Many believe the Mustang to be the most outstanding car in the history of the United States. While that might be true, the legendary pony wasn’t the only project that helped Ford dominate the automotive market in the 1960s.

Between 1968 and 1976, the American muscle scene witnessed the existence of one of the best and most underrated mid-size Ford production vehicles before the gas crisis of the 1970s caused one of the most beloved eras in car history to come to an end.

A Brief History Of The Torino

1600px-1968_Ford_Torino_GT_Hardtop
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As the Mustang was breaking sales records, Ford required a proper mid-sized high-performance muscle car to go toe to toe with the likes of the Pontiac GTO. During the mid-1960s and in the mid-size class, the company had only the Fairlane to offer. However, at this point in automotive history, Ford had built a racing reputation that caught the attention of those with performance in mind. And the Fairlane did not possess the looks or the power to compete with the GTO.

This started to change in 1966 as Ford introduced a redesigned Fairlane with improved looks and new vertically stacked headlights. As for the powerhouse, the buyers had the liberty to choose between multiple options, including the legendary 427 cu in FE V8 engine. In 1968, the world saw the introduction of the Torino, which was the refined high-performance version of the Fairlane.

The Ford Torino was available in multiple options, including a four-door sedan, a two-door notchback hardtop, and the squire station wagon. Also, the Torino GT model was the high-performance model offered in the SportsRoof hardtop, the formal hardtop, and a convertible option.

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The Torino Had An Amazing Design

1968 Ford Torino GT 428 Cobra Jet
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Ford hit the spot with the exterior design. Torino’s bulky body and sleek lines were those of a true muscle car. Ford also offered a fastback “SportsRoof” option for the first time in 1968. The sloped roofline extending to the trunk resembled a Mustang fastback. The SportsRoof feature turned the Torino GT into a beautiful sight to look at. However, this was not the sole reason for its existence.

As we mentioned earlier, Ford had built undeniable motorsport renown for themselves, and they intended to improve on that matter even further with the release of the Torino. It was specifically built to be raced in NASCAR, and the SportsRoof fastback proved to have a remarkable aerodynamic drag reduction effect on this beast.

In order to pass the requirements in 1968, Ford designers located the front parking lights on the corner of the fenders so that they would also act as marker lights. Torino also featured two round headlights placed horizontally on each side, a long muscular hood, and beautiful taillights which looked quite similar to those of a Ford Galaxie, making it look as good as it actually was.

The interior design introduced in 1968 for the Ford Fairlane and Torino included options such as the “Comfortweave,”; A knitted vinyl option allowing it to breathe and provide additional comfort in warmer weathers, unlike the standard vinyl used in that era. Torino also came standard with bucket seats, later switched out for cheaper bench seats because of the UAW strike that lasted six weeks.

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Ford Presented A Great Number Of Performance Options

1968 Ford Torino GT coupe
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The standard powerhouse offered in the Torino GT was the 302 cu in V8, making 200 HP. However, Ford also provided the buyers with an option to have a 2-barrel 390 cu in V8 capable of putting out 265 HP under the hood. This engine was mainly aimed at those looking for a reliable, efficient motor commonly found in the 4-door sedans at the time.

Luckily for those who asked for the real Torino GT muscle car Performance, the Thunderbird Special was available. The S-code 4-barrel 390 cu in V8 engine made 325 HP with a compression ratio of 10.5:1. This allowed the Torino GT to go from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.7 seconds and complete the quarter-mile dragstrip in 15.8 seconds at 90 MPH. Yet, Ford did not stop there. They also introduced the Cobra Jet V8 with a displacement of 428 cu in during a midyear debut in 1968. The Cobra Jet made 335 HP officially, but it was estimated to be making close to 400 HP.

One of the most spectacular characteristics of the Ford Torino was its performance in handling and cornering. During an era dominated by muscle cars mostly capable of performing in straight lines only, a powerful vehicle with the ability to take turns as well as it could launch off the line is well worth the praise.