Ford Fox platform

Ford Fox platform
File:88Mustang 9917.JPG
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	1978–2004 model years
Body and chassis
Class	Compact Mid-size Personal luxury car Pony car
Layout	FR
Body style(s)	two-door convertible two-door coupe three-door hatchback four-door sedan five-door station wagon
Vehicles	see below
Chronology
Successor	Ford SN-95 platform Ford D2C platform Ford MN12 platform Ford D186 platform Ford CE14 platform

The Ford Fox platform is a rear-wheel drive, unitized-chassis automobile architecture that was used by Ford Motor Company in North America for various compact and mid-size automobiles from 1978 to 1993; a substantial redesign of the Ford Mustang in 1994 extended its life another eleven years. With the exception of the Panther platform, the Fox platform is the longest-produced vehicle architecture by Ford Motor Company.

Designed to be relatively lightweight and simple, in keeping with the general downsizing of Detroit designs in the late 1970s, the Fox platform served as a replacement for many models derived from the original Ford Falcon (dating from 1960); the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr were introduced as the replacements for the Ford Maverick and Mercury Comet. Through its production, the Fox platform would spawn a total of thirteen distinct Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln models across various model segments with multiple bodystyles and powertrains. As downsizing became more common in the American automotive industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Fox platform was used for many nameplates that underwent downsizing. As American automobile manufacturers adopted front-wheel drive in compact and mid-size vehicles during the 1980s, the use of the Fox platform shifted away from family sedans and towards coupes.

Design history

The Fox platform, like most compact and mid-size cars of the late 1970s, was designed with a rear-wheel drive layout. In contrast to the full-size Fords and Mercurys of the time, the Fox platform used unibody construction. Due to the wide variety of cars using the Fox platform from its introduction, it was designed to accommodate four-cylinder (naturally aspirated and turbocharged), inline-6, V-6, and V-8 engines. During the 1980s, the Fox platform was adapted for the use of diesel engines.

1983 model year changes

For the 1983 model year, the Fox platform was a central part of a major shift of the Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln product ranges. While the 1980-1982 Ford Granada, Ford Thunderbird, and Mercury Cougar had all seen a sales collapse in the marketplace, fuel prices had stabilized to the point where Ford chose to postpone its planned discontinuation of its full-size vehicles. To rectify the situation, Ford updated its Fox-platform vehicles.

In an act of downsizing, the base model of the full-size model range became a mid-size car while the upper-trim car became the sole full-size car. The Ford LTD replaced the Granada while the Marquis replaced the Cougar sedan and wagon. Returning exclusively to the personal-luxury segment, the Thunderbird and Cougar coupes were redesigned for 1983, becoming the first aerodynamic-bodied Fords; while not as sporty as the Mustang, the Thunderbird and Cougar placed a far greater emphasis on handling than their predecessors. At Lincoln, the Fox platform became the home for two models; for 1982, the division split the Continental nameplate away from the Town Car with a four-door sedan (while not a direct replacement for the Versailles, it again competed with the Cadillac Seville). For 1984, the Continental Mark VII was introduced; while not a coupe version of the Continental sedan, the two cars shared a common wheelbase. Along with a number of other advanced features for its time, the Mark VII was notable for being the first car sold in North America with composite headlights since before World War II.

As the 1980s, Ford Motor Company was part of a growing trend among automobile manufacturers with the adoption of front-wheel drive in compact and mid-size models. For 1984, the introductory Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr were discontinued at the end of the model year, replaced by the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz. After the 1986 model year, the Ford LTD and Mercury Marquis nameplates were discontinued following the introduction of the 1986 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable; the Fox-based Lincoln Continental was replaced by a front-wheel drive version based on the Ford Taurus for 1988. After the 1989 redesign of the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar, the Fox platform had been pared down to two models: the Ford Mustang and the Lincoln Continental Mark VII, which was discontinued in 1992.

SN-95

See also: Ford Mustang (fourth generation)

The Fox platform architecture was substantially upgraded for the 1994 model year redesign of the Ford Mustang under the body family program code name Fox-4; it later came to be known as the SN-95 platform. This version was wider and about 60% of the parts were redesigned. With the 2004 Mustang SVT Cobra as its ultimate development, production of the Fox/SN95 platform ended at the end of the model year after 26 years of production.

This platform was replaced for the 2005 Mustang (code named S-197), with the new Ford D2C platform.

Vehicles

Vehicle name	Image	Production	Predecessor	Successor	Notes
Fox-platform vehicles (compact)
Ford Fairmont	100px	1978–1983	Ford Maverick	Ford Tempo
Mercury Zephyr		1978–1983	Mercury Comet	Mercury Topaz
Ford Durango		1980–1981	Ford Ranchero		The Durango was a limited-production factory-commissioned conversion of the Ford Fairmont Futura two-door by National Coach Corporation. Approximately 200 were produced.
Fox-platform vehicles (mid-size)
Ford Granada		1981–1982	Ford Granada (1975–1979)	Ford LTD	The Granada was updated and took on the LTD name for 1983. The 1982 Granada was the first American Ford to wear the revived "blue oval" badge.
Ford LTD	1984 Ford LTD four-door	1983–1986	Ford Granada	Ford Taurus	The LTD was an updated version of the 1981–1982 Ford Granada.
Mercury Cougar (sedan-wagon)		1980–1982	Mercury Monarch	Mercury Marquis	Cougar sedan and wagon models were discontinued after the 1982 model year.
Mercury Marquis		1983–1986	Mercury Cougar	Mercury Sable
Lincoln Continental (sixth generation)	100px	1982–1987	Lincoln Versailles	Lincoln Continental (D186/seventh generation)
Fox-platform vehicles (Pony car)
Ford Mustang		1979–1993	Ford Mustang	Ford Mustang (SN-95)
Ford Mustang (SN-95)		1994–2004	Ford Mustang	Ford Mustang (D2C)
Mercury Capri		1979–1986	Mercury Capri II (1976–1978)
Fox-platform vehicles (personal luxury car)
Ford Thunderbird (eighth and ninth generations)	100px	1980–1988	Ford Thunderbird (seventh generation)	Ford Thunderbird (tenth generation/MN-12)	Produced in two generations (1980–1982 "Box Birds" and 1983–1988 "Aero Birds")
Mercury Cougar (fifth and sixth generation)	100px	1980–1988	Mercury Cougar coupe (fourth generation)	Mercury Cougar (seventh generation/MN12)	Same as Thunderbirds
Lincoln Continental Mark VII		1984–1992	Lincoln Continental Mark VI	Lincoln Mark VIII	The Mark VII was the first American-market car sold with composite headlamps and anti-lock brakes.