Ford Torino History

The Ford Torino was an intermediate mid-size car produced between 1968 and 1976 by the Ford Motor Company. The Torino featured a front engine/rear-wheel drive layout and was available in a variety of styles and trim levels over its eight-year lifespan. High performance versions of the Torino were part of the "muscle car" era of the 1970s.

Introduction

In 1968, Ford introduced an all-new intermediate line of cars. The new line was called Fairlane, a name that had been used since 1955. With the new line, Ford introduced the Torino as the upscale version of the mid-size Fairlane.
The Torino series was available with two or four doors and as a sedan, convertible or station wagon (known as the Torino Squire). Many mechanical components were carried over from the 1967 model year Fairlane and the Torino was available with several V8 engine options above the standard 3.3 liter inline 6-cylinder engine.

Torino GT

The most notable 1968 Torino model was the sporty Torino GT. Available as a hardtop, "SportsRoof" (fastback) or convertible, the Torino GT came standard with a 4.9 liter V8 engine. Other standard features included special trim and "GT" badging and sport bucket seats. Options ranged from a special GT suspension package to Ford's Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission.
Torino GT's routinely recorded 0 to 60 mph times in the mid-seven-second range and quarter mile times below 16 seconds.

Redesign

The Torino remained largely the same for the 1969 model year, but in 1970 it was redesigned. The new Torino took over as Ford's primary intermediate model with the Fairlane reduced to a designation for only the most basic intermediate model.
1970 Torinos featured a new, rounded aerodynamic appearance. Dimensions were also more refined, with the new Torino being lower and wider than its predecessor. Ford offered 12 different Torino models in 1970, including new versions of the sedan, fastback, convertible and station wagon. A new version of the Torino GT was offered, along with another sporty model option, the Torino Cobra.

The Gran Torino

After two years, Ford once again redesigned the Torino. 1972 models were known as Gran Torino. The convertible option disappeared but the station wagon remained. A new line of engines was made available in a dozen different Gran Torino trim levels.
The new performance version of the Gran Torino was known as Gran Torino Sport. This version could be ordered as a hardtop or fastback and came with standard sport appearance features such as body-colored mirrors and a hood scoop. A Ram Air induction system was offered but very few Gran Torinos were ordered with one. More popular was the Rally Equipment Group, which brought a sport suspension, race-inspired interior gauges and a Hurst shifter.

Decline

Throughout the mid-1970s, Ford made very few changes to the Torino line. In 1974, new bumpers were added to meet Federal crash safety standards. Minor cosmetic changes appeared for each model year. The Gran Torino Sport was not offered after 1975 and by 1976 Ford has introduced its LTD II as a mid-size replacement for the Torino. Torino Sport models remained popular with racers and car enthusiasts for a time, but the lasting popularity of Ford's Mustang and Thunderbird models led to a sharp decline in the Torino's popularity once it went out of production.

Resources

• The Ford Torino Page