The Ford Motor Company began building cars in 1903 in Detroit Michigan. Since that time, Ford has built some of the most iconic vehicles of all time. While it’s hard to narrow them down, here are the 20 Best Fords ever made.
20. 1967 Lotus 49 Ford-Cosworth
The Lotus 49 was built for the 1967 F1 season by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe around the Cosworth DFV engine. Its design created a revolution as being one of the first F1 cars to use a stressed member engine combined with a monocoque to reduce weight. The DFV engine would take drivers to 12 Formula 1 world championships.
19. Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Making its debut in 2010, it was the second F-Series truck upgraded by Ford SVT. It essentially shared only its cab with the F-150, offering long-travel suspension and larger tires, as well as model-exclusive front fascia. The first iteration featured a 6.2-liter V-8, while the second came with a powerful twin-turbo V-6.
18. Ford GT
Produced for the 2005 model year, the mid-engine Ford GT celebrates the company’s 2003 Centenary and recalling Ford’s 1960s racecar, the GT40, which won four consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans (1966-1969). It was only produced for two model years, and was a 1/10ths-scale version of the GT40. It featured a supercharged 5.4-liter 32-valve V-8 engine delivering 550 horsepower.
17. 1961 Lincoln Continental
The 1961 Continental is the fourth generation, and the entire Lincoln range was consolidated into this one model, which managed to save the brand. Its clean sides, flat hood and trunk, inspired a generation of muscle cars beyond Ford. Its “suicide” rear doors were cool for its time. It received many prestigious awards for its design.
16. Shelby 427 Cobra
In 1962, British company AC Cars manufactured the body using a Ford V8 engine. In 1965, the Shelby Cobra 427 used a new Ford-designed chassis, the Mark III. Fifty-six competition models were produced but weren’t raced by the Shelby team. Some were fitted with Ford’s 428 cubic engine, delivering between 425-485 horsepower and setting a performance standard others would follow.
15. 1939 Lincoln Continental
Using the blueprints of the streamlined Lincoln-Zephyr as a starting point, Ford President Edsel Ford commissioned a one-off design from company Chief Stylist Eugene Gregorie. The result was the 1939 Lincoln Continental, a spectacularly stylish, V-12–powered coupe and convertible. It remains the ultimate Continental. A limited number of 1939 models were produced and are referred to as “1940 Continentals.”
14. 1955 Ford Thunderbird
The 1955 Ford Thunderbird is one of the most iconic convertibles of all time, and truly the first glamorous Ford. The “glory years” of this classic model are its first three years. Beginning in 1958, the T-Bird bloated into a four-seater that just wasn’t the same as the original masterpiece, even though its sales quadrupled.
13. 1969 Ford Capri
Ford attempted to leverage its Mustang formula in Europe, and the result was the affordable 1969 Ford Capri. It was highly successful in Europe selling 1.9 million units. Ford used mechanical components from its Mk2 Cortina with a sleeker, Mustang-inspired body. It used a variety of engines. Two generations were sold in the US by Mercury dealers, ending in 1978.
12. 1965 Ford Galaxie and LTD
The full-sized Ford 1965 Galaxie 500 LTD was an all-new top-of-the-line design, as was the Galaxie 500 XL. Both swapped out leaf springs for coil springs in the rear, which set new standards for ride comfort and quietness. Further, it’s front suspension, became the building block for NASCAR stock cars.
11. 1982 Ford Mustang GT
In 1979, the Ford Mustang was based on the “Fox” platform, using a chassis that served both sports cars and family cars. In 1982, the Mustang GT was marketed as “The Boss Is Back!” It featured a 4.9-liter small-block (marketed as a 5.0), with a two-barrel carburetor delivering 157 horsepower. This kicked off a horsepower war that continues today.
10. 1939 Ford Anglia
Outside America, the financial strain of the 30s necessitated a smaller vehicle to deal with higher fuel prices. Ford UK answered that need with the 1939 Anglia. The name was applied to various models between 1939 and 1967. All total, 1.5 million Anglias were produced and established Ford as a worldwide company. The Anglia was replaced by the Ford Escort.
9. 1968 Ford Escort
The Ford Escort, manufactured in Europe, first went into production in 1968 and continued until 2000. This straightforward car featured a front engine and rear-wheel drive, and was incredibly popular in Europe. The Mark I Escort went on to become one of the most successful rally cars ever, with Ford’s team practically unbeatable in the late 60s and early 70s.
8. 1953 Ford F-100
With its step side bed and flared fenders, the 1953 Ford F-100 is arguably one of the best looking trucks ever made. The design was perfected further in 1956 with a wraparound windshield. Many of these trucks are still hard-working to this day. They are a favorite among collectors and hot rodders.
7. 1949 Ford Custom
In 1949, Ford used the Custom nameplate for its top trim level. It represented a redesign of Ford vehicles after World War II. The postwar designs featured “envelope” bodies that shed previous features such as flared fenders and running boards. The design became the engineering blueprint the entire American automotive industry would follow over the next 35 years.
6. 1986 Ford Taurus
During the mid-1980s, Japanese automakers were eating the American automotive industry’s lunch. Between 1979 in 1982, Ford incurred $3 billion in losses. But Ford hit a homerun when it introduced its game-changing, clean and aerodynamic, front-wheel drive Taurus. This high-performance, midsize sedan brought a “culture of quality” back to Ford, through strong fanfare and sales.
5. 1948 Ford F-Series
The Ford F-Series of full-size pickup trucks debuted with the 1948 model year. It replaced the previous pickup model line based on car platforms since 1942. Ford offered the F-Series in eight different weight ratings, pickup, panel truck, parcel delivery, cab-over engine (COE), conventional truck, and school-bus chassis body styles. The Ford F-Series is among the best-selling vehicles on Earth.
4. 1964/1964.5/1965 Ford Mustang
Ford originally built the Mustang by putting a fastback body on the platform of its second-generation compact car, the Falcon. It was only predicted to sell one hundred thousand vehicles annually. But the Mustang became Ford’s most successful launch since the 1927 model A, selling 400,000 units in its first year, and a million within two.
3. 1932 Ford V-8
The introduction of the 65-horsepower V8 brought power and style. Ford Model Bs and Model 18s came as Standards, two-door roadster, two-door cabriolet, four-door phaeton, two and four-door sedans, four-door “woodie” station wagon, two-door convertible sedan, panel and sedan deliveries, five-window coupe, a sport coupe (stationary softtop), three-window Deluxe Coupe, and pickup. The flathead Deuce is the eternal hot rod.
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2. 1964 GT40
Widely considered one of the greatest ford race cars of all time, the GT40 mixed European chassis components with production-based American racing V-8s. Ford’s aim was to beat Ferrari at its own game – and they succeeded. the GT40 won four consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans contests between 1966 and 1969. In 1966, Ford GT40s finished 1-2-3.
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1. Ford Model T
Starting in 1908, the Ford Model T was a revolutionary vehicle in many ways. It was the first mass-affordable automobile, putting the world on wheels. This was achieved through Ford’s pioneering assembly-line production techniques, which dropped the price from $780 in 1910 (2023 equivalent: $25,506) to $290 in 1924 (2023 equivalent: $5,156). Ford produced 16.5 million Model Ts through 1927.