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His little “G-car” might have been a little too small, but something smaller than Maverick was going to be necessary. This defeat, plus continuing pressures from other areas of the company, led to Knudsen getting the word from HFII that his efforts as president were “just not working.” In due time, the presidency was Iacocca’s. Iacocca’s persistence paid off and in January 1969, Henry Ford II gave his approval for Ford’s first domestic sub-compact. By some accounts, Knudsen did have a substantial role in the Pinto project. With the OK given in 1969 to move ahead on bringing the Ford Pinto to life, a release date in less than 20 months, September 1970, was set. That need only intensified after reports came in that the other U.S.
The grille and headlamp buckets were charcoal colored. Styled steel wheels and a front stabilizer bar completed the external portion of the package (though Runabouts were also equipped with the all-glass hatch). The Cruising Wagon continued with several different stripe kits available. To capitalize on the eye appeal of this package, a similar getup was newly offered for the Runabout. Interior appointments kept the performance theme alive with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, plus an instrument cluster with a tachometer, ammeter, and coolant-temperature gauge. Like the Cruising Wagon, the $330 hatchback package included blackout trim in all the usual places, multicolor bodyside stripes, white-painted styled-steel wheels, a sport steering wheel, and the gauge package.
Ford started toying with the idea of a domestically produced smaller compact in the mid Sixties. As early as 1967, there had been some consideration of an 85-inch-wheelbase car powered by something with less than six cylinders. Iacocca, then executive vice president in charge of Ford’s North American Vehicle Operations, argued that between the Volkswagen from Germany and the rising tide of Japanese compacts, these imports would soon capture the entire subcompact market in the United States, and Ford should produce a car to meet these foreign challengers head-on. After the successful launch of the Mustang and an upswing in sales, many felt Iacocca was next in line for the presidency at Ford.
Once again, Ford’s corporate legal machine went to work. However, this was another stern warning not only to Ford, but to all of American industry regarding its responsibility for product safety. Ultimately, the trial judge had to dismiss the criminal charges. Finally, in September 1978, Ford issued a recall for 1.5 million 1971-76 Pinto sedans and Runabouts, plus all similar 1975-76 Mercury Bobcats, for a safety repair. Then, too, the driver of the speeding van that rear-ended the Pinto was in possession of alcohol and drugs, which were deemed to have contributed more to the accident than anything else. It was found that the accident had occurred on a stretch of road that was notorious for being dangerous.
Of course, not everything at Ford, nor with the industry as a whole, was rosy. It also pointed out all of the safety innovations Ford had pioneered, from its first safety packages in 1956 to the Tot-Guard child-restraint system first offered in 1967. It talked about protecting passengers with safety-designed instrument and dash panels, plus the use of low-profile impact-absorbing vinyl coat hooks. More and more, the federal government was getting involved in what was built into America’s cars, based on two keywords: safety and emissions. In a 1971 special report to Ford dealers and salesmen, a personal message from Henry Ford II addressed 10 points of commitment the company was making toward the environment.
Inside, a carpeted cargo area extended to the sidewalls in the rear compartment. Runabouts could be given an even airier look via a solid-glass rear hatch that cost just $13. Even with escalating prices, Pinto buyers were still in the market for a few extras for their motoring pleasure. Interiors were rather snazzy with plaid cloth and striking color combinations in vinyl, featuring plush Ruffino leather-like graining, or special stitching patterns. In addition to several sound systems including AM/FM with eight-track players and air conditioning, Bangkok Condos for Sale – simply click the up coming web site – Watthana (mouse click the up coming internet site) Ford offered a whole treasure trove of accessories. New this year for the sedan and Runabout was a pop-up glass sunroof that could be removed altogether.
