Ford

For the 1955 model year the Fairlane replaced the Crestline as Ford's premier full-sized offering. Six different body styles were offered, including the Crown Victoria Skyliner with a tinted, transparent plastic roof. Power options were a 3,653 cc straight-6 engine and two V8's of 4,465 cc and 4,778 cc. For 1957, a new style gave a longer, wider, lower and sleeker look with low tailfins. The new proportions and modern styling were a hit with customers to the extent that the Ford outsold Chevrolet in 1957 for the first time since 1935. A new top trim level, the Fairlane 500, was added to the model line.

For the 1962 model year, the Fairlane name was moved to Ford's new intermediate, introduced to bridge the gap between the compact Ford Falcon and the full-sized Galaxie, making it a competitor for GM's Plymouth Belvedere and the AMC Rambler. Initially, the Fairlane was offered only in two-door or four-door sedan body styles.

For 1968, Ford introduced a new premium intermediate model, the Torino. Just as the Ford LTD had been the upscale version of the Ford Galaxie, the Torino was initially an upscale variation of the intermediate-sized Ford Fairlane. In the 1968 and 1969 model years, the intermediate Ford line consisted of lower-trim Fairlanes and its subseries, the upper-trim Torino models. In 1970, Torino became the primary name for Ford's intermediate, and the Fairlane was now a subseries of the Torino. In 1971, the Fairlane name was dropped altogether, and all Ford intermediates were called Torino.

see also: Ford Torino