The History of the Ford Pinto – One of the Worst Cars Ever Made
Posted by in Ford Magazine on July 10, 2011
The Ford Pinto was Ford’s first domestic subcompact car. It was marketed in 1970 with competitors being the AMC Gremlin, Chevrolet Vega and imports from Volkswagen, Datsun and Toyota. It was a very popular car with 100,000 units delivered by January 1971. A version produced under the Lincoln Mercury name was called the Bobcat.
The Pinto used powertrains proven in Europe but the Vega had an innovative aluminum engine that caused problems. Robert Eidschun’s design of the exterior of the Pinto was chosen which was unusual because most cars consist of style elements from many designers. The Ford Pinto offered an inline 4 engine and bucket seats. And entry level Pinto was $1,850 which made it the cheapest Ford since 1958.
Seating in the Pinto was low to the floor compared to the imports. Body styles were the two door coupe, a hatchback called the Runabout and a two door station wagon. A top of the line Pinto Squire had faux wood sides. Road & Track magazine did not the suspension and standard drum brakes but loved the 1.6 L Kent engine. The Pinto was available with a choice of two engines and Ford changed the power ratings practically every year. The Ford Pinto Pangra is a modified sporting Pinto produced by Huntington Ford in California and only 55 were sold in 1973.
The Ford Pinto is most well known for it’s design problem that allowed the fuel tank to be easily damaged in a rear end collision. Deadly fires and explosions were common occurrences in rear end collisions. The Pinto had no real bumper or reinforcing structure between the rear panel and gas tank. In some collisions the gas tank would be thrust forward into the differential which had protruding bolts that could puncture the tank. Also the doors could jam during an accident due to poor reinforcement. This led to the Pinto’s nickname as a barbeque that seats four. Read the rest of this entry »
Ford Motor Company, Roush and DUB Magazine Create Specialized 2011 Mustang
Posted by in Ford Magazine on July 10, 2011
The Ford Motor Company, automotive lifestyle magazine DUB and Roush Industries teamed up to create a specially customized version of the new 2011 Mustang. DUB is a monthly magazine about car culture, customization and celebrity cars that produces an annual DUB Show Tour which is a U.S. custom auto show and concert tour. Roush Industries offers services ranging from motorsports management to product design, engineering, testing and manufacturing. The company began in 1976 and is now recognized internationally as a premier provider of automotive engineering and systems integration solutions. It employs over 2,500 employees in the world.
The DUB edition Mustang was created based on Ford’s new 3.7 liter V6 Mustang, which will hit the market in the fall of 2010. Ford, DUB and Roush worked together to create the DUB special edition Mustang V6. It will be available for purchase in a coupe, convertible or a glass roof option that give a taste of both worlds.
An article on Ford’s Web site quotes Mike Wilke, Mustang brand manager, “The Ford Mustang is the most customized vehicle in the world and this collaboration pushes the boundaries even further. We’re proud of our relationship with DUB and Roush and how they worked together to bring a new look the Mustang, helping the 2011 DUB edition Mustang V6 appeal to a whole new audience.”
The new DUB edition Mustang will have many features that are sure to be adored by Mustang lovers and DUB Magazine fans alike. It will include 20-inch TIS wheels wrapped in Pirelli performance tires as well as Roush front fascia and splitter, Roush lowering springs and Roush quarter window louvers and windshield banner. The DUB edition Mustang will also have a DUB stripe package and DUB edition logo embroidered headrests with a black interior. It will be available in a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and will have a 3.31:1 rear-axle ratio for vivacious acceleration. Customers will also have the choice of four sleek exterior colors, black, grabber blue, ingot silver or race red. Read the rest of this entry »