Ford Granada (United States)

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Ford Granada (USA)
Production period: 1975-1982
Class : upper middle class
Body versions : Limousine , coupe
Previous model: Falcon
Successor: Taurus

The American automobile manufacturer Ford produced the mid-range model Ford Granada from 1974 to 1982 in the USA , which was created in two generations and is not related to the European Ford Granada .

First generation (1975–1980)

Model years 1975–1980
Ford Granada Ghia (1974-1977)

Ford Granada Ghia (1974-1977)
Production period: 1975-1980
Body versions : Limousine , coupe
Engines:
Petrol engines : 3.3-5.8 liters
(60-113 kW)
Length: 5020 mm
Width: 1880 mm
Height: 1355 mm
Wheelbase :
Empty weight : 1480-1595 kg

background

In the 1960s, Ford offered the mid-range Falcon , which was one of the most successful American cars of its decade. Below the Falcon was the compact Maverick introduced in 1970, and above it the larger and heavier Torino . When Ford ceased production of the Falcon in the summer of 1970, Ford's range of models had a gap between the Maverick and the Torino. To close it, Ford developed the mid-range model Granada in the early 1970s, which, according to the original plans, should also replace the Maverick. When demand for small cars increased in the American market as a result of the first oil crisis in 1974, Ford decided to offer the Granada alongside the Maverick. The Maverick was later replaced by the Ford Fairmont .

Technology and body

Ford Granada Coupé with the conspicuously narrow rear side windows

From a technical point of view, the Granada was a conventional design and had a lot in common with the Maverick, which in turn had adopted some of the design elements of the Ford Falcon. Some of the technical components of the Granada can therefore be traced back to 1960 in their basic construction.

The Granada used the platform of the four-door version of the Maverick, which was longer than the two-door hatchback variant. The wheelbase of the four-door Maverick and the Granada were identical. The chassis and suspension parts of both cars also corresponded to one another: the Granada had wishbones and coil springs at the front, and a leaf-sprung rigid axle at the rear , although the dimensions of the springs had been changed slightly.

The body of the Granada, however, was independent and followed a different design language. It was more matter-of-fact and straightforward than that of the plump Maverick. The aim was to create a European-looking design that stood out from the usual, "overstyled" forms of American vehicles. Ford's designers based the body design on the Mercedes-Benz “Stroke Eight” , which was very successful in the USA. Some observers also recognized similarities in the shape of the C-pillar with the Italian Gran Turismo Coupé De Tomaso Longchamp designed by Tom Tjaarda .

The Granada was only available in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a two-door coupe with very wide doors and strikingly narrow rear side windows, known as the Opera Window .

The engines of the Granada were known from the Maverick and the Torino. There was a choice of six-cylinder in-line engines with 3,273 or 4,093 cc and eight-cylinder engines with 4,942 or 5,766 cc. The smallest and the largest engine were omitted with the 1979 model year. The power of all engines was low by European standards: it was between 82 hp for the small six-cylinder engine and 145 hp for the large V8 engine. The power was transmitted via a manual three-speed gearbox; a three-speed automatic transmission was optionally available for all engines.

Facelift

In its original form, the Ford Granada was produced in the model years 1975 to 1977. The style of the car was slightly revised for the 1978 model year. Instead of the round individual headlights of the first years of construction, angular light units were used, which were positioned above the (also angularly shaped) indicators.

Variants with other brands

Ford's sister brand Mercury offered its own version of the Granada under the name Mercury Monarch . Outwardly, the monarch was almost identical to the Granada. The main distinguishing feature was the radiator grille: While the Ford version had a horizontally and vertically structured grill, Mercury's Monarch had a brand-typical grill decorated with vertical chrome struts. The rear lights of the two versions also differed slightly. The Monarch was slightly better equipped than the Granada and cost about $ 100 to $ 150 more each. The production of the monarch remained significantly behind that of the Granada.

Luxury variant of the Granada: Lincoln Versailles

Another derivative of the American Ford Granada was the Lincoln Versailles presented in 1977 , which was positioned in the luxury car segment . The Versailles was to compete with the successful Cadillac Seville , which in turn competed against high-priced imported cars such as the Mercedes-Benz "Stroke-Eight". Lincoln's version was more than twice as expensive as a Granada, but looked little different from the base vehicle. The Versailles had four angular headlights, a vinyl roof and a trunk lid with a curve reminiscent of the Lincoln Mark Series , which was supposed to imitate a standing spare wheel. Otherwise the sheet metal parts of the cars were identical. The Versailles was not a success. The externally perceptible proximity to simple Granada was perceived by customers as unattractive.

production

The American Granada was a success. The car sold better in all years of production than the larger Torino and LTD II models , which were larger, less economical, and nearly $ 1,000 more expensive. In the literature, the successful Granada is seen as Ford's most important car of the 1970s: Similar to the Ford Mustang ten years earlier, the car was precisely tailored to the needs of customers and helped Ford survive the difficult years of the oil crisis.

In the course of the 1970s, the competing companies presented cars with a similar design, the technology of which was more up-to-date than that of the Granada and which looked much more modern. These included the Chevrolet Malibu and the sister models of the other GM brands as well as the F-Bodies from Chrysler ( Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré ). With their advent, the older Granada dwindled in appeal, causing its production numbers to decline towards the end of the decade.


Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch production figures
Model year Ford Granada Mercury Monarch
1975 302.65 8 103.936
1976 548.784 145.823
1977 390,579 127,697
1978 249,786 091.714
1979 182,376 075,879
1980 090,429 030,518
total 1,764,612 575,567

Technical specifications

Ford Granada
3.3 R6 4.1 R6 4.9 V8 5.8 V8
construction time 1975-1988 1975-1980 1975-1980 1975-1988
engine Six-cylinder in-line engine Eight-cylinder V-engine
Displacement 3,273 cc 4,093 cc 4,942 cc 5,766 cc
Bore × stroke 93.52 x 79.4 mm 93.52 x 99.31 mm 101.62 x 76.2 mm 101.62 x 88.9 mm
power 82 hp
at 3,400 in min -1 		88 hp
at 3000 in min -1 		136 hp
at 3,600 in min -1 		145 hp
at 3,200 in min -1
compression 8.3: 1 8.0: 1
Mixture preparation Single carburetor, Carter Double carburetor, Ford
Valve control hanging valves with side camshaft
cooling Water cooling
transmission Manual three-speed transmission; On request: automatic three-speed transmission
Front suspension Wishbone with coil springs
Rear suspension Rigid axle with leaf springs
Brakes front disc brakes / rear drum brakes
body Self-supporting, steel construction
wheelbase 2,790 mm
Dimensions
(length × width × height)		 5,020 × 1,880 × 1,355 mm
Empty weight 1,480 kg 1,515 kg 1,563 kg 1,595 kg
Top speed 140 km / h 145 km / h 160 km / h 175 km / h
Consumption per 100 km 13.0 liters 15.0 liters 17.0 liters 20.0 liters

Second generation (1980–1982)

Model years 1981–1982
Ford Granada (1982)

Ford Granada (1982)
Production period: 1980-1982
Body versions : Limousine , coupe
Engines:
Petrol engines : 2.3-4.2 liters
(64-86 kW)
Length: 4991 mm
Width: 1803 mm
Height: 1346 mm
Wheelbase :
Empty weight : 1211-1357 kg

In the fall of 1980, the second generation of the American Granada was introduced. In order to reduce fuel consumption, it had been made noticeably smaller than its predecessor and was now based on the next smaller model, the Fairmont . He also received its engines: a 2300 cm³ four-cylinder (the "Pinto engine", which was also used in Europe in the Taunus and in the European version of the Granada ), the well-known six-cylinder (now only with 3300 cm³) and a V8 -Motor that had been reduced to 4200 cc. For the first time, the Granada was also available in a station wagon version.

In this form, however, the Granada did not meet the taste of the public. The sales figures were disappointing. It may have played a role that it was too similar to the cheaper Fairmont; In addition, from the beginning of 1982 General Motors offered the Chevrolet Celebrity, a much more modern car in this size class.

The second generation of the Granada was built for only two years and was replaced by the end of 1982. The successor was - confusingly - called Ford LTD , until then the model name for a large American Ford model. The previous model with this name was named LTD Crown Victoria .

The "small" LTD was built until 1985 and then replaced by the Ford Taurus . The Taurus represented a big step forward in terms of model and vehicle technology. With front-wheel drive and an aerodynamically shaped body, it followed European models, unlike the American Granada.

Ford produced a total of 1.76 million copies of the first-generation Granada, while the second generation produced 196,500 units.

literature

  • Albert R. Bochroch: American Cars of the Seventies . Warne's Transport Library, London 1982. ISBN 0-7232-2870-1 .
  • John Gunnell: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Krause Publications, Iola 2002. ISBN 0-87349-461-X , p. 444 ff.
  • James M. Flammang, Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999. Krause Publications, Iola 1999. ISBN 0-87341-755-0 , pp. 466-510.
  • Richard M. Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980. New York (Beekman House) 1984. ISBN 0-517-42462-2 .
  • John Dinkel: Technical Analysis: Ford Granada & Mercury Monarch . Road & Track, issue 8/1974, p. 36 ff.
  • NN: Ford Granada: Small Cars Stop Being Spartan . Car & Driver, issue 8/1974, p. 28 ff.

Web links

Commons : Ford Granada  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930–1980, p. 316.
  2. ^ Road & Track, Issue 8/1974, p. 38.
  3. ↑ a b Road & Track, Issue 8/1974, p. 37.
  4. ↑ On the design: Road & Track, issue 8/1974, p. 36.
  5. ↑ Data from car catalog No. 20 (1976/77), p. 184 f.
  6. ↑ Information according to www.gmv-registry.com ( Memento of the original dated May 30, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed July 31, 2012). @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gmv-registry.com
  7. ↑ The technical data was taken from the car catalog No. 20 (1976/77); In individual model years, the performance of the engines deviates slightly from the data given here.