Image: Pixabay by Jeromy Reimer
About This Quiz
It's an odd time for supporters of the Blue Oval. In an effort to maximize profitability, the company announced that, in the 2020 model year, the only passenger car Ford will produce for the North American market is the iconic Mustang, choosing instead to focus on SUV and truck sales, which have been strongest for the company in the past few years. No more Edges, Fusions or Tauruses for Ford aficionados. If it isn't a truck, SUV, cross-over or a Mustang, it's not going to be on the showroom floor.Â
While this makes sense from a financial point of view, the change brings an end to many beloved models for Ford fanatics. In this quiz, we'll be taking a look back at some of the cars that the company produced over the past decade. Some will be instantly familiar while some might be long forgotten, but they all had that big blue oval badge on them.Â
We'll also be looking at the trucks, SUVs and cross-overs that have seemingly won the day as we shuffle through the past. We have to believe, however, that market forces will change and some of the cars might make a comeback in the North American marketplace. After all, the only constant in the automotive business is change.Â
But, hey, let's not call this a funeral — let's call it a celebration of the cars that moved America for decades! Let's have a quick Fiesta as we Focus on the cars that were created when Ford Flexed their muscles, looking for an Edge. We'll take an Expedition as we Explore Big Blue's inventory. We might even have to tame a Bronco or two along the way. Are you ready for this look back at the cars that were? Sure you are, so saddle up your Mustang, and let's ride!
Contour
GT40
Taurus
The Ford Taurus, introduced in the 1999 model year, was a big model for the company, selling more than 1 million vehicles in its first three years. Sales had been in decline for the past decade, however, selling just more than 28,000 units in 2018.
Probe
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Fusion
Replacing the Taurus body style on the track, the Ford Fusion became the template for Ford NASCAR racers in 2006, the same year it was introduced. The Mustang replaced it for the 2019 racing year.
Mustang
Tempo
Flex
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Silverado
Ranger
F-150
F-250
One of the vehicles not affected by Ford's decision to restructure its inventory is the F-250 pickup, which, along with its F-350 and F-450 brothers, falls into the category of "Super Duty" pickups that have higher towing and payload capacity than the F-150.
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Ranger
While the nameplate had been used on other vehicles previously, the small but mighty Ranger first became its own line of trucks in the 1983 model year. It was retired in 2011, but thanks to the new focus on trucks (no pun intended), the Ranger is back in the lineup as of the 2019 model year.
F-150
Ranchero
N-Series
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Ranger
Mustang
F-150
All the above
Gas/electric hybrid technology has come a long way in the past few years, and Ford plans to put that technology to the test by developing hybrid versions of many of their vehicles, including vehicles known for power (the F-150) and speed (the Mustang). The hybrids are expected for the 2021 model year.
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Escape
Explorer
The Ford Explorer started as a trim level for the F-Series, but became a model of its own in 1990, replacing the Bronco II in the 1991 model year. The vehicle also replaced the Crown Victoria as the automaker's law enforcement variant when the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, based on a fifth-gen Explorer, in 2013.
Expedition
Executive
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Flex
The Ford Flex was a full-size crossover SUV that could seat seven but didn't fall into the "minivan" category that many "hip" drivers wanted nothing to do with. Falling between the Explorer and Expedition, the Flex survived the culling and lives to drive another day.
Ecosport
Bronco
Excursion
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Crown Victoria
The Crown Victoria was a full-size sedan that was part of Ford's lineup from the 1992 to 2012 model years. The rear-wheel-drive Crown Vic, in its Police Interceptor variant, was a favorite of law enforcement officers in the U.S., Canada and Saudi Arabia for many years.
Edge
Spectron
LTD II
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Transit Custom
Explorer
F-150
Fiesta
The Fiesta was the "little car that could" since its introduction in 1976. The sixth-generation Fiesta has as one of its engine options a 1.0-liter EcoBoost inline-three-cylinder engine, along with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost inline-four. The Fiesta was discontinued in North America in 2019.
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Mustang
C-Max
The C-Max Energi was available in the 2013 to 2017 model years, offered a top speed of 85 mph, and had a total system power of 195 horsepower. In 2014, it was the fourth-most-popular plug-in car in the U.S.
Focus RS
Fiesta ST
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Capri
Corsair
S-Max
The S-Max, made by Ford Europe, is considered part of the "Sports Activity Vehicle" (SAV) class. The five-door vehicle, available in with several engine options, was debuted in 2006 and is still part of the automaker's European lineup.
Telestar
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REC
SHO
The Super High Output (SHO) variant of the Ford Taurus first showed up on the model in 1988 and lasted until 1999, and then returned to the 2010 model year and remained until the Taurus line was discontinued.
IROC
TRD
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Focus
Fusion
Mustang
Well, for those paying attention, this was just the process of elimination. The Mustang is the only passenger car Ford intended to produce for the United States, so of course, it's going to represent the line on the NASCAR racing car circuit. Still, it's got the horses!
Galaxy
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Ranger
F-250
F-150
Sales of the F-150 have been so robust over the last few years — and by years, we mean decades — that the decision to focus primarily on trucks and SUVs became more and more attractive to Ford. F-150s have been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. since 1986.
Transit
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Aspire
Granada
Galaxy
Developed in 1995, the Ford Galaxy has enjoyed a long production run in Europe and is still available today. It could be mistaken for a minivan, but never had the telltale sliding door. Now in its fourth generation, it is available in the Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X trim levels.
Ka
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Flex
Expedition
E-Series
Edge
The Ford Edge was introduced in the 2007 model year and is currently in its second generation. The Ford counterpart of the Lincoln MKX, the Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV that has been rated as one of the safest vehicles in the class.
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Civic
Focus
The Ford Focus was developed under the automaker's "Ford 2000" plan, where the same model of car was to be sold around the world. Replacing the Escort in the lineup, the Focus first hit the streets in the 1998 model year and, in the U.S., lasted until 2018. The fourth generation of the car is still available in Europe.
Flex
Fiesta
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Aviator
MKZ
Continental
One of Ford's oldest nameplates, the Lincoln Continental, first hit the streets in the 1939 model year. The Continental was retired in 2002 but brought back for the 2017 model year, sharing a platform with the Ford Fusion and built in Michigan alongside the Mustang.
Nautilus
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Lincoln
Mercury
Ford's entry-level premium brand, Mercury, was first established in 1938 by Edsel Ford to compete with the Buick and Oldsmobile lines from GM and similar vehicles from Chrysler. To consolidate and concentrate on the Ford and Lincoln brands, Mercury was shuttered in 2011.
Infiniti
Pontiac
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Edge
Escape
The Ford Escape was developed for the 2001 model year in a joint venture with Mazda. The Mazda version was called the Tribune, and Ford named theirs the Escape. A compact crossover, the Escape hit the 2020 model year with a lighter, wider body and four trim levels.
S-Max
Expedition
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R-Series
N-Series
F-Series
E-Series
Ford's E-Series vans first made their appearance in 1960 and was, for the greatest part of its production run, the most popular van in the U.S. Replaced by the Ford Transit series, the E-Series was only offered in chassis cab configurations, but will be back in force in the 2021 model year.
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Ranger
Super Duty
Orion
Expedition
Sharing body and components with the F-150 line, the Ford Expedition hit the showroom floor in the 1997 model year, replacing the Bronco in the lineup. The Expedition was the first full-size, four-door SUV in Ford's inventory.
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GT
The GT, designed after the historic endurance racer the GT40, was produced from 2004 through 2006, and then made a comeback with a second-generation started in 2016. Its EcoBoost V6 produces 647 horsepower and uses many of the same components as the F-150s V6 engine.
Kuga
Laser
Ikon
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Lynx
Bobcat
Cougar
Puma
Based on the seventh-generation Fiesta chassis, Ford gave the Puma a new lease on life in 2019. With a 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost inline-three engine, the second-gen Puma makes a comeback after having been retired in 2001.
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Transit
EcoSport
The Ford EcoSport was first made for the 2004 model year in Brazil and became a best-selling vehicle in South and Central America. For the second generation, in 2013, Ford expanded the assembly plants making the EcoSport to Romania, China, India, Thailand, Russia and Vietnam.
C-Max
Focus RS
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Boss
Coyote
EcoBoost
The EcoBoost engines, developed in 2009, are designed to give the driver the power and torque of a larger engine while giving them the fuel economy of a smaller-sized motor. The turbocharged, direct-injection engines also have lower greenhouse gas output.
Zetec-SE
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Kuga
A compact SUV, the Ford Kuga started life being produced in Germany, and later went on to be produced in Spain, China, Russia and the U.S. The vehicle is currently in its third generation and includes a plug-in gas/electric hybrid version.
Ka
Fiera
Freestyle
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Mustang
The third-generation Mustang had fallen far from its heights in the 1960 — so far that Ford made plants to develop it as a variant of the Mazda MX-6. Hundreds of thousands of letters from angry fans later, the plans were scrapped, and what was to become the next Mustang instead became the Ford Probe.
F-150
GT
Edge
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LN7
Milan
Monterey
Sable
The Mercury Sable was produced, with a three-year break starting in 2005, from 1986 through 2009. Classified as mid-size from 1986 through 2005 and then as a full-size from 2008 to 2009, the Sable was the Mercury counterpart of the popular Ford Taurus.
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Milan
Both Mercury and Lincoln both had vehicles based on the Ford Fusion, with the Mercury Milan being an upscale twin of the vehicle. The Milan arrived at the end of its road in late 2010, when the entire Mercury line was dropped.
Villager
Mystique
Tracer
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Maverick
Landau
Ka
Bronco
A full-size SUV built on the F-Series frame for most of its life, the Bronco was a compact SUV that saw five generations produced until it was retired in 1996. That's not where the Bronco's story ends, though; the sixth generation will hit showroom floors in the 2021 model year.
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Crestliner
B-Max
Available in 30 countries, the B-Max was made by Ford Europe between 2012 and 2017. Based on the Ford Fiesta, the B-Max was designed to take on similar vehicles from Fiat, Citroën and Nissan in that market space, and got good reviews during its run.
Mainline
CX
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Elite
Ka
Developed in 1996 and manufactured in Spain, Italy, Poland, and Brazil, the Ka has lived most of its production run as a small "city" car. For its third generation, in 2016, it was reconfigured as a subcompact. The current third generation was also introduced to India.
Squire
Pampa
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Five
The Mustangs for the 2020 model year offer EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, GT Premium and Bullitt trim levels. Bullitt and GT levels aren't available in the convertible body style, but that's still a lot to choose from!
One
Two
Nine
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Elite
Del Rey
Consul
Mondeo
Built in Belgium, Russia and Spain, various generations of the Mondeo have been derived from both the Ford Contour and the Ford Fusion. First developed in 1993, the Mondeo is still being made and can be found in various motorsport competitions around the world.
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