Ford Taunus Turnier P3

Wednesday 28 April 2021

The Ford Taunus 17 M is a middle sized family saloon/sedan that was produced by Ford Germany between September 1960 and August 1964. 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 1960 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P3. It was the third 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 3 (P3) or the Ford Taunus P3.

Members of the press had apparently competed to find a suitably disrespectful epithet to describe the controversially styled first Taunus 17M, and it was in the same tradition that the new 17M for 1960 became known as the "Badewannetaunus" (Bath tub Taunus).

The Ford Taunus P3 was a commercial success. 669,731 were produced during a four-year production run, giving an annualised rate more than twice that achieved by the predecessor model during its three years in production.

The first post-war Taunus models had been designed in North America. The Taunus P3 was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, a German born designer who would dominate car design at Ford of Germany for nearly thirty years and whose subsequent designs included the 1969 Ford Capri and its successors. Towards the end of his time in charge of design with Ford of Germany, Bahnsen also led the teams that designed the Fords Sierra and Scorpio. In the context of 1960 the Taunus P3 can nevertheless be seen as Bahnsen's most innovative design for a production car.

The 1960 Taunus design featured a recurring geometrical shape, which was a cross between a short sausage and a long lozenge. The rear panel and the side panels respected the same basic shape as did the front grill, subject to two large cut-outs for the headlights.

The same shape was carried over to the interior of the car where the main dials and controls on the dash-board were surrounded by a thick frame in the shape that respected a short sausage (or a very long lozenge). The repetitious use of a single simple shape at different levels of the design gave the overall car a consistent visual unity which was in stark contrast to the high finned flamboyance of the previous Taunus 17M and was seen at the time as a radical switch by Ford of Germany away from American styling in favour of European styling. There were no tails fins and there was very little decorative chrome included. The efficiency of its superficially much more simple design enabled Ford to boast that the 1960 car, despite being fractionally narrowed on the outside, offered usefully more interior width than the car it replaced.

Despite the importance of sausages in German cuisine, the award for a catchy soubriquet was earned by the person who saw the car and was reminded not of a sausage but of a bathtub. It was and remains the "Badewanne" (bathtub) soubriquet that caught the eye of the press reporters, and it is as the "Badewannetaunus" that the car continues to be remembered by enthusiasts

The P3 and the 1961 Citroën Ami were the first cars with rectangular or lozenge-shaped (non-round) headlights. This technical innovation was developed by lighting manufacturers Hella (Taunus) and Cibie (Ami). At the time, it was an unquestioned article of faith that headlights were round, and in the United States, it was the law, so these new headlights were illegal there. Ten years later this had inspired European automakers to come up with various non-round headlamp shapes, though many had by 1970 settled on a standardised shared rectangular shape.

Technical data:
- engine: S4
- capacity: 1498 cc
- horsepower: 55 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 130 km/h

Ford Falcon Sprint

Thursday 26 December 2019
Introduced September 2, 1959, the Ford Falcon is a front-engine, rear-drive six passenger compact car produced by Ford from 1959 to 1970, across three generations. A sales success for Ford initially, outselling contemporary rivals from Chrysler and General Motors, from October 8, 1959, the Falcon was offered in two-door and four-door sedan, two-door and four-door station wagon, two-door hardtop, convertible, sedan delivery and Ranchero pickup body configurations. For several years, the Falcon name was also used on passenger versions of the Ford Econoline van.

The Falcon's television marketing featured the first animated appearances of the characters from Charles Schulz's acclaimed comic strip, Peanuts, with announcer contribution from Paul Frees.

Variations of the Ford Falcon were manufactured in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile and Mexico. Early Mexican built versions of the Ford Maverick used the Falcon Maverick name. Edsel Ford first used the term "Falcon" for a more luxurious Ford he designed in 1935. He decided the new car did not fit with Ford's other offerings, so this design eventually became the Mercury.

Historically, the "Big Three" auto manufacturers (GM, Ford and Chrysler), focused purely on the larger and more profitable vehicles in the US and Canadian markets. Towards the mid-1950s, all three manufacturers realized that this strategy would no longer work. Large automobiles were becoming increasingly expensive, making smaller cars such as Fiats, Renaults, Toyotas, and Volkswagens increasingly attractive. Furthermore, many American families were now in the market for a second car, and market research showed women especially thought the full-size car had grown too large and cumbersome.

At the same time, research showed many buyers would prefer to buy US or Canadian if the domestic manufacturers offered a smaller car with lower cost of ownership. Thus, all three introduced compacts: the Valiant from Chrysler (becoming the Plymouth Valiant in 1960, and joined by a downsized Dodge Dart in 1961), GM's Chevrolet Corvair, and the Ford Falcon. Studebaker also introduced the Lark, and Rambler downsized its near-compact American in 1959. Ford United Kingdom had begun production of the Ford Anglia in 1939, and the earlier Ford Model Y in 1932, followed by the Ford Zephyr, but they weren't sold in North America. Ford of Germany built the Ford Eifel, followed by the Ford Köln which was mechanically similar to the British Model Y, followed later by the Ford Taunus in 1939, but were also not sold in North America. The European Fords, Anglia, Zephyr, and Taunus, were in production at the same time the Falcon was introduced.

The project which became the Falcon was started and sponsored by Ford General Manager Robert S. McNamara, who commissioned a team to create what by American standards of the time would be a small car but elsewhere in the world considered a mid-size. McNamara, who was promoted to Group Vice President of Cars and Trucks by the time the Falcon was launched, was intimately involved in development, insisting on keeping the costs and weight of the car as low as possible. Engineer Harley Copp employed a unibody atop a standard suspension and sourced parts from Ford's existing bin to keep the price low while providing room for six passengers in reasonable comfort. The sales success of the conventional Falcon along with slow sales of GM's rear-engined Corvair led General Motors to introduce their own compact car based on the Falcon's principles, the Chevy II.

The second generation 1964 Falcon, launched in 1963, featured revised, more squared-off styling. Later in the 1964 model year, Ford's new offering for that market was launched: the Ford Mustang, based heavily on the Falcon's unified frame design. TV commercials now used the character Hazel as well as the Peanuts cartoon characters. The Ford Motor Company was a sponsor of the show, and also sponsored The Ford Show during the late 1950s. For the 1964 year, Ford added a Sprint Package, which gave the Falcon the Fairlane's 260 V8, a stiffer suspension, and a louder exhaust. Because the Mustang had the same options that the Sprint had for only a small amount more, the Sprint never caught on. Even with the addition of the 289 V8 in late 1964, the Sprint was overshadowed by the Mustang, and was discontinued after 1965. The Mustang dealt Falcon sales in North America a blow from which they would never recover. Front suspension was coil springs pivot-mounted on upper arms plus double-acting absorbers. Six-cylinder cars had four-lug hubs with 13-in steel wheels. V-8 cars got five-lug wheels. For 1965, changes were minimal, including a simpler grille and revised side trim on deluxe models. Production ended on June 26, 1965, for convertible Falcons. A padded instrument panel, power steering, power brakes, a radio, a remote-control trunk release, and a parking brake warning light were optional.

From 1965, the three-speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission was available. Front seat belts were standard.

















Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 4700 cc
- horsepower: 250 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Pontiac Grand Prix

Thursday 28 March 2019
The Grand Prix was a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 through 2002 for coupes and 1988-2008 for sedans. First introduced as part of Pontiac's full-size car model offering for the 1962 model year, the marque varied repeatedly in size, luxury, and performance during its lifespan. Among the changes were positioning in the personal luxury car market segment and mid-size car offering from the 2nd generation to the 5th generation for the sedan and from the 2nd generation to the 6th generation from the coupe; it returned to a full-size car from the 6th generation to the 7th generation for the sedan, positioned above the larger Bonneville in Pontiac's model lineup.
Pontiac's general manager John Z. DeLorean ordered the development of an all-new Grand Prix for the 1969 model year. It featured dramatic bodywork and a highly pronounced grill, and rode on a slightly stretched version of the intermediate GM A platform dubbed the G-Body.
DeLorean and other Pontiac planners saw a way to reverse the declining sales of the full-sized Grand Prix by creating a new niche in the burgeoning personal luxury car market. Smaller than the hulking Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado, but positioned to be nimbler and more performance oriented than the slightly less bulky Ford Thunderbird and Buick Riviera, the new Grand Prix was designed to outshine the upscale Mercury Cougar XR-7 Pony car and B-bodied performance-oriented Dodge Charger intermediate.
Sales reached over 112,000 units, almost quadruple the 32,000 full-sized models built in 1968. The similar but less luxurious Chevrolet Monte Carlo followed in 1970. Ford and Chrysler responded by producing plusher versions of their intermediate Torino and Charger, but both eventually created newer entries to the intermediate personal luxury car battle—the Ford Elite in 1974 and Chrysler Cordoba in 1975.
Shortened by three inches from the previous Catalina wheelbase, the 118 in (3,000 mm) 1969 Grand Prix finally had its own body – and Pontiac's longest-ever hood. Like all but the short-lived 1967 convertible, the new Grand Prix was a 2-door hardtop. Model names borrowed suggestive Duesenberg Model J nomenclature for "J" and "SJ" levels of trim.
The basic 1969 body shell saw a major facelift in 1971 bracketed by minor detail revisions in the 1970 and 1972 model years.
The new intermediate-based 1969 Grand Prix began to take shape in April 1967, with a few prototype models built on the full-sized Pontiac platform before the G-Body was ready. To save both development costs and time in much the same manner Ford created the original 1964 Mustang using the basic chassis and drivetrain from the compact Falcon, the revised Grand Prix would have a unique bodyshell but share the A-body intermediate platform and mechanicals with the Tempest, Le Mans and GTO. This reduced development time from the usual 36 months required for a new model to less than 18 , allowing Pontiac to concentrate upgrading styling and interior appointments. Shortened by three inches from the previous Catalina wheelbase, the 118 in (3,000 mm) 1969 Grand Prix finally had its own body – and Pontiac's longest-ever hood. Like all but the short-lived 1967 convertible, the new Grand Prix was a 2-door hardtop. Model names borrowed suggestive Duesenberg Model J nomenclature for "J" and "SJ" levels of trim.
The basic 1969 body shell saw a major facelift in 1971 bracketed by minor detail revisions in the 1970 and 1972 model years.
A new integrated bumper/grille and larger single headlights replacing the quad lights of 1969-70 models marked the introduction of the 1971 Grand Prix along with a new slanted boattail-style rear with taillights built into the bumper. Interior revisions amounted to new trim patterns for cloth and vinyl upholstery patterns for both the bench and bucket seats, but the leather interior option was discontinued.
Engine choices included the standard 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 with four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts, rated at 300 hp (220 kW); and the optional four-barrel 455 cu in (7.5 L) V8 rated at 325 hp (242 kW). Both engines received substantially lower compression ratios (8.4:1 for 1971 compared to 10.25:1 in 1970) as part of a GM-corporate edict that required engines to use lower-octane regular leaded, low lead or unleaded gasoline beginning with the 1971 model year. Transmission offerings initially were carried over from previous years, including the standard three-speed manual, or optional four-speed stick or Turbo Hydra-Matic. However, at mid-year, Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic became standard equipment and the manual shifters were dropped. Variable-ratio power steering was made standard equipment as well.
New power ratings were put into effect, requiring manufacturers to post net horsepower with all accessories installed (vs. gross rating without the accessories). This system gave a more realistic measure of power that customers actually saw. The base 400 cu in (6.6 L) four-barrel engine then produced 255 hp (190 kW) after the switch to the net-rating system, and the 455 cu in (7.5 L) in SJ models also dropped in power to 260 hp (190 kW) (net). Customers who wanted the higher powered 455 SJ model paid $195 to get Rally gauges, body-colored mirrors, SJ badging, a no-maintenance AC Delco battery and other amenities. 1971 looked to be a good sales year for the Grand Prix, but in mid-September 1970, a corporate wide labor strike halted all GM production for 67 days. The strike also delayed the production of the third generation Grand Prix by one year in 1973. Production numbers for 1971 were lower than 1970 with only 58,325 units being produced. The strike cut into production and sales along with other possible factors including lower horsepower ratings and intense competition from Chevy's Monte Carlo and Oldsmobile's Cutlass Supreme.
A new integrated bumper/grille and larger single headlights replacing the quad lights of 1969-70 models marked the introduction of the 1971 Grand Prix along with a new slanted boattail-style rear with taillights built into the bumper. Interior revisions amounted to new trim patterns for cloth and vinyl upholstery patterns for both the bench and bucket seats, but the leather interior option was discontinued.
Engine choices included the standard 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 with four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts, rated at 300 hp (220 kW); and the optional four-barrel 455 cu in (7.5 L) V8 rated at 325 hp (242 kW). Both engines received substantially lower compression ratios (8.4:1 for 1971 compared to 10.25:1 in 1970) as part of a GM-corporate edict that required engines to use lower-octane regular leaded, low lead or unleaded gasoline beginning with the 1971 model year. Transmission offerings initially were carried over from previous years, including the standard three-speed manual, or optional four-speed stick or Turbo Hydra-Matic. However, at mid-year, Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic became standard equipment and the manual shifters were dropped. Variable-ratio power steering was made standard equipment as well.
New power ratings were put into effect, requiring manufacturers to post net horsepower with all accessories installed (vs. gross rating without the accessories). This system gave a more realistic measure of power that customers actually saw. The base 400 cu in (6.6 L) four-barrel engine then produced 255 hp (190 kW) after the switch to the net-rating system, and the 455 cu in (7.5 L) in SJ models also dropped in power to 260 hp (190 kW) (net). Customers who wanted the higher powered 455 SJ model paid $195 to get Rally gauges, body-colored mirrors, SJ badging, a no-maintenance AC Delco battery and other amenities. 1971 looked to be a good sales year for the Grand Prix, but in mid-September 1970, a corporate wide labor strike halted all GM production for 67 days. The strike also delayed the production of the third generation Grand Prix by one year in 1973. Production numbers for 1971 were lower than 1970 with only 58,325 units being produced. The strike cut into production and sales along with other possible factors including lower horsepower ratings and intense competition from Chevy's Monte Carlo and Oldsmobile's Cutlass Supreme.











Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 6600 cc
- horsepower: 230 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Pontiac Grand Am

Thursday 28 March 2019
The Pontiac Grand Am is a mid-size car and later a compact car that was produced by Pontiac. The history of Grand Am starts with Pontiac executives noting incursion into the US market by Mercedes and BMW. Notably, the American sports car was usually without luxury features and the luxury car without sport features. Foreign makes mixed these features. Pontiac hybridized the Trans Am with the Grand Prix to create the Grand Am. Built on the A-body platform, the intended GTO body was re-badged and fitted with the Grand Prix interior. As the 1973 was produced, OPEC levied an oil embargo to the USA. This resulted in a dichotomy of buyers: total luxury or total economy. Since Grand Am was a “in-betweener “, it’s sales died and it was discontinued in 1975. The Grand Am had two separate three-year runs in the 1970s: from 1973 to 1975, and again from 1978 to 1980. It was based on the GM A platform. Production of the Grand Am was canceled in 1980 when it was replaced by the Pontiac 6000. The Grand Am was reintroduced in 1985 when it replaced the Pontiac Phoenix. It became Pontiac's best selling car and was later replaced by the Pontiac G6, so named as it was intended to be the 6th generation of the Grand Am.
All 1973-1975 Grand Ams were built in Pontiac, Michigan at Pontiac's main assembly plant. The 1978-1980 Grand Ams were built in Pontiac, Michigan at Pontiac's main assembly plant and in Atlanta, Georgia at GMAD Lakewood. All Grand Ams between 1985 and 2005 were built in Lansing, Michigan at the Lansing Car Assembly.
The Grand Am, coined by Pontiac with a name derived from two other cars in its lineup ("Grand" signifying "Grand Prix luxury" and "Am" for "Trans Am performance") was designed as America's answer to European luxury/sport sedans and available as a 4-door Colonnade sedan or a 2-door Colonnade coupe. A total of 43,136 Grand Ams were built during the first year of production (both two-door and four-door models).
The Grand Am could be had with a standard 2-bbl 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 engine with single exhaust producing 170 hp (127 kW; 172 PS), an optional 4-bbl version of this engine with single exhaust producing 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS) that was only available with a 4-speed manual transmission, an optional 4-bbl version of this engine with dual exhaust producing 230 hp (172 kW; 233 PS), or an optional 4-bbl 455 cu in (7.5 L) with dual exhaust 250 hp (186 kW; 253 PS). Availability of 310 hp (231 kW; 314 PS) Super Duty version of the 4-bbl 455 V8 did not materialize.
All engines were available with a Turbo-hydramatic 400 automatic transmission as standard equipment. A 4-speed manual transmission was available with the 400/4-bbl engine in 1973 and 1974, but this was not popular.
The 1973 Pontiac Grand Am style had a unique flexible urethane front fascia center nose (known as the 'Endura' nose) that was squeezable and could return to its original shape following a minor collision along with the new energy-absorbing bumpers, a total of six grille openings with vertical bars, round front turn signals with a cross-hair design, horizontal rear tail lights, and chrome rear bumper. Additionally, Grand Ams featured a Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) as standard equipment that included radial-ply tires, Pliacell shock absorbers, and front and rear sway bars. The springs were advertised as being computer selected. The Grand Am was one of only three GM cars to have standard radial tires and appropriate suspension tuning in 1973, with the others being the Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon and Chevrolet Monte Carlo S.
The Grand Am included Strato bucket seats upholstered in Naugahyde vinyl or corduroy cloth featuring manual recliners and adjustable lumbar supports - both features common on European-style sports/luxury sedans, but unusual for American cars of that time. Also included were an instrument panel from the Pontiac Grand Prix featuring a Rally gauge cluster with fuel, oil, water and volt gauges (a tachometer or fuel economy gauge was optional, and on cars so equipped, the clock was moved to a space on the lower instrument panel under the radio), three-spoke padded steering wheel with brushed-stainless spokes, and Genuine Crossfire African Mahogany trim on the dash facing, radio and clock surrounds, as well as the center console between the front seats. Grand Ams also were among the first U.S.-built cars with a turn-signal mounted headlight dimmer switch that had been common on imported cars for decades. Other standard equipment included concealed windshield wipers, a 1.12-inch (28 mm) front stabilizer bar, and an in-the-windshield radio antenna. Upscale options included air conditioning, tinted glass, power windows-locks-seat, rear defogger, various sound systems, and tilt-steering-wheel. AM/FM stereo with a tape player was optional.
Pontiac also produced a single 1973 Grand Am station wagon as a feasibility study. This was a LeMans wagon converted to a Grand Am. A functional ram-air induction system was developed for the Pontiac A-bodies utilizing twin NACA openings in the hood, but the option was dropped due to inability to pass federally mandated drive-by noise standards. A few functional Ram Air systems were sold over the counter. The twin-scoop NACA hood was an option for any Pontiac A-body for all three years, but was non-functional.
In a Popular Mechanics Owners survey, 67% rated the build quality as good to excellent and 79% liked the handling. However, 22.1% disliked the fuel economy.











Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 6600 cc
- horsepower: 170 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Ford Ranchero GT

Friday 22 March 2019
The Ford Ranchero is a coupe utility that was produced by Ford between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run. Over its lifespan it was variously derived from full-sized, compact, and intermediate automobiles sold by Ford for the North American market.
During the 1970s, the Ranchero name was used in the South African market on a rebadged Australian Ford Falcon utility. These vehicles were sent to South Africa in complete knock down (CKD) form, and assembled at the Port Elizabeth plant. In Argentina, a utility version of the locally produced Ford Falcon was also called Ranchero.
The original Ranchero sold well enough to spawn a competitor from General Motors in 1959, the Chevrolet El Camino.
The first Ford Model T and Model A pickup trucks were created from roadsters by placing a pickup box behind the body of a car. In 1934, Ford Australia's designer Lew Bandt modified a coupe with a smoothly integrated loadbed that could be used like a car to drive to church or to deliver pigs to market. This created the coupe utility which remains a popular body style known as the "ute" in Australia. In North America, pickup trucks evolved into a heavier duty form with cabs and beds that were quite distinct from passenger automobiles. The Ranchero was the first postwar American vehicle of its type adapted from a popular sedan from the factory. It combined the sleek looks of a sedan with the utility of a light-duty pickup truck.
In 1972, a radical change occurred in the Torino and Ranchero lines. The sleek, pointy look of the previous year's model was replaced with a larger, heavier design. Most prominent was a wide semioval grille reminiscent of a jet intake and a new body-on-frame design. Three models were still available; the now-standard 500, the new Squire with simulated woodgrain "paneling" along the flanks, and the sporty GT. Engine choices remained basically the same beginning with the 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder and a selection of V8s that ranged from the standard 302 to Cleveland and Windsor series 351s, plus the new-for-1972 400. The 385-series V8 (the 429 for 1972-73; the 460 for 1974-76) was still available. However, all suffered from lower compression ratios to better meet new emissions standards. The 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland could still be obtained in tuned 4-V Cobra Jet form through 1974. A four-speed manual transmission was available on Cobra Jet-powered GT models.
The 1973 Ranchero had a redesigned front end to meet new federal standards for front impact protection. Aside from slight cosmetic differences, the Ranchero remained basically the same until the Torino's final year, 1976.













Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 6600 cc
- horsepower: 230 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Ford Bronco

Monday 19 March 2019
he Ford Bronco is a model line of SUVs that were manufactured and marketed by Ford from 1965 to 1996. After the first generation of the Bronco was introduced as a competitor to compact SUVs (including the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout), the succeeding four generations of the Bronco were full-size SUVs, competing against the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and Dodge Ramcharger. The first Bronco was assembled using its own chassis, while the full-size Bronco was derived from the Ford F-Series (F-100, later F-150) pickup truck; all Broncos were produced with four-wheel drive powertrains.
The Ford Bronco was withdrawn from the Ford light-truck model line following declining demand for two-door SUVs. For the 1997 model year, Ford replaced the Bronco with the Ford Expedition, a four-door SUV based on the F-150 (the later Ford Excursion was based on the Ford F-250 Super Duty).
From 1965 to 1996, Broncos were produced at Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan. In 2017, Ford announced the reintroduction of the Ford Bronco as a mid-size SUV (derived from the Ford Ranger) as a 2021 model; manufacturing is to return to Michigan Assembly.
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 MY 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 MY 1980 successor.
In a notable break from a period of downsizing in the American automotive industry, the second-generation Bronco grew significantly in size, adding 12 inches of wheelbase, approximately 28 inches of length, 11 inches of width, and 4 inches of height; based on powertrain configuration, the Bronco gained 1,100 to 1,600 pounds of curb weight over its predecessor.
The second-generation Bronco marks the introduction of design commonality with the Ford F-Series and retained the lift-off hardtop bodystyle for the three-door wagon, though now fiberglass over the rear seat area only (and not a full length steel top), continued through the 1996 withdrawal of the model line. In spite of its short production cycle (only two years), the second-generation Bronco proved successful, overtaking the Blazer and Ramcharger in sales for the first time; initial demand was so strong that customers waited several months to receive vehicles from dealers.













Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 5600 cc
- horsepower: 158 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 140 km/h

Buick Century Caballero

Wednesday 13 March 2019
Buick Century is the model name used by Buick for a line of upscale performance cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, and from 1973 to 2005 for a mid-size car.
The model name Century came about when Buick was designing its first production automobile capable of reaching a speed of 100 mph (161 km/h). The division needed to come up with a name. One of the Buick executives had returned from a recent trip to Britain, and told the other executives that the British referred to going 100 mph as "doing the century". The executives liked the Century name and it stuck.
n 1954, Buick reintroduced the Century using the same formula of mating the smaller, lighter Buick Special body to its largest and most powerful 322 cubic inch V8 engine, with the intent of giving Buick a performance vehicle. Included in the model lineup during this period was a station wagon model, a body style that had been unavailable during the Century's first production period of 1936 to 1942.
Introduced in the middle of the 1955 model year, the four-door Buick Century Riviera along with the four-door Special Riviera, the four-door Oldsmobile 98 Holiday, and four-door 88 Holiday, were the first four-door hardtops ever produced. This was the first time "VentiPorts" appeared on the Century, a carryover from the Buick Roadmaster.
In 1955, the California Highway Patrol placed a large fleet order for Century two-door sedans, a body style unavailable to the general public. It combined the Special two-door sedan body shell with Century powertrain and trim. Broderick Crawford was shown driving a two-door Century sedan during the first season of his popular syndicated TV series Highway Patrol. (In later seasons, he drove a four-door Century, like his real-life counterparts in the California Highway Patrol.) Power brakes were optional. Tubeless tires were new.
The Century remained Buick's performance line, with engine power rising from 200 (SAE gross) in 1954, to 236 in 1955, to 255 in 1956, and topping out at 300 from a bored-out 364 cu in (6.0 L) engine in 1957–58, the last model years for the full-sized Century line.
In 1956, the Century's base price was $2,963. Power windows were standard in the convertible. A padded safety dash became optional.
Because the Century was considered the senior "small Buick", the model received GM's only hardtop station wagon, the Century Caballero, from 1957 through 1958. The Caballero proved expensive to manufacture and unpopular with customers (only 14,642 produced for both model years), so GM did not bring it back for 1959.
For 1959, Buick renamed the Century the Invicta.













Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 5800 cc
- horsepower: 255 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 120 km/h

Mercury Turnpike Cruiser

Sunday 19 November 2017
The Mercury Turnpike Cruiser is a full-size automobile that was the flagship model of the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for the 1957 and 1958 model years. Named after the 1956 creation of the Interstate Highway System, the Turnpike Cruiser was produced in two-door and four-door hardtop bodystyles. In 1957, a two-door convertible was also produced, serving as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 of that year.
They are best known for the unique styling cues and wide array of gadgets including a "Breezeway" power rear window that could be lowered to improve ventilation, "twin jet" air intakes at upper corners of car's windshield, "seat-o-matic" automatically adjusting seat, and an average speed "computer" (that would tell your average speed at any point along a trip).
For 1957, the Turnpike Cruiser was the premium model offering from Mercury. In addition to its unique features, the car was further differentiated from other Mercury models by a gold anodized trim strip in the car's rear fin. It came standard with an automatic transmission and a 368-c.i.d. engine producing 290 horsepower (220 kW); this engine was optional on other Mercurys. A tachometer was available. Safety features such as an impact absorbing, deep-dish steering wheel, front seat stops (to keep the front seat from breaking away) and safety door locks were standard, while seat belts and a padded dash were optional.
The Turnpike Cruiser would comprise 8.47% of Mercury sales in 1957. Motor Trend gave high marks for fuel economy (14.6mpg at 60mph) and comfort, low for handling.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 6200 cc
- horsepower: 290 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 150 km/h

Dodge Aries K-Car

Thursday 16 November 2017
The Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries were introduced for model year 1981 as the first "K-cars" manufactured and marketed by the Chrysler Corporation. As rebadged variants, the Reliant and Aries were manufactured in Newark, Delaware, Detroit, Michigan, and Toluca, Mexico — in a single generation.
The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner. The Aries replaced the Dodge Aspen. Though similar in exterior size to a compact car, the Reliant's interior volume gave it a mid-size designation from the EPA. The Aries was sold as the Dart in Mexico.
The Reliant and Aries were selected together as Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1981 — and sold almost a million Aries and 1.1 million Reliant units over the nine-year run.
As the 1970s ended, Chrysler was facing a grave financial crisis due to poor business decisions, lack of investment in new products during previous years, and external factors outside of their control. Lynn Townsend, chairman from 1962–75, had pursued a hands-off policy of running the company, refusing to spend more than the minimum on new drivetrains or platforms as long as the existing ones continued to sell. Sales of the company's larger cars started dropping after the 1973 OPEC Embargo and an increased amount of company volume consisted of lower profit compact models. Chrysler also had a policy of producing cars regardless of whether a customer ordered them (in contrast to AMC, Ford, and GM who only produced vehicles they received orders for) and soon was left with a backlog of unsold inventory which cost money to store. They had to resort to the money-losing tactic of rebates to get rid of these excess cars. Compounding these difficulties were new Federal emissions and safety regulations during the 1970s which added more to the production costs of each car.
Townsend retired in 1975 and left the reins to John Riccardo, who presided over a slowly-sinking company. The following year, the compact Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare debuted as replacements for the dated Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant, but were rushed into production and ended up with a major string of quality control problems that led to them being one of the most recalled cars in US history. In 1977, Riccardo petitioned newly elected US president Jimmy Carter for a Federal bailout, but Carter would not consider the idea as long as Chrysler's present management were in charge. In January 1978, Chrysler released the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon, a US adaption of the European Simca Horizon and the first domestic-built FWD subcompacts. But they came out in a year when larger cars were in demand and dealers struggled to move them from lots, costing the hard-pressed company yet more money.
Meanwhile, Ford president Lee Iacocca was fired in April 1978 and three months later, Chrysler offered him the position of company president. By this point, the smallest of the Big Three American automakers was close to collapse, struggling from the unexpected poor sales of the Omni, the fallout from the Aspen recalls, and the decision to discontinue full-sized Dodges and Plymouths in 1978, leaving them without a full-sized car in a year of strong sales for them. Even worse, quality control on Chrysler vehicles had become alarmingly bad since 1976.
Although the K-platform had been designed during 1978, the failing company could not afford by this point to put them into production. Iacocca and Riccardo thus decided to repeat the original 1977 request for government assistance, but since the Carter Administration would not offer any help until the existing management was removed, Riccardo summarily stepped down as chairman and handed Iacocca the job.
During a series of Congressional hearings, Lee Iacocca made his case for a Federal bailout of Chrysler, citing past bailouts of the railroad industry and aerospace company Lockheed-Martin as precedent. He argued that thousands of American jobs would be saved and furthermore that the company had been consciously attempting to build modern, economical cars such as the Omni, but fate had dealt them a bad hand. Iacocca also stated that excessive government regulations were costing needless money.
Congress approved the bailout after Chrysler detailed the plans for their new FWD platform and the first handful of K-cars trickled off the assembly line at Detroit's Jefferson Avenue plant in late 1980.
The Reliant and Aries were downsized replacements for the six-passenger Volare and Aspen, which in turn were modernized version of the original Valiant and Dart compact cars of the 1960s. Based on experience gained with subcompact Omni/Horizon of 1978, the roomier K-cars set out to build a family sized car with a front-wheel drive design powered by a four-cylinder engine. They were offered as 2 and 4 door notchback sedans and wagons and retained six-passenger seating on two bench seats. While the Chevrolet Citation introduced front-wheel drive in the 1980 model year to replace the Nova, its unusual styling and problems with recalls hampered its success. They achieved nearly a million in sales between the two original nameplates before being rebadged and upgraded, not counting the numerous stretched, sporty or minivan derivatives. Ford would not replace its family-sized Fairmont/Granada/LTD with a front-wheel drive design until the 1986 Ford Taurus, while cars like the Chevrolet Cavalier and Ford Tempo would be marketed as upscale compacts rather than family sedans.
After their introduction, the Reliant and Aries were marketed as the "Reliant K" and "Aries K". A "K" badge was also added after the word "Reliant" and "Aries" to the rear of the cars. The Reliant and Aries were Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1981.
Initial advertisements for the Aries were done in red, white, and blue and emphasized American industry's desire to answer the challenge of Japanese products. Because of how financially strapped that Chrysler was, early promotional shots featured the same car, but with Dodge and Plymouth badges and trim swapped.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2200 cc
- horsepower: 115 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 170 km/h