Ford has made some amazing vehicles over the years, from daily commuters to supercharged monster sports cars. All in all, Ford has produced some of the highest quality vehicles and power plants for the price and this is a list of the top 10 most successful and innovative vehicles that are well known for performance, reliability and popularity.
1) Ford Model T-This was Henry Ford’s first real venture; produced from 1908 to 1927 Ford has sold over 15 million of these puppies. When the Model T first came out is was only $850 in 1908; by 1915 from mass production the cost had decreased to only 440 dollars, this made the Model T available for the common man. There wasn’t much to the Model T, a front engine real wheel drive shell of a car with only twenty horsepower; this hand cranked Ford Model T engine became very popular as it would run on gasoline, kerosene, or ethanol for fuel. The Ford Model T was also the first car known to be mass manufactured in plants around the globe.
2) Ford 64.5 Mustang-The first Ford Mustangs debuted on March 9, 1964 and 1 million were sold in the first year. To date the Mustang is one of the greatest selling cars around the world. Just like today’s Ford Mustangs the 64 Mustang was produced with almost every consumer in mind; a vast number of options were available on the Ford Mustang. You could get four different engines starting with a 101 horsepower six cylinder to 271 horsepower high output 289 V8; manual shift or automatic were options as well as disc brakes, limited slip rear ends, and convertible tops.
3) Ford SVT 03-04 Cobra-This supercharged Cobra was nicknamed the Terminator shortly after it was released. From the factory the SVT Ford Cobra came with 380 horsepower and 390ftlbs of torque. The SVT Cobra is one of the most sought after cars for aftermarket power upgrades because of the ease of modifications and the astronomical power they achieve. The SVT Ford Cobra was no slouch from the factory with its DOHC 4.6 supercharged modular V8 it could rock the quarter mile in 12.8 seconds at 110 mph on only 8psi of supercharged boost.
4) Ford SVT 99-04 Lightning-When the SVT Ford Lightning first debuted it was the fastest production pickup to date. The SVT Lightning was popular from day one for its performance and sleek body styling. With 380 horsepower and 440 ftlbs of torque the Lightning would clip off 13.9 second quarter mile times all day long with its powerful 5.4 liter V8 mated to an automatic transmission. Low production numbers continue to make this truck popular as well as the new SVT Ford Lightning that is slated for production in 2011 with a six speed transmission; which incidentally was the chief complaint of previous SVT Lightning owners.
5) Ford F-150-The F-150 has been the best selling truck in America for more than 33 years. Beginning its production in 1948 it has always been a popular truck for the common working man because of price tag and the amount of options available. Current Ford F-150’s can come in Flairside, Lightning, King Ranch, and Harley Davidson packages; making them accessible for every type of consumer, in addition to these packages there are a wide range of cab configurations, engines available, and bed lengths as well as color combinations.
6) Ford/ Shelby 2010 GT500-The brand new Ford/ Shelby GT500 is a milestone for the Ford Company in the arena of street legal and smog compliant sports coupes. Based from the ever popular Ford Mustang the GT500 boasts a massive 5.4 liter V8 with a twin screw supercharger that puts out a reported 540 horsepower and 510ftlbs of torque. Mated to a six speed manual transmission this Mustang rocks the quarter mile in 12.63@113mph. The other thing that makes the Ford GT500 so special is its braking performance which is measure from 60 mph to zero in an astounding 114 feet.
7) Ford 1965 GT40-A classic sports car that made its way from endurance racing to showroom floors in 1965. Powered by a modified Ford Fairlane engine it produced 335 horsepower from the factory, but with a light weight flywheel and no mufflers it power zoomed to 380 horsepower. Built in Detroit with disc brakes and a five speed transmission it had an initial price tag of $17,000; not bad for a car with a 165 mph top speed for the times.
8) Ford 03-06 GT-A modern recreation of the popular GT40 this American made sports coupe was designed to be a real super car and put its predecessor to shame. A 5.4 liter supercharged V8 produced 580 horsepower and 500ftlbs of torque. The Ford GT had an astounding top speed of 205 mph and jaunted from zero to 60mph in only 3.3 seconds; the GT also annihilated the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds at a blazing 131 mph. The one thing that sets the Ford GT apart is the fact that it still gets relatively good gas mileage when compared to other super cars; for instance it gets 3 mpg better than the much slower Dodge Viper in the city and 7 mpg better on the highway.
9) Ford Ranger-Everywhere you look you’ll most likely see a Ford Ranger; the best selling small truck in America. The Ford ranger has been extremely desirable to a wide range of consumers since its release in 1983 and is still currently in production. The Ford Ranger has been in production longer than the Model T; this is most likely due to its four different engine combinations and four different transmissions available. You will see the Ford Ranger doing tasks from light construction to usage as fleet vehicles for a wide range of service providers.
10) Ford 2010 Super Duty-This is the end all be all for a working mans truck. Built specifically for construction trades and hauling duties this monster of a truck can tow as much as 24,600 pounds in its top on the line trim. The 6.4 Powerstroke turbo V8 generates 350 horsepower and 650ftlbs of torque. The Ford Super Duty is offered in a wide range of trims from King Ranch to the Harley; with 4 different engines available and 2wd and 4wd options with different cab and bed configurations this truck is only for the most hardcore contractors and working men.
Source:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/superduty/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_T
