By: William Jason
Ford Torino is a spinoff from the Ford Fairlane, an intermediate muscle car. In 1968, the Ford Fairlane was redesigned. The Torino line included a 302 cid V8 engine, console, bucket seats, striping and trim, name badges and deluxe wheel covers. A 390 cid V8 and a 390 bhp 427 cid V8 options were also available. At first, the Torino was considered a subseries of the Fairlane. But by 1970, it was the other way around and the Fairlane was then the subseries of the Torino. A year after that, the Fairlane name was dropped and all of Ford's intermediates were now called Torinos.
In 1970, many intermediate cars were redesigned and inspired by the coke bottle styling. The roofline was lowered and the windshield rake increased. The pointed front end of the Ford Torino considered its styling to be aerodynamic. The new Torino was longer and wider than its predecessor. The front fender extended thru the front door while sloping downward and gradually disappearing in the quarter panel. Chrome fitted front and rear bumpers followed the body lines. Tail lights were located above the bumper in the rear panel, long rectangular tail lights with rounded outer edges. There were 13 models available that year, including the top performer, 2-door SportsRoof only, Torino Cobra.
Minor revisions were applied in the 1971 version of the Ford Torino. The trim and the grilles were the focus of the change in design that year. The grilles then were divided by a vertical division in the center. A revised emblem was also included in the vertical divider. The engines remained identical from the previous year, which also saw a drop in the compression, amd also resulted in the drop of the power ratings. Strict emission rules and high insurance costs were the cause of this move.
In 1972, the Torino was redesigned to feature a long hood and a short deck. The biggest change was the eggcrate grille in an oval opening on the Gran Torinos. The Torinos were improved until 1976 where the total production was at 193,096 units. That is also the final year of the Ford Torino. It was then eventually replaced with Ford LTD II.
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