Ford is perhaps the most popular American car company in the world. With its dominance in the pickup, truck industry as well as the muscle car industry, Ford has grown from a domestic company to a world-renown powerhouse.
Ford’s legacy was set in stone when Sir Henry Ford introduced the world to affordable vehicles. The Ford Model T was unveiled in 1927, this ride was durable, versatile, adaptable and best of all it was affordable.
The blue oval emblem has been mounted on some of the most fascinating and iconic vehicles in the market. These range from vans, trucks, tractors, and even supercars. Ford’s reputation for building affordable and adaptable vehicles has seen Ford vehicles dominate tracks, roads, and off-road.
10 Lee Iacocca's 45th Anniversary Mustang
The Mustang is arguably the most popular Ford brand in the world. What many don’t know is that the Ford Mustang is one of the least produced Ford cars. The Lee Iacocca's 45th Anniversary Mustang is the holy grail of Ford Mustangs. This masterpiece is a partnership between Lee Iacocca and Galpin Ford in California.
Galpin is the biggest Ford dealership in the world. Lee Iacocca on the other hand is an iconic automotive executive who is known for his unique taste in American cars. The Lee Iacocca's 45th Anniversary Mustang is powered by a 4.6-liter supercharged Modular V8 engine that pushes 400 horsepower. Only 45 units of this concept Mustang were built.
9 Ford RS200
Ford is known worldwide. However, in Europe, there is one Ford car that gets gearheads riled up and that is the Ford RS200. The Ford RS 200 was built in the United Kingdom. It was built for the sole purpose of dominating Group B rallying.
This beauty was powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged Cosworth engine that pushed 250 horsepower to the car’s all-wheel-drive drivetrain. The racing trim RS200 power output ranged between 350 horsepower and 450 horsepower depending on how the car was tuned.
8 Ford Mustang McLaren M81
Mistakes made at an industrial level are perhaps the most expensive and unforgettable. For Ford, the Mustang II is a mistake that they have learned to live with. The first step to moving away from the Mustang II mistake was building a car that was to remind people of Ford’s greatness.
The Ford Mustang McLaren M81 was one of the few cars that were lined up to repair the damage made by the Mustang II. This ride was a partnership between McLaren and Ford, this car was powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. 249 units were slated to be built but because of the car’s price tag, only ten units were made. Seven out of the ten cars were painted Bittersweet Orange.
7 Ford Thunderbird Limited Edition 007
The Ford Thunderbird is one of the longest-running Ford nameplates. The Thunderbird is one of the few cars that can brag about their Hollywood status. The Thunderbird has stared in a couple of movies, including Die Another Day.
The Ford Thunderbird Limited Edition 007 starred alongside Halley Berry. The car was painted Coral to match Halley Berry’s bikini. This beauty featured a full black and white leather interior, a 007 badge was mounted on the dash on the passenger’s side, and a numbered plaque was mounted on the car’s glove box. The Ford Thunderbird Limited Edition 007 was powered by a 3.9-liter V8 engine. This engine pushed 280 horsepower and 286 lb-ft of torque.
6 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype
In 1964, Ford was preparing for the 1965 racing season. Two units of the Ford GT40 prototype were tuned by Shelby American for the race. These cars were shipped to Shelby from the United Kingdom when he joined the Ford racing program. This program was put in place to beat Ferrari at the Le Mans.
The Ford GT40 was built on the GT/104 chassis. The GT40 featured a Guardsman blue paint job with white stripes. A custom rear suspension was fitted in the car, weight-saving materials and components were fitted and the Ford’s aerodynamic shape was enhanced with smooth lines flowing to the back of the car.
5 Shelby GT500 Super Snake
Shelby cars are undoubtedly some of the most iconic cars in American history. The Shelby GT500 Super Snake did not start off as a favorite among Ford enthusiasts. The idea of fitting a lightweight 7.0-liter racing engine to a fast Shelby was considered an abomination.
The Shelby GT500 Super Snake was built to promote Goodyear Thunderbolt tires. A promotion was put in place to showcase the tires being used on a 500-mile drive by the GT500 Super Snake. However, the extra power did not come cheap. As a result, the Shelby GT500 Super Snake did not make it into production. Only one unit of this car was ever made.
4 100th Anniversary Models
Henry Ford is quoted saying, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” The idea of having a car painted any color apart from black did not register to the founder. Wonder what he would say if he is to see the paint jobs on some Ford cars today.
This thought saw Ford celebrate its 100th Anniversary in all black. 3,000 units of the Mustang, Super Duty, and the Ford Focus were built, while 4,000 units of the Ford Explorer and the Taurus were built. These cars were dubbed the “Centennial Edition Fords”.
3 Ford Galaxie 500 XL R-Code
While many people assume that Ford was one of the bigger muscle carmakers in the 1960s, this is far from the truth. Ford was still trying to figure out where it stood since its main niche was affordable and practical cars for the everyday Joe.
The Ford Galaxie 500 XL R-Code was one of Ford’s hard hitters when it came to muscle cars. This car is the car that set the pace for the Mustang. The Galaxie 500 XL R-Code was powered by a 427 cubic-inch R-Code dual-carburetor engine. This engine had a power output of 425 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. 57 units of this car were made. Only 47 units can be accounted for today.
2 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca
The Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca made its debut in 1970. In 2012, this iconic ride got both a track and a collector grade makeover. The Boss 302 Laguna Seca was upgraded to take on the legendary track that it is named after. The upgraded Boss 302 is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that pushes 444 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.
This ride features a new traction and stability control system, stiff sway bars, torsion limited-slip differential, and an adjustable suspension. 767 units of the Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca were produced.
1 Ford F-250 Bigfoot Cruiser
When the Monster truck craze was just beginning in the late 1980s, Bob Chandler started the Bigfoot Project. Ford took an interest in Bob’s works and collaborated with him to build a special edition cruiser.
The Ford F-250 Bigfoot Cruiser featured a three-inch lift, 33-inch tires, heavy-duty shocks, a double-hoop roll bar with off-road lighting, a mounted winch, and an aftermarket front bumper. While the actual number of the Ford F-250 Bigfoot Cruiser that was produced is not known, it is rumored that only 300 units were made.