30 times Ford got it right

Blue Oval brilliance

The Ford Motor Company has been in operation since 1903. In that time, it has inevitably produced both hits and misses.

Nobody could claim that the Edsel or the Consul Classic, to take two examples, were successful. Instead of discussing them further here, we’ll be concentrating on the company’s 20th-century triumphs.

In the early 1900s, founder Henry Ford created two companies which failed almost immediately, and produced a few very low-volume cars. His greatest achievement during this period was the Land Speed Record, which he held for 12 weeks in 1904.

It wasn’t until 1908 that things really began to look up for Ford.

1. Model T (1908)

“I will build a motor car for the great multitude.” Whether Ford actually said this or only claimed he did, it’s precisely what happened.

The Model T was a cussed thing to drive, but it was versatile and cheap (and became cheaper), and there was a plentiful supply of parts and accessories.

It was in production from 1908 to 1927, which is not an astonishingly long time, yet it held the title of world’s best-selling car until 1972.

2. Model A (1927)

Dazzled by the success of the Model T, Henry Ford had to be persuaded that it should eventually be replaced. The new car was called the Model A, but was unrelated to another model of the same name introduced in 1903.

In modern terms, the A was far more conventional than the T. It also had a much shorter production life, from 1927 to 1931.

In that period, however, over 4.8 million were built – a far higher yearly average than that of its more famous predecessor.

3. V8 (1932)

A variant of the Model B marketed briefly as the Model 18 was the first Ford to be fitted with the celebrated flathead V8 engine.

The V8, as the car is now better known, was a very early example of a relatively inexpensive mass-produced vehicle with an engine of this layout.

The engine itself was later used in several Fords, and as a cheap source of power in a great many home-built competition cars.

4. Model Y (1932)

The first fully European Ford was sold in the UK as the Model Y, in France as the 6 CV and in Germany as the Köln (after the Cologne factory where versions for that market were built).

Even for the early 1930s, the Model Y was a very basic car. For example, its ventilation system consisted of a dial which allowed the driver to open the windscreen by a few degrees.

But the car was cheap, and became cheaper. In October 1935, Ford of Britain reduced the price of the base model to just £100, the lowest figure ever for a four-seat saloon sold in the UK.

Perhaps because of this, the Model Y was a huge hit, accounting for over 40 per cent of the sales in its segment on the British market.

5. F-Series (1948)

The first-generation F-Series range consisted of eight different models, though some of these were available with more than one body type or weight rating.

This F-Series was produced only from the 1948 to the 1952 model years, but it was the start of Ford’s greatest success.

The F-Series is still around, now in its 14th generation. It is currently Ford’s best-selling vehicle of any kind, despite being sold only in North America, and is also the best-selling vehicle in that region.
 

6. Popular (1953)

The two Fords sold with Popular as a model name (as opposed to the name of what we would now call a trim level) were both continuations of earlier Anglias.

The first, launched in 1953, looked very dated compared with other Fords sold at the same time, and was nearly as basic as the much earlier Model Y.

On the plus side, this allowed Ford to sell it for under £400. For British customers on a tight budget who wanted a new car, this was very appealing.

In a strange twist, the Popular later became a favourite car among hot rodders and drag racers both in the UK and further afield.

7. Thunderbird (1958)

Ford used the Thunderbird name for the first time in the 1955 model year. That car was fairly successful, easily outselling the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette.

However, things changed dramatically when Ford decided to replace this two-seat version with a four-seater in 1958. The first of what were known as ‘personal luxury’ cars (with an emphasis on comfort rather than sportiness) sold exceptionally well.

Ford would not produce another two-seat production car for a quarter of a century. The 11th-generation Thunderbird, introduced five years after the discontinuation of the 10th, was only the second two-seater in the nameplate’s history.

After an initial flurry of interest, sales dropped sharply, rather proving the point made by Ford executives in the late 1950s.

8. Anglia (1959)

There had been Anglias before, but this is the most easily recognisable, and not just because of the Harry Potter connection.

Its most obvious design features were its prominent, cowled headlights and, in the case of the saloon, a daringly reverse-angled rear window.

Despite its unusual looks, it remained popular throughout its eight-year production run before being replaced by the Escort.

The Anglia is also historically significant because it was the first car fitted with what became known as the Ford Kent engine, which was still being used (after many updates) as late as 2002.

9. Galaxie (1959)

The Galaxie name was first used for the top model in the range generally referred to simply as the 1959 Ford.

In all generations from that year until 1974, it was a big car, usually powered by a big engine.

In the early days, you could have a 3.7-litre straight-six if you really wanted one, but a 7.0-litre V8 soon became available.

Latterly, customers who valued performance over fuel economy could choose a 7.5-litre V8 from the 385 big-block family.
 

10. E-Series (1961)

Also known as the Econoline, Club Wagon or Falcon Van, the E-Series has been in production for over 60 years, putting it second in terms of Ford longevity only to the F-Series truck.

The first version was notable for its front-end design, which was far more adventurous than that of any subsequent E-Series. It also featured an engine mounted underneath the front seats, which allowed for a cab-forward layout and maximised cargo space.

Later versions of the current E-Series were more conventional, and with the introduction of the Transit to North America they are also available in fewer forms. The range now consists of a Cutaway, with only a passenger cab, and the Stripped Chassis, which is sold with no bodywork at all.

11. Cortina (1962)

The original Cortina was simple and inexpensive, which was just the sort of thing British buyers wanted a medium-sized family car to be in the 1960s.

The same principle applied to all the Cortina generations, of which there were either four or five depending on whether you think the last one was a new model or just an update of the one before.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, all Cortinas from the Mk2 onwards were the most-registered cars in the UK for at least one year. This may also have applied to the Mk1, but the SMMT’s figures don’t go back that far.

Cortina production ended in 1982, but it might have continued for much longer if Ford hadn’t replaced the name first with Sierra and later with Mondeo.

12. Lotus Cortina (1963)

The early 1960s equivalent of today’s hot hatches was the Lotus Cortina, assembled by Lotus and using that company’s Twin Cam derivative of the Ford Kent engine.

As well as being a very quick road car in standard form, it performed exceptionally well in races and rallies. Double Formula One drivers’ champion Jim Clark drove works-entered versions in both types of event, and won the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship. Mk1 Lotus Cortinas still feature in classic motorsport to this day.

A Mk2 version, built entirely by Ford and generally known as the Cortina Lotus (or Cortina Twin Cam in some markets) was built in greater numbers but is less highly celebrated now, perhaps partly because it was soon overshadowed in rallying by the Escort.

13. Mustang (1964)

The Mustang has been in continuous production across six generations since 1964, and therefore has the longest-running nameplate of any Ford car (though it is beaten by the E-Series van and F-Series truck).

The 1960s were the glory days for the Mustang. It was an exciting car, especially in high-performance Mach 1, Boss 302 and Boss 429 forms.

Things calmed down a bit from then on, but the slightly retro-styled fifth-generation model captured some of the spirit of the original car.

14. GT40 (1964)

The GT40 was famously developed as a result of Ford’s irritation that plans to buy Ferrari came to nothing.

It became one of the most celebrated Ford competition cars of all time. Fitted with a 7.0-litre V8 from the FE series, it won the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1966 and 1967.

A rule change then made this engine ineligible for sports car racing, so Ford switched to the smaller Windsor unit (which had been used for the prototypes and early production cars) and won Le Mans again with that in 1968 and 1969.

15. Transit (1965)

Although the Transit name was first used for the earlier, German-built Taunus Transit van, the history of the current model dates back to the Transit of 1965.

In Europe, it was available at first only with V4 or V6 engines, whose compact dimensions allowed them to fit under the short bonnet. A 1977 facelift, which included lengthening the nose considerably, allowed inline engines to be used for the first time.

In the UK, the Transit name has become almost synonymous with panel vans in general. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reports that the current Transit Custom is the most-registered vehicle in the country to date in 2021, outperforming the most popular passenger car by over 20 per cent.

16. Bronco (1966)

Ford entered the SUV sector, as it is now known, with the first-generation Bronco in 1966.

Like all subsequent versions, it was relatively compact, with only two passenger doors.

Production continued across five generations until 1996. After a 25-year gap, Ford introduced a new Bronco in 2021.

Although it is an entirely modern vehicle, the current Bronco has a design heavily influenced by that of the original model, which was discontinued in 1977.

17. Escort (1968)

The first Escort was both more modern and more visibly conventional than the Anglia it replaced.

Like the Mk2 which followed, it was rear-wheel drive and mostly sold as a saloon. From 1980 onwards, Escorts were usually hatchbacks and almost always front-wheel drive, or in very rare cases four-wheel drive.

The later versions are rarely as highly thought of as the Mk1 and Mk2, but they were named by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as the most-registered cars in the UK from 1982 to 1989, and from 1992 to 1995, as the Mk2 had been in 1976.

18. Capri (1968)

Described by Ford as “the car you always promised yourself” and by others as “a Cortina in drag”, the Capri followed the usual Ford philosophy of being uncomplicated and relatively inexpensive.

It was very stylish, though, and could reasonably be thought of as the European equivalent of the Mustang. There was also a very wide range of engines, from a 1.3-litre four-cylinder Kent to a 3.0-litre V6 Essex.

The second-generation Capri came along in 1974. Although the basic shape hadn’t changed much, this version had a hatchback body – a very unusual feature for the time.

A further update in 1978 brought the styling up to date, but by the time it met its end in 1986 the Capri was starting to feel a lot more old-fashioned than it looked.

19. Escort RS1600 (1970)

Ford came up with a hot version of the Mk1 Escort almost immediately. The Twin Cam, fitted with the same engine as the Lotus Cortina, was launched in 1968 and began winning rallies from the off.

But then came the RS1600. It was powered by the Cosworth BDA engine, another derivative of the old Kent unit but this time with a 16-valve cylinder head.

Already potent in standard form, the RS1600 became a screaming monster when its engine was appropriately modified.

The contemporary Mexico and the slightly later RS2000 did very well in motorsport, but if you wanted to win a big event the RS1600 was the car to have.

20. Capri RS models (1971)

Ford created the 2.6-litre Cologne V6-engined Capri RS2600 (pictured) so that a race version could be used in the European Touring Car Championship.

It went well, winning the drivers’ title in 1971 and 1972, but Ford later went a step further with the RS3100. This had a slightly enlarged, 3.1-litre derivative of the normally 3.0-litre Essex V6.

By the regulations of the time, the car could therefore be fitted for race purposes with the glorious, howling 3.4-litre Cosworth GA, which was based on the Essex block but otherwise bore little resemblance to the standard engine.

21. Granada (1972)

The Granada replaced both the British Zephyr and the German P7 as Ford’s largest European passenger car. The name Consul was used briefly for lower-spec models in the first generation.

The third version was the same thing as the car known elsewhere as the Scorpio. It was followed in 1994 by another Scorpio, which remains most memorable for its controversial front-end styling.

Due to the increasing size of what were meant to be smaller models, the Granada/Scorpio became superfluous in 1998 and was not replaced. To illustrate that point, no car bearing either of those names was as wide or as tall as a current Focus.

22. Escort RS1800 (1975)

The competition-oriented Mk1 Ford Escort RS1600 was replaced by the RS1800, which had a Cosworth engine from the same family as the earlier car’s BDA.

Even by the high standards of 1970s rally cars, the RS1800 was thrilling to watch and sounded incredible.

It was also very effective. Björn Waldegård predominantly drove an RS1800 (though he also took part in two events with a Mercedes-Benz 450SLC) to become the inaugural winner of the World Rally Championship for Drivers in 1979, beating teammate Hannu Mikkola by a single point.

Ari Vatanen won the same title two years later, even though the Mk2 Escort was by then no longer in production.

23. Fiesta (1976)

Ford lagged behind other manufacturers in producing its first example of what we would now call a supermini, but its eventual arrival in the sector was triumphant.

The charming little Fiesta was fitted with variants of the Kent engine (known as the Valencia in front-wheel drive applications) with the strange capacities of 957cc and 1117cc. The sporty 1.3-litre Supersport and the 1.6-litre XR2 hot hatch (pictured) soon followed.

Some later versions were less appealing, but Ford returned to form with a new version in 2009. Fiestas have since topped the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ list for UK registrations for over a decade.
 

24. Ranger (1982)

Ford entered the compact pick-up truck market in 1972 with the Courier, which was really a second-generation Mazda B-Series imported from Japan.

Its replacement, the original Ranger – a strong rival to the contemporary Chevrolet S-10 – was the first vehicle of this type designed by Ford itself.

The Ranger name was later used for separate models sold in different parts of the world, but they were replaced by a single model (developed by Ford Australia) in 2011.

This truck was not initially available in North America, but it has been on sale there since 2019.

25. Sierra (1982)

Early criticism of the Sierra was largely based on its ‘jelly mould’ styling and the fact that it wasn’t called a Cortina.

Strong feelings on these subjects quickly went away, and the Sierra became a very popular model, though inevitably it sold less well than Ford’s smaller and cheaper Fiesta and Escort.

There was no lack of choice within the line-up. Engine capacities ranged from 1.3 to 2.9 litres, there were diesel options for those who wanted them, and there was even a four-wheel drive version.

26. Sierra RS Cosworth (1986)

Fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, the RS Cosworth was a homologation special – a road car put on sale simply so Ford could use a competition version in international motorsport.

In rallying, the car was successful at national level, but won only a single round of the World Rally Championship. Adding four-wheel drive didn’t help much, and nor did converting the car into the Escort RS Cosworth, which bore only a superficial resemblance to any other Escort.

The race car, derived from the RS500 evolution model, was another matter. For a few seasons around 1990 it was almost unbeatable in Touring Car racing, winning titles around the world.

27. Mondeo (1993)

The Mondeo name hinted at Ford’s intention that the Sierra replacement would be a ‘world car’, though the North American Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique differed from the European version in several ways.

The first Mondeo, winner of the 1994 European Car of the Year award, was notable for its excellent handling. In competition form, it was also successful in Touring Car racing.

Ford has produced the car for four generations, the most recent having been launched in 2012, but there will not be a fifth. There will be no replacement when the current model is discontinued in 2022.

28. Galaxy (1995)

Unrelated to the Galaxie mentioned earlier, the Galaxy was an MPV introduced during a period of substantial growth in that now almost-forgotten market sector.

Less of a Ford than any other vehicle mentioned here, it was developed in association with Volkswagen through a Portugal-based joint venture called Autoeuropa, and was essentially the same thing as the contemporary Volkswagen Sharan and Seat Alhambra.

Nevertheless, it was large and practical, and offered European Ford enthusiasts a choice they had never had before.

Ford subsequently withdrew from Autoeuropa and created the second-generation Galaxy all on its own.
 

29. Expedition (1996)

Three decades after the launch of the two-door Bronco SUV, Ford at last produced a four-door vehicle of the same type.

In every generation, the Expedition has been related to the F-150 pick-up truck. Reversing that process, Ford created a luxury pick-up derivative called the Lincoln Blackwood, which was abandoned very quickly.

More happily, all versions of the Expedition have had a successful luxury SUV counterpart in the form of the Lincoln Navigator.

30. Focus (1998)

Ford abandoned the Escort name after 30 years when it introduced its new medium-sized family car in 1998.

The Focus was notable both for its New Edge styling and for driving dynamics which surpassed those of almost every front-wheel drive Escort.

In 1999, it became one of only 10 models (out of 58 so far) to win the European Car of the Year award by more than 100 points. At the same time, it began a six-year run at the top of the UK registration charts, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, before being replaced by its own successor.

The most dramatic first-generation Focus was the high-performance RS, but since that was launched in the 21st century we must regretfully ignore it (but perhaps still lust after it…).