Ford, Yesterday & Today

Book excerpt: From Model T to Mustang, high-performance muscle cars to high-efficiency hybrids, Ford: Yesterday & Today is a captivating chronicle of what many regard as the most significant name in automotive history. Concise text and hundreds of compelling color photos tell the "Blue Oval" saga through more than 100 eventful years. The book was compiled by the auto editors of Consumer Guide. The story begins with company founder Henry Ford, who literally put the world on wheels with the first mass-produced automobile, the simple and rugged Tin Lizzie. This Model T, then the Model A and then the first low-priced V-8 car with the versatile flathead engine--these were the foundation of a juggernaut. Ups and downs followed for the next seven decades, as Ford vied with another colossus--Chevrolet--and many competitors in the United States and abroad. The entire story is told through the lens of key car categories. Read about: ? Family Haulers. The sedans and station wagons that generations grew up with, like the Ranch Wagon, the Fairlane, the Granada, the Crown Victoria, the Taurus and many more, including today's leading-edge hybrid cars.? Sunshine Specials. Ford's long and impressive history of open-tops and convertibles, ranging from the compact Model N through the DeLuxe, Sunliner, and rag-top versions of Torinos, Mustangs, and LTDs.? Stylish Cruisers. Including the Crown Victoria, Galaxie 500, LTD Landau, and Granada.? Dozens of other history-making models, from Ford's compact cars through generations of Mustangs and Shelbys, Thunderbirds, race cars and muscle cars, F-line pickups, SUVs, and even Ford's stellar history of police vehicles