Ford has long been one of this country's oldest and most celebrated manufacturers. It has produced many of the industry’s best beloved cars since its birthday in 1903. For every Model T, Mustang, and F-150, there are many vehicles that are sought after vigorously by car enthusiasts and become "cult classic collector items”. These cars may not have had a large production or much public appreciation at the time they were released, but the interest grew over time.
These are some of those models in Ford automobiles that have gained appreciation for many reasons; often times because sometimes, you don’t know what you got until it’s gone. Ford has an impressive legacy, and these four models are just an example of that history in their own special way. These vehicles are all Ford and have led the way in design, performance, and automotive innovation, just to name a few. Some cars only have specific years, while others have specific models.
The Mercury Cougar is a prime example. Available in a base model and the XR-7, the Cougar was built to compete with the Mustang and the Thunderbird. The Mercury brand is now defunct, and the vehicles released as part of the name brand are scattered across the world and different car brand names. The Cougar is one of the company's most notable cult classic cars that was built for power and performance. The initial production that was run on the Cougar had two available engines: a 200 hp two-barrel and the 335 hp 390 in four-barrel V8. As for the design, certain aspects resemble both the Mustang and Thunderbird while still unique in its own right. This made it one of the most popular muscle cars on the road in the late '60s and '70s.
With a very limited production run of less than 4,000 made, the Ford Torino GT convertible wasn't a huge seller for Ford. The Torino was an idea that came from the Ford Fairlane, which first began production in 1968. Since the Mustang was (and still is) the pony car king, every release after it seemed to have something not up to par compared to the bestseller. The car's fastback design body had all of the aesthetic markers of the Mustang. This also made it an attractive option with NASCAR owners and the Torino GT would become a part of the race circuit.
The Ford Cortina Mark IV was a hit in the UK so Ford thought, why not the US?
It was a heavier vehicle than its closest brother, the Mark III. It was a boxy looking number that resembled the Ford Taurus and offered a smoother ride than the Pinto. Despite the high numbers of the Cortina Mark IV, very few of them still exist today. Only about 200 or so are left in the world.
The Ford Bronco has come and gone, and some of that is to blame on one specific car chase in the mid 90’s. Some Ford enthusiasts will say the best Bronco was in the mid 1960’s and others believe it was the mid 1970’s. These Broncos STILL continue to be highly sought after, all these years and different releases later. Many collectors seek out the Broncos spanning these years and want to restore them to their former self. There’s just something nostalgic about a Ford Bronco for many people. The Ford Bronco and the Ford Bronco Sport are some of the most popular SUVs on the market today.