The Ford Motor Company has been responsible for some of the most important contributions to the automobile, with their foremost being the introduction of the world's first moving production line, a manufacturing innovation that sped up the car making process, which in turn lowered how much each car would cost to make.
By August 2020 the company would be celebrating its 110th year of existence, which as the decades have shown, Ford Motors has come a long way in terms of the quantity and quality of its models compared to its pioneering car, the Model T.
In this article, we look at some of the most interesting cars that Ford made through the years. These cars are considered exceptional and important due to the few numbers they were produced and superior performance capabilities that were above their standard brethren. These are the rarest Fords ever made.
10 Mustang McLaren M81
Long before McLaren partnered with Mercedes to create the iconic McLaren Mercedes SLR, McLaren partnered with Ford in 1980 to create a Mustang that would revitalize the model line after the disappointing Mustang 2 of the 1970s. With only 249 made, this Mustang was powered by a hand-built McLaren turbo engine that made a 175Hp.
9 Torino Talladega
Named after the famous Talladega speedway, this Ford was an improved, more aerodynamic version of the Torino/Fairlane Cobra made to compete in NASCAR racing. Accomplishing what it set out to do by winning 29 races between 1969 - 1970, this champion race car was later made available to the public with a limited-run production of 500 units.
8 Ford Fairlane 500 R Code
One of the rarest Ford's because of the minuscule 57 unit production, the Fairlane 500R was a product of the arms race between car manufacturers to build the most powerful and fastest muscle cars of that period. Equipped with a V8 engine that produced a then huge 425Hp, this car was among the speed kings of the 60s.
7 GT40 Mk3
A unique version of the mighty GT40 is its road-going cousin the Mk3. A truly rare car with only seven examples built, this street derivative had a detuned 4.7-liter engine that made a still powerful 306HP.
In a twist of marketing irony, this car was not as popular as Ford hoped as its more "formal/road use" look caused potential buyers to opt for the original Mk1 in it's racing livery instead.
6 1974 Ford Capri RS 3100
A popular model in the Ford fastback/coupe range, the Ford Capri was launched in 1968 to a responsive market. Capitalizing on this success, Ford, in less than 5 years, followed up with similar formula with the release of its successor in 1974.
In 1973, production of the Capri ended in Australia, this then necessitated 50 units being imported by Ford Australia making the Capri RS 3100 a rare Ford to find in the market.
5 Ford Thunderbird Bond Edition
Strange as James Bond never drove this Thunderbird in the movie, Ford produced a "James Bond" edition of the Thunderbird to commemorate its presence in the movie Die Another Day.
Priced at $43,000 when it was released, this pricey Ford came in a coral red special edition paint scheme that took inspiration from the bikini that secondary character Jinx wore in the film.
4 Ford GT40 Prototype
As the first Ford car to be called the Ford GT, this prototype (only 2 were made) helped pave the way for its successor, the legendary Ford GT40 in its path to Le Mans domination.
Born from the now infamous Ferrari snub of Ford's attempt to purchase them, Ford then partnered with Lola Cars to develop their own race car that resulted in this amazing prototype that, despite being developed in short order, managed to perform to the expectation it was set to by Henry Ford II himself.
3 Ford RS200
Made by Ford to compete in the competitive world of Group B Rally racing, the Ford RS200 was a small and powerful mid-engined sports car that had two distinct versions, a street-legal car (250Hp) and a racing version (450Hp).
Perhaps too powerful for its own good, the Rally governing body took note of the several accidents in Group B that the RS200 and other cars were involved in and soon abolished this tier, rendering this rare 200 unit only Ford obsolete.
2 Ford XC Cobra
With a production run of just 400 units, this non-Mustang Ford which is also a legendary muscle car, is called the Falcon XC Cobra, a performance car built by Ford Australia that came with a 5.0-liter V8 engine. As with Ford tradition, this muscle car was available in the Ford racing white with the two center blue stripes livery.
1 Ford GTX1
A special edition version of the already astounding Ford GT, the Ford GTX1 Roadster had only 100 units made. First unveiled to the public in the 2005 SEMA show, the GTX took inspiration from the original open-top Ford GT. With the option to remove its Targa top, this GT transformed into a sleek roadster that was the reason for the strong demand it received.