History of the Ford Station Wagon

Station wagons were invented around the same time as the automobile itself. The first station wagons, called depot hacks, were used as transport vehicles at train stations to haul luggage. The name station wagon evolved in the late 1920s and came from the fact that they were wagons at the station. Ford came out with its first station wagon in 1929.

First Station Wagons

Ford marketed the first station wagon as a light-duty commercial vehicle. The company soon became the production leader in the 1930s, even though the percentage of station wagons sold was small compared with other cars. The first station wagons had many problems; they were noisy and drafty, and the seats were not comfortable. They were also expensive.

Post World War II

During World War II, Eugene Gregorie and Ross Cousins began designing a new vehicle that would become the Country Squire. The Baby Boom after the war boosted sales of station wagons. As family size grew, parents needed a bigger car to transport everyone together. Ford switched marketing tracks and started to advertise the station wagon as a family utility vehicle, as early as 1947.

Improvements

To reduce noise, Ford designed a steel body for the new station wagon with a solid metal roof. The sides were made of mahogany panels, trimmed in birch or maple. The 1949 model featured a wooden tailgate that swung down, and a metal-framed window panel that lifted up. This would become the industry standard for station wagon styling.

The Country Squire

In 1950, Ford's marketing department renamed the station wagon the Country Squire, even though the car itself did not have a name on it. The major innovation that year was increased flexibility in seating. Earlier models had a fixed front bench seat and back seats that could only be removed with tools. The new Country Squire featured a fold-down center seat and a rear seat that could be taken out more easily. The starting price was just over $2,000.

Compact Wagons

The auto industry introduced the new concept of compact wagons in the 1960s. Ford's compact wagon was called the Falcon. Mid-sized station wagons, known as intermediate or senior compact station wagons, also appeared in the 1960s. The Ford Fairlane filled this niche.

Disappearance

Station wagons began to disappear in the 1970s. The Arab oil embargo caused people to rethink the size of their vehicles. Strict emissions regulations also affected large car sales. In the 1980s, the minivan replaced the station wagon as the family car of choice. Ford continued to produce station wagons and enjoyed a degree of success with the Country Squire and the Taurus wagon. Production of the Country Squire ended in 1991. In 2006 Ford discontinued the Taurus wagon in favor of a new sport utility vehicle, which bears the Taurus name.