The Ford Torino was produced by Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976 and competed in the intermediate segment. It was essentially a twin of the Mercury Montego, just as the LTD had been the upmarket version of the Galaxie.
Ford Torino at a glance
| Maker | Ford Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Model years | 1968–1976 |
| Twin model | Mercury Montego |
| Name from | Turin (Torino), the Italian Detroit |
| 1968 | premium subseries of the Fairlane |
| 1970 | Torino became the main intermediate name |
| 1971 | Fairlane dropped, all intermediates called Torino |
| Performance engines | 428 and 429 cu in Cobra-Jet |
| Racing | Ford’s NASCAR entrant |
| Wheelbases | 116 in on two- and four-door, 113 in for wagons |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only.
History of the Ford Torino
An upmarket Fairlane
For 1968 Ford redesigned its intermediate Fairlane line and added a new premium subseries called Torino, named after the city of Turin, considered the Italian Detroit. The name had been one of several proposed for the Mustang while that car was being developed. The 1968 Fairlane and Torino used the same wheelbases as the 1967 cars: 116 inches for two- and four-door models and 113 inches for station wagons. In the 1968 and 1969 model years the intermediate line consisted of lower-trim Fairlanes with the upper-trim Torino as a subseries.
From trim to the whole line
In 1970 the Torino became the primary name for Ford’s intermediate, with the Fairlane as a subseries, and in 1971 the Fairlane name was dropped altogether so that every Ford intermediate was called Torino. Most Torinos were conventional cars, and the most popular models were generally the four-door sedans and two-door hardtops.
Muscle cars and racing
Ford also built high-performance muscle-car versions of the Torino with large engines, among them the 428 cubic inch and 429 cubic inch Cobra-Jet units. The company chose the Torino as the base for its NASCAR entrants, and the car has a successful racing heritage. The Gran Torino, the top version of the range, took the name into the 1970s until the intermediate Fords were replaced by the LTD II.
Design and features
- Upmarket Fairlane: the Torino began as the premium version of the intermediate Ford.
- Name of its own: from 1971 every Ford intermediate was a Torino.
- Cobra-Jet engines: 428 and 429 cubic inch high-performance V8s.
- NASCAR heritage: the model Ford raced in stock car competition.
Ford Torino versions
- Torino (1968–1969): the premium subseries of the Fairlane.
- Torino (1970–1971): the main intermediate name.
- Gran Torino: the top-of-the-range version.
- Cobra-Jet models: with 428 and 429 cubic inch engines.
- Mercury Montego: the Mercury twin of the same car.
The Torino grew out of the Fairlane and replaced it in Ford’s intermediate class. More Ford vehicles are in the Ford collection.
Sources
- Ford Torino, English Wikipedia: origins, naming, engines, racing
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}