboard and a smaller steering wheel. The 2.0 L version of the Pinto engine was introduced in the European model and was placed below the 2.3 litre V6 and the 3.0 litre V6. The Capri still maintained the large rectangular headlights, which became the easiest way to distinguish between a Mark II and a Mark III.

In October 1976, the only UK plant producing Capris, Ford's Halewood plant stopped production, and all production of the Capri was moved to the Cologne factory in Germany.

1977 was the last year that Capris were made for the US market with 513.500 cars sold in the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gdC2pRru2A

mkIII 1978-1986

The Capri Mk III was referred to internally as "Project Carla", and although little more than an update of the Capri II, it was often referred to as the Mk III.

The first cars were available in March 1978, and sold very well initially. The concept of a heavily facelifted Capri II was shown at the 1976 Geneva show: a Capri II with a front very similar to the Escort RS2000 (with four headlamps and black slatted grille), and with a rear spoiler, essentially previewed the model some time before launch. The new styling cues, most notably the black "Aeroflow" grille (first used on the Mk I Fiesta) and the "sawtooth" rear lamp lenses echoed the new design language being introduced at that time by Ford of Europe's chief stylist Uwe Bahnsen across the entire range. Similar styling elements were subsequently introduced in the 1979 Cortina 80, 1980 Escort Mk III and the 1981 Granada Mk IIb. In addition, the Mk III featured improved aerodynamics, leading to improved performance and economy over the Mk II. The trademark quad headlamps were introduced, while the bonnet's leading edge was pulled down over the top of the headlamps, making the appearance more aggressive.

At launch the existing engine and transmission combinations of the Capri II were carried over, with the 3.0 S model regarded as the most desirable model although in Britain the softer, more luxurious Ghia derivative with automatic, rather than manual transmission, was the bigger seller of the two V6-engined models. In Germany, the "S" models were by far the most popular equipment level (across all engines), representing 63 percent of Capri sales there.

However, the rise in popularity of "hot hatchbacks" and sports saloons during the early 1980s saw demand for affordable sports car fall throughout Europe. Between 1980 and 1983, Ford launched the Fiesta XR2, Escort XR3/XR3i and Sierra XR4i. All of these sold well, while their introduction onto the market saw a decline in Capri sales.

On 30 November 1984 production of Capris for the European market ceased, from then on it would only be produced in right-hand drive form for the British market. Ford had decided not to launch a direct successor to the Capri, as it did not feel that demand for affordable coupes in Europe was sufficient enough for a new Capri to be developed.

By the 1986 model year - the Capri's final year on sale - the range had been rationalised even further to just the 1.6 Laser, 2.0 Laser and the 2.8 Injection.

Ford Capri MKIII (youtube.com)

torino 1968-1976

The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. The car was named after the city of Turin (Torino, in Italian), considered "the Italian Detroit". The Torino was initially an upscale variation of the intermediate sized Ford Fairlane.

Most Torinos were conventional cars, and generally the most popular models were the 4-door sedans and 2-door hardtops. However, Ford produced some high-performance versions of the Torino by fitting them with large powerful engines, such as the 7.0 L  "Cobra-Jet" engines. These cars are classified as muscle cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0958XboENQc

ltd 1969-1978

The Ford LTD (pronounced el-tee-DEE) is a range of automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company for the 1965 to 1986 model years. Introduced as the highest trim level of the full-size Ford model range, the LTD introduced options and features normally reserved for more luxurious Lincoln and Mercury models. 

For the 1979 model year, the LTD was downsized, becoming externally smaller than the LTD II, and for 1983, it became a mid-size car. 

For 1986, Ford introduced the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable; originally developed as the replacements for the LTD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgO9UJfrME8

rs200 1984-1986

The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, four-wheel drive sports car that was produced by Ford Motorsport in Boreham, UK, from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was the basis for Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 parts kits to be produced and at least one road-legal car to be assembled.

Power came from a 1.8 L single turbocharged Ford-Cosworth "BDT" engine producing 250 hp. 

The accident at Rally Portugal set off a chain reaction and the RS200 became obsolete after only one full year of competition as the FIA, the governing board, which at the time controlled WRC rally racing, abolished Group B after the 1986 season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hntg_0g4FSU

scorpio 1985-1998

The Ford Scorpio is an executive car that was produced  from 1985 to 1998.  It was the replacement for the European Ford Granada line (although in the UK and Ireland the Scorpio was marketed under the Granada name until 1994). Like its predecessor, the Scorpio was targeted at the executive car market. A variant known as the Merkur Scorpio was sold briefly on the North American market during the late 1980s.

The Scorpio was intended to maintain Ford's position in Europe as the principal alternative to a Mercedes or BMW for those looking to own an executive car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tMdH2Lw6IE

rs cosworth 1986-1992

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra that was built by Ford Europe from 1986 to 1992. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.

In total 5545 were manufactured, of which 500 were sent to Tickford for conversion to the Sierra three-door RS500 Cosworth. The vehicles were manufactured in right hand drive (RHD) only and were made in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddjyv5vza4A

galaxy

The Ford Galaxy is a seven-seater car produced by Ford of Europe from June 1995 to January 2022. Considered in the motor industry to be a large multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), it was the first Ford-brand MPV produced and marketed outside of North America, the model line is currently in its third generation.

v191 galaxy mkI   1995-2000

Sharing its platform architecture with the Ford Mondeo, the Galaxy was developed alongside the Ford S-Max; the model line is slotted between the Connect and Custom variants of the Ford Tourneo/Transit model family.

The first Galaxy was designed as a joint venture product between Ford and the Volkswagen Group. Produced at the joint-venture AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal, the vehicle was badge-engineered to create three vehicles: the Ford Galaxy; by Volkswagen as the Volkswagen Sharan; and by SEAT as the Alhambra. Production started in May 1995.

Only Ford's own engines are used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJBYPWds1qE

galaxy mkIII   2006-2015

The new Galaxy is larger than its predecessor, and is a four pillar vehicle of Ford design, with no Volkswagen Group content (Ford sold its stake in AutoEuropa back to the Volkswagen Group the year before). No longer produced at the AutoEuropa plant in Portugal, Europe's replacement Galaxy is assembled at a newly re equipped plant alongside the Mondeo in Genk, Belgium. With the S-Max catering to customers who require a sport-oriented multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), Ford was able to expand the Galaxy in every dimension without losing sales in size conscious Europe.

One major selling point of the Galaxy and S-MAX is the "FoldFlatSystem". This design allows the second and third row seats to fold flat into the floor, although this change in seating design reduces the load carrying capacity of the vehicle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7z9sN6FhCU

ka

The Ford Ka is a small car manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1996 to 2016 as a city car and from 2014 to 2021 as a subcompact car. It entered its second generation in 2008, produced by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. A third generation was introduced in 2016.

The first two generations have a three-door hatchback body style, with the first generation also having a two-door convertible version that was marketed as the StreetKa and a sporty hatch version, the SportKa. 

ka be146 1996-2008

The first generation Ford Ka is a small car manufactured by Ford Motor Company from 1996 to 2008 as a city car. It entered its second generation in 2008, produced by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. A third generation was introduced in 2016.

The car was introduced on September 11, 1996, as a small and low-cost addition to the Ford range. Developed under the BE146 development code, it was based on the Mark 3 Ford Fiesta platform, but with a completely different exterior design.

The Ka evolved from concept vehicles to production with minor changes.

The first two generations have a three-door hatchback body style, with the first generation also having a two-door convertible version. The third generation was produced as a five-door hatchback and as a four-door sedan. It was initially only available in Brazil, and later was introduced in India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, South Africa (where it was marketed as the Ford Figo), Argentina, and Poland. European sales ended in 2020, and in 2021 was taken out of production in Brazil.

The car's main drawback was the 1300 cc overhead valve four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a derivative of the Valencia unit used in all the previous generations of the Fiesta and based on the older "Kent" design, which dated back to the 1960s.

For the first three years of production, all models had black plastic bumpers to minimise parking damage to paintwork in city environments. These bumpers contained a stabiliser to prevent UV degradation, which made them unsuitable for painting because the paint would not adhere properly. Since many owners wanted body-coloured bumpers, they were introduced in 1999 using different bumper mouldings (without the stabiliser).

Ford Ka (youtube.com)

ka b420 2008-2016

In 2008, the European Ka was replaced with a model developed and produced for Ford by Fiat in conjunction with Fiat's own 500 vehicle. The car was built in Fiat's Tychy, Poland, factory alongside the Fiat 500, Fiat Panda, and Lancia Ypsilon. Production started on 18 July 2008. The car was totally based on the Fiat 500 architecture.

The second-generation Ka came with a choice of two engines, a 1.2-litre petrol with 69 PS of power and a 1.3-litre TDCi diesel engine with 75 PS. Both engines come with sub-120 g/km CO2 emissions (119 for the petrol and 112 for the diesel). Both engines are supplied from Fiat.

The Ka was discontinued in Europe in September 2019.

Ford Ka MKII (youtube.com)

gt

The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater supercar manufactured and marketed by American automobile manufacturer Ford for the 2005 model year in conjunction with the company's 2003 centenary. 

The GT recalls Ford's historically significant GT40, a consecutive four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1966–1969), including a 1-2-3 finish in 1966.

When the Ford GT was first announced, the demand outpaced supply, and the cars initially sold for premium prices and a few other early cars sold for as much as a US$100,000  over the suggested retail price.

gt mkI  2004-2006

The Ford GT began life as a concept car designed in anticipation of the automaker's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang and Thunderbird. At the 2002 North American International Auto Show, Ford unveiled a new GT40 Concept car. 

The 5.4 L longitudinal rear mounted Modular V8 engine is an all-aluminum alloy engine with an Eaton 2300 Lysholm screw-type supercharger. Power output is 550 hp at 6,500 rpm. A Ricardo 6-speed manual transmission is fitted featuring a helical limited-slip differential. Car and Driver tested the GT in January 2004 and recorded a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.4 seconds.

Production ended in September 2006 without reaching the planned production target. Approximately 550 cars were built in 2004, nearly 1900 in 2005, and just over 1600 in 2006, for a grand total of 4,038 cars. The final 11 car bodies manufactured by Mayflower Vehicle Systems were disassembled, and the frames and body panels were sold as service parts.

gt mkII  2016-2022

At the 2015 North American International Auto Show and at the unveiling of the 2015 racing video game Forza Motorsport 6, the second-generation Ford GT was shown to the public with plans for production in 2016, after a decade-old hiatus from the first generation. The car marked 50 years since the GT40 won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed successfully in the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans to better celebrate the anniversary, winning the LM GTE-Pro class, taking 1st and 3rd in class.

The car is powered by a 3.496 cc  twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6 engine rated at 647 hp.  For the 2020 model year and beyond, this power output rating was increased to 660 hp .  0-100 km/h acceleration time is 3.0 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5wYNKoKH70&ab_channel=thebiggarage

focus

The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1999. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide. The original Focus was primarily designed by Ford of Europe's German and British teams.

focus c170 1998-2005

Ford of Europe introduced the Focus in 1998 to the European market as a replacement for the Ford Escort. The Focus Mk 1 was awarded the 1999 European Car of the Year award. The car was launched as a three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, and five-door wagon; a five-door hatchback debuted in 2001.

 The first photos of the Focus appeared in 1995 and, like the Ford Ka and Ford Cougar , showed the use of the so-called "New Edge" style. This is characterized by a mixture of curves and sharp lines.

The New Edge style was also clearly reflected in the interior with many hard and long lines. Despite the fact that the Focus interior was based on the Ka, there were clearly American influences in the design. The Frenchman Claude Lobo (1943–2011) was responsible, among other things, for Ford's new design strategy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh5rxwuwMkA

focus rs wrc  2005

The Ford Focus RS WRC is a car built for the Ford World Rally Team by Ford Europe and M-Sport and based on the Ford Focus Climate 2-litre production hatchback, developed to compete in the World Rally Championship. The RS stands for Rallye Sport and the WRC for World Rally Car, the car's FIA specification. The Focus RS WRC was in competition from 1999 to 2010, winning 44 world rallies and two manufacturers' world titles (2006 and 2007). It was replaced by the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Like all contemporary World Rally Cars, the car is heavily modified from the production version, with which it shares only the basic shape and some parts of the bodyshell. The car features four-wheel drive, rather than the front-wheel drive of the road car.

The first version of the car was built in 1999 to replace the Ford Escort WRC. It debuted in the Monte Carlo Rally with Colin McRae and Simon Jean-Joseph behind the wheels of the two cars. It was immediately on the pace.

The 2004 and 2005 Focus RS WRCs were evolutions based on the RS WRC 03. The Focus RS WRC 04 won three events with Märtin at the wheel. By 2005, the car was no longer very competitive and Ford had a winless season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha5VbDv-jBA

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