Ford LTD
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The Ford LTD is a car model name that has been used by the Ford Motor Company both in North America and Australia.
The LTD designation is considered by some an abbreviation of "Luxury Trim Decor" and by others as a limited body style classification for the Galaxie. There is evidence that, at least in Australia, it originally stood for "Lincoln Type Design." The original "Car Life" review at the time the first LTD was released suggests that it stood for nothing and was just three meaningless letters (that article also noted it could not stand for "limited" as Chrysler at the time already was using and had the copyright on that car name/designation). It was to be called the Galaxie LTD, in reference to the introduction of the Chevrolet Caprice which itself was an upscale model of the similar Chevrolet Impala model line and the similar body style but varying trim levels found in the Dodge Monaco and Polara. These upscale models had features found primarily on luxury models from these same manufacturers, but were sold with much lower retail prices. The standard upgrade on these cars were power windows, a power drivers seat, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, a full or half-vinyl top (called a landau or brougham randomly across different models by the same manufacturers. For example, the LTD was offered with a Landau top, but the Mercury Marquis and Ford Torino offered exactly the same roof as a Brougham package). Another list of upgrades were interiors made of better materials and more powerful engine options. Most of these upper trim models were usually all hardtops as opposed to pillared bodies.
North America
A luxury range of large cars wore the LTD badge from 1965 to 1991 in the United States. The LTD name debuted as a high-line option package on the Galaxie 500, but became a separate model for 1966. The Ford Galaxie name continued for the lower levels. In 1975, the LTD name took over completely, although the long-standing economy line, the Custom 500, remained available through 1978 for fleet sales in the US and as a full line in Canada. The LTD often shared its grille and trim pieces with the Galaxie XL sport coupe and the Country Squire station wagon. An even more upmarket model with Lincoln-like hidden headlights and fender skirts was marketed as the LTD Landau from 1975 to 1978. During this period, the model was also sold in Mexico.In 1977, the name was split and used on two different car lines. The full-size LTD continued, but a rebodied version of the Ford Torino was sold as the LTD II. Both offered coupe, sedan, and wagon body styles. This arrangement continued until the standard LTD was moved to the Ford Panther platform in 1979. An LTD Custom 500 model was available in Canada from 1979 to 1981.
In the early years of this body, two grille designs existed: a lower-line one with single square headlights and a more premium design with duals. The single-light design was most commonly seen on police cars, a market which this LTD and its successors came to dominate. In 1980, the top model became the Ford LTD Crown Victoria, easily identified by a targa-like chrome band across the roof, usually paired with a landau vinyl roof.
From 1983 to 1986, the LTD nameplate was used for two separate cars, kept on the full-size sedan as the LTD Crown Victoria and placed on a midsize car based on the Ford Fox platform as the LTD. The LTD continued in sedan and station wagon forms through 1986, overlapping slightly with the first model year of the Ford Taurus in 1986, the car that became its successor.
The LTD was a very successful car, being the third-best selling car in the United States in 1983 and 1984.
1975-1978 Ford LTD
This big car, which hobbled along in sales after the 1974 oil crisis, dates back to the sixties in basic design, 1973 in form. The size and feel of these cars are similar to the Buick LeSabre and Chevrolet Caprice before GM's 1977 downsizing. They're boats, big, heavy, and with appalling handling and road feel. They can fit six people inside both coupe and sedan though, nine in the wagon. Trunk space is also vast. While these cars weigh less than the earlier models, they are still far in excess of two tons, meaning that agility and fuel economy are both weak points. The most "economical" engine available was the 302cid V8, but it doesn't have enough power to motivate these behemoths, and suffers from valve guide wear because it's so overmatched. The next largest engine was Ford's 351cid V8, which was the most common, if not most powerful, choice. The 351 is well suited to LTD, and has a reputation for reliability in this car. Still larger was Ford's 400cid V8, with more power but less fuel economy, and without a reputation, good or bad. Topping the range was Lincoln's huge 460cid V8, which gives good power but gets less than 10 miles to the gallon in city traffic, some examples were observed being as thirsty as 6 or 7 mpg. Like all Fords of the era, LTD's are plagued with nasty rust problems and slipshod assembly work. Also, if you don't need this kind of space, you'd probably be better off with something smaller and more efficient. These were enormous cars, and they weren't cheap to fix when new. Since even the newest is now more than 20 years old, it might be better to leave LTD's to the collector market.
1977-1979 Ford LTD II
When Ford decided to phase out the Torino in 1976, they adopted the successful LTD name for its replacement. Since the first and full-size LTD was still on the market, the product planners added a "II" after the LTD. While the name might have been new, the car wasn't. Basically, the LTD II was a heavily restyled version of the old Torino, with a new look and a new name. Mid-size at the time, by 1979 the LTD II was classified as a full-size, mostly due to the arrival of Ford's revamped full-sizes. While LTD II was better than Torino in most ways, it made ist biggest strides in rust prevention, being far superior to the older and rustier cars. While the styling looked nice, the long hood and small back seat tend to give the driver the feeling of driving a much larger (and therefore less manueverable) car. The trunk really isn't as large as it could be for a car of such girth, but then, most cars were coupes and weren't intended for hauling around families. In fact, the wagon sold so poorly that it was dropped after just one season, 1977. Ford's 302cid V8 was standard, but the best bet for power and reliability was the 351cid V8, offered in two stages of tune. The big 400cid V8 was also available, but didn't give a big enough advantage in power over the 351 to justify its far worse fuel economy, and buyers didn't opt for it very often. All LTD II's are known for problems with ignition systems and transmissions, so those are problems to watch out for. Today, these cars are big and inefficient. Still, a good deal on a clean, low-mileage example might not be a bad choice for around-town driving. Other than that, stay away from rustbuckets, backyard hot-rods, and high-mileage multi-owner clunkers.
1979-1990 Ford LTD/LTD Crown Victoria/Crown Victoria
Downsized two years after its main rival, Chevrolet Impala, the new LTD was seven inches shorter than the old one, and four inches shorter than LTD II. The interior remained just as large as the big old LTD though, and the whole design got more efficient. The reduced width, size, and bulk all led to improved road manners and manueverability, which had been major drawbacks in the old LTD. Ride improved as well with the new car, as did the car's reputation for gas-guzzling, which was greatly reduced. Originally, the LTD was offered with the 302 and 351cid V8s, but the 351 was cancelled (except for Police specials) after 1980. For '81 and '82 Ford offered the 255cid V8, but it isn't known for power. The 302cid (5.0 liter) V8 became the sole powerplant after a 1983 re-engineering, although the police version could still be had with a carbureted 5.8 liter (351 CID) V8 up to the 1991 model year. The 302 was reworked again in 1986 (when it gained fuel-injection), and continued under the hood of these cars until their 1992 redesign. The LTD name went on a smaller Fairmont-based sedan for 1983, and the big cars became LTD Crown Victoria. When the styilng was revamped for 1988, the LTD designation was dropped, along with the Crown Vic's coupe. Beware of '80-'81 cars equipped with the 4-speed overdrive automatic, as some cars were known for sudden stalling at speed with that transmission, for reasons that still aren't known. Brakes tend to wear quickly on the early cars, and station wagons that recieve heavy loads regularly can have springs that go soft and let the car sag in back. Also watch for rust, especially on cars made before '83. All told though, these cars are equivelant the Chevrolet Caprice/Impala, and are good values used. Additionally all LTD Crown Victorias equipped with the 302 engine made for the 1986 model year and later came standard with electronic multi port fuel injection, while the Chevrolet V8s continued carbureted unti 1991, when the carburetor was replaced with throttle body injection, and didn't receive multi port injection until the 1994 model year. The 4.3L V6 Caprices of the mid to late 80s also had throttle body injection.
1983-1986 Ford LTD/Mercury Marquis
Ford's final family sedan based on the "Fox" chassis, the LTD, and its Mercury twin, the Marquis, are basically a restyle of the unsuccessful '81-'82 Granada/Cougar and the popular '78-'83 Fairmont/Zephyr. In fact, the running gear is identical to the Fairmont, sharing Fairmont's controlled ride and handling, and all of the virtues of the later Fairmont, including its reputation for reliability. The new LTD and Marquis are still very linear looking, but are much less boxy than the old Fairmont, though neither never got Fairmont's slick looking Futura coupe.
Both inherited the Fairmont's 2.3 liter four cylinder base engine, again underpowered for even this mid-size car, and Fairmont's 200cid inline six and (in 1984) 302cid V8. The V8 gained fuel-injection in LTD and Marquis though, something it didn't have when under the hood of the fairmont back in the seventies. Inherited from the Granada was Ford's 3.8 liter (232cid) "Essex" V6, which gave smooth and reliable power. Essex gained fuel injection for '84 in the US; in Canada however, it was carbureted until 1986. An odd option for '83 and '84 was a Propane-powered four cylinder, but it had three problems. 1. It was seldom ordered, 2. Fuel availablity was scarce at best, and 3. it was unreliable, and propane was potentially dangerous in a crash. Stay away from this novel powerplant. LTD's final season was 1986, when Ford kept it alive due to the radical nature of its replacement, the Taurus. If the Taurus (and its Mercury twin, the Sable) had failed, the LTD and Marquis would have continued. That isn't how it worked out though, fortunately. LTD's and Marquis' are reliable and relatively trouble-free used cars, and rank high among American cars of the period. The only two major issues to watch out for are worn struts and leaky power steering systems.
Police Usage
Because of the sturdy body-on-frame construction of the large, roomy LTD/Crown Vic, the marque is a popular choice amongst police agencies, primarily in North America, but in US-influenced countries abroad as well.Brazil
The LTD was also produced locally in Brazil between 1967 - 1983, based on the 1966 Ford Galaxie. A locally-produced stretch limousine was also produced (the film Wild Orchid featured an early 1980s LTD limousine).Australia
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At least in Australia [LTD] originally stood for "Lincoln Type Design" although Ford in Australia later promoted a connection with meaning "Limited."
Originally, the LTD was offered as a luxury sedan and a vinyl-roofed hardtop coupé called the LTD Landau, based on the Falcon Hardtop Coupé. (Unlike the US version, the Australian Landau was never offered as a sedan.) Both models were notable for their concealed headlamps, which would be revealed when their vacuum-operated grille sections were activated. The technology was similar to that found on an option offered on an earlier Ford Thunderbird.
A facelift in 1976 saw an even more flamboyant grille with four round headlamps, apeing Rolls-Royces and other luxury models. The Landau was dropped.
In 1979, a squared-off LTD was launched, based on the XD series Ford Falcon of the time. The third generation LTDs came on stream for the 1989 model year, based on the EA26 series Falcon.
Currently, the fourth generation LTD, built on the EA169 platform, is Ford Australia's top model and is exported to New Zealand and in small numbers to Coleman Milne of the UK. It received its first major facelift in 2002, as part of the 'BA' series updates, though it began sharing its tail lights with the lesser Falcon.
Unlike some lesser Fords, the Fairlane and LTD were never assembled in New Zealand.
In fiction
Sci-fi movie Men in Black starred on screen a re-vamped version of this car painted all black, used as the primary transportation vehicle of the main characters (played by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith).Characters Sal and Annie Boca from the 1971 film The French Connection also drove an LTD.
In the movie National Lampoon's Vacation, the Family Truckster is largely based on a wildly modified (or uglified) LTD Country Squire station wagon.
In the movie Blues Brothers 2000 the "Blues Mobile" was a 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria police cruiser. The vehicle was featured extensively throughout the movie, as it was used to perform various high-performance stunts and supposedly filled with over a dozen people.
In the video game the taxi and police vehicles are modelled after the mid-1980's Ford LTD.
See also
Ford Crown VictoriaExternal links
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