Ford Pinto Release Year
The Ford Pinto was first introduced in 1971 as a subcompact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market. It was designed to compete with the growing Japanese subcompact class of cars and was marketed as the “carefree car”. The Pinto was a response to the need for a car to fight against imports such as the Corolla, the Civic, or the Beetle, and it was developed in 25 months, which was the fastest to date for the American automaker.
Contents
- What went wrong with the Ford Pinto?
- Was the Ford Pinto a death trap?
- Did Ford know the Pinto was unsafe?
- How much did a new Ford Pinto cost?
- Is the Ford Pinto rare?
- How many people died in Ford Pinto case?
- How much is a Ford Pinto worth today?
- How much was a Ford Pinto in 1971?
- What was the last year Ford Pinto was made?
- Why did Ford make Pinto?
What went wrong with the Ford Pinto?
The Pinto, a subcompact car made by Ford Motor Company, became infamous in the 1970s for bursting into flames if its gas tank was ruptured in a collision. The lawsuits brought by injured people and their survivors uncovered how the company rushed the Pinto through production and onto the market.
Was the Ford Pinto a death trap?
As a result, the Pinto was highly vulnerable to lethal fires in rear-end collisions and was in fact a “fire trap” and a “death trap.” Ford decided to ignore the defect anyway, because re-design would have delayed the entry of the car into the market and caused a potential loss of market share to competitors.
Did Ford know the Pinto was unsafe?
Thus, Ford knew that the Pinto represented a serious fire hazard when struck from the rear, even in low-speed collisions. Ford officials faced a decision. Should they go ahead with the existing design, thereby meeting the production timetable but possibly jeopardizing consumer safety?
How much did a new Ford Pinto cost?
$2,000
The Pinto was to cost less than $2,000 and weigh less that 2,000 pounds. During crash tests which preceded the introduction of the Pinto to the public, it became apparent that the vehicle had a dangerous design flaw.
Is the Ford Pinto rare?
It was notable as one of the first domestic cars competing against sporty downsized offerings from Europe and Japan. Ford sold more than three million Pintos over nine years of production. The 1976 example for sale on eBay is a rare survivor.
How many people died in Ford Pinto case?
An official total of 27 deaths was tied to the vehicle, though some estimates are far higher. Of course, even at the conservative end of the spectrum, 27 preventable fatalities caused by a car with a propensity to explode and burn is still 27 too many.
How much is a Ford Pinto worth today?
Q: What is the lowest sale price of a Ford Pinto? A: The lowest recorded sale price was $2,000 for a 1980 Ford Pinto Pony Wagon on Oct 5 2023. Q: What is the average sale price of a Ford Pinto? A: The average price of a Ford Pinto is $9,603.
How much was a Ford Pinto in 1971?
The first version of the Pinto released in 1971 had a brand-new platform and borrowed the powertrain from the European Ford Escort model, costing around $2,078 new. The Pinto had the shortest production planning schedule in automotive history at that time. It was made from the 1971 to 1980 model years.
What was the last year Ford Pinto was made?
1980
The final production year was 1980, as Ford Escort replaced Pinto in the Blue Oval lime-up. But for 10 years, Pinto was a huge part of American automotive consciousness, with 3,173,491 models built, but cut from the line well before its predicted 11-million-unit build-and-sale.
Why did Ford make Pinto?
Fighting strong competition from Volkswagen for the lucrative small-car market, the Ford Motor Company rushed the Pinto into production in much less than the usual time. Ford engineers discovered in pre-production crash tests that rear-end collisions would rupture the Pinto’s fuel system extremely easily.
