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81-483: The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car that was manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from 1970 until 1980. The Pinto was the first subcompact vehicle produced by Ford in North America. The Pinto was marketed in three body styles throughout its production: a two-door fastback sedan with a trunk, a three-door hatchback, and a two-door station wagon. Mercury offered rebadged versions of

162-675: A captive import . American automakers introduced their subcompacts, led by the AMC Gremlin that arrived six months before the Pinto, and the Chevrolet Vega , introduced the day before the Pinto. Named for the pony , the Pinto was introduced on September 11, 1970. It was a completely new platform, but used a powertrain from the European-specification Escort . Ford Chairman Henry Ford II himself purchased

243-416: A control arm , also known as an A-arm , is a hinged suspension link between the chassis and the suspension upright or hub that carries the wheel. In simple terms, it governs a wheel's vertical travel, allowing it to move up or down when driving over bumps, into potholes, or otherwise reacting to the irregularities of a road surface. Most control arms form the lower link of a suspension. Control arms play

324-460: A manual or automatic transmission and live axle rear end. The suspension was by unequal-length control arms with front coil springs while the live rear axle was mounted on leaf springs . The rack and pinion steering optionally had power assist , as did the brakes. On September 11, 1970, Ford introduced the Pinto under the tagline The Little Carefree Car. After structural design on alternate body styles encountered obstacles, Ford offered

405-578: A rebadged variant of the Pinto as the Mercury Bobcat, beginning with the 1974 model year in Canada. It was produced in all of the same body styles and styled with a unique egg-crate grille and chrome headlamp bezels (which were later recycled for a styling update to the 1976 Pinto). The rear featured modified double-width tail lamps for the sedan and Runabout models. For 1975, the Bobcat was added to

486-600: A 1971 Runabout (hatchback) as one of his personal cars. Initial planning for the Pinto began in the summer of 1967, was recommended by Ford's Product Planning Committee in December 1968, and was approved by Ford's board of directors in January 1969. Ford President Lee Iacocca wanted a 1971 model that weighed under 2,000 lb (907 kg) and that would be priced at less than US$ 2,000 ($ 16,617 in 2023 dollars). The Pinto product development, from conception through delivery,

567-551: A copy of the memo by Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co. plaintiffs before trial, Mark Dowie's investigative article "Pinto Madness", published in Mother Jones magazine, emphasized the emotional aspects of the Grush/Saunby Report and implied Ford was callously trading lives for profits. The Mother Jones article also erroneously claimed that somewhere between 500 and 900 persons had been killed in fires attributed to

648-416: A crucial role in the suspension system of a vehicle. They help to keep the wheels aligned and maintain proper tire contact with the road, which is essential for safety and stability. The inboard (chassis) end of a control arm is attached by a single pivot, usually a rubber bushing . It can thus control the position of the outboard end in only a single degree of freedom , maintaining the radial distance from

729-439: A deluxe interior with wood-tone trim. New slotted forged aluminum wheels were offered. In 1974, to meet federal regulations, 5 mph bumpers were added to both the front and rear. Unlike most 1970s cars, the addition of larger bumpers to the Pinto did not necessitate major changes to the bodywork. While the underpowered Kent engine was dropped, the optional OHC engine was expanded to 2.3 L; in various forms, this engine powered

810-525: A deluxe steering wheel. The Sprint Decor Group was offered simultaneously on the Maverick and Mustang. For the 1973 model year, more appearance options were offered. There was a new Sport Accent Group offered in white exterior paint with a choice of two-tone orange or avocado accent paint, matching vinyl roof , and a deluxe interior with wood-tone trim. There was also a new Luxury Decor Group with bright exterior dress-up mouldings, black bumper rub strips, and

891-562: A group of younger buyers who otherwise shop for used cars. While fuel prices at the time were increasing, the small cars were planned before fuel prices soared; for example, Honda had announced that it would release a subcompact model as early as 2004. By 2008, sales of subcompact cars had dramatically increased in the wake of a continuing increase of fuel prices. At the same time, sales of pickup trucks and large sport utility vehicles had dropped sharply. By April 2008, sales of Toyota’s subcompact Yaris had increased 46 percent, and Honda’s Fit had

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972-513: A higher average transaction price. Models that were no longer sold in the United States by the end of the decade include the Mazda 2 (discontinued after 2014), Scion xD (2016), Toyota Prius C (2017), Ford Fiesta (2019), Smart Fortwo (2019), Fiat 500 (2019), Toyota Yaris (2020), Honda Fit (2020), and Chevrolet Sonic (2020). Control arm In automotive suspension ,

1053-601: A lack of structural reinforcement in the rear, and an "essentially ornamental" rear bumper (though similar to other manufacturers). As part of a response to the NHTSA's proposed regulations, crash testing conducted in 1970 with modified Ford Mavericks demonstrated vulnerability at fairly low crash speeds. Design changes were made, but post-launch tests showed similar results. These tests were conducted to develop crash testing standards rather than specifically investigating fuel system integrity. Though Ford engineers were not pleased with

1134-450: A negative legacy associated with the car and Ford's handling of the controversies. In 2004, Forbes included the Pinto among its fourteen Worst Cars of All Time, noting that its problems helped create an opening in the US market for small cars from Japan. Time magazine included the Pinto on lists of The Fifty Worst Cars of All Time . Time , Popular Mechanics , and NBC News have included

1215-475: A new rectangular design with a modified dash pad. Production of the Bobcat ended in 1980 to make way for its replacement, the Mercury Lynx . In total, 224,026 Bobcats were produced from 1975 until 1980. Upon release, the Pinto was received with both positive and negative reviews. Consumer Reports listed the Pinto as one of the "runners up" in a test of six subcompact cars—better in overall quality than

1296-429: A problem with fuel vapors in the engine air filter possibly igniting by a backfire through the carburetor . On February 24, 1972, the Pinto station wagon debuted with an overall length of 172.7 in (4,390 mm) and 60.5 cubic feet (1.71 m) of cargo volume. The first 2-door Ford station wagon since the 1965 Falcon, the Pinto wagon was equipped with flip-open rear quarter windows. Along with front disc brakes,

1377-497: A record month with an increase of 54 percent. However, low fuel prices and the added room in SUVs impacted subcompact sales negatively in the late 2010s. During this period, industry executives and analysts said that the subcompact car market was returning to historical norms after an unusual period when manufacturers had expanded small car lineups in anticipation of rising demand fueled by rising fuel prices, which has since eased. In

1458-683: A second Pinto investigation and guaranteed that the NHTSA would be under the microscope for its duration." On August 11, 1977, the day after the Nader and Mother Jones press conference, the NHTSA initiated an investigation. On May 8, 1978, the NHTSA informed Ford of their determination that the Pinto fuel system was defective. The NHTSA concluded: 1971–1976 Ford Pintos have experienced moderate speed, rear-end collisions that have resulted in fuel tank damage, fuel leakage, and fire occurrences that have resulted in fatalities and non-fatal burn injuries ... The fuel tank design and structural characteristics of

1539-482: A second vehicle for use around town, not as a primary car. The Volkswagen Beetle was marketed with advertising pointing out the car's unconventional features as strengths and to get buyers to "think small." Prompted by the British government for exports, Ford was one of the first companies to try and sell inexpensive small cars in volume. From 1948 to 1970, approximately 250,000 economical English Fords were imported to

1620-635: A single model year, with 544,209 units. The Ford Pinto went on sale on September 11, 1970, in one body style, a fastback sedan with an enclosed trunk. A hatchback became available on February 20, 1971, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show . In 1971, the Pinto brochure came with a paper cutout Pinto that one could fold to make a 3D model. Marketed as the Runabout, the hatchback went on sale five days later, priced at $ 2,062 ($ 15,513 in 2023 dollars ). The hatch itself featured exposed chrome hinges for

1701-488: A variety of Ford vehicles for 23 years. In 1974, Mercury began selling a rebadged version of the Pinto called Bobcat as a Canada-only model. 544,209 units sold; 1974 became the most popular model year for the Pinto. Steel-belted tires, an anti-theft alarm system, and metallic glow paint were optional. In 1975, in a move to better compete with the AMC Gremlin, Ford introduced the 2.8 L V6; while far less powerful than

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1782-576: A view that the crash test results were inconclusive, resulted in the use of a conventional fuel tank design and placement. The use of an above-the-axle tank location was considered safer by some, but not all, at Ford. This placement was not a viable option for the hatchback and station wagon body styles. Beginning in 1973, field reports of Ford Pintos consumed by fire after low-speed rear-end collisions were received by Ford's recall coordinator office. Based on standard procedures used to evaluate field reports, Ford's internal recall evaluation group twice reviewed

1863-509: The AMC Gremlin and about on a par with the Volkswagen Beetle , but inferior to the "three winners" -- Datsun 510 , Toyota Corona and Chevrolet Vega . Road & Track faulted the suspension and standard drum brakes , calling the latter a "serious deficiency", but praised the proven 1.6 L Kent engine, adapted from European Fords. Super Stock Magazine found the fit and finish to be "superior" and were impressed with

1944-406: The AMC Gremlin , Chevrolet Vega , and Ford Pinto . The term subcompact originated during the 1960s. However, it came into popular use in the early 1970s, as car manufacturers in the United States began to introduce smaller cars into their line-up. Previously, cars in this size were variously categorized, including "small cars" or "economy cars". Several of these small cars were produced in

2025-686: The Ford Mustang II temporarily downsized from the pony car class to become a subcompact car for its second generation. The Monza with its GM variants Pontiac Sunbird , Buick Skyhawk , Oldsmobile Starfire , and the Mustang II continued until the end of the decade. The Chevrolet Chevette was GM's new entry-level subcompact introduced as a 1976 model. It was an 'Americanized' design from Opel , GM's German subsidiary. Additionally, subcompacts that were imported and marketed through domestic manufacturers' dealer networks as captive imports included

2106-575: The Renault Le Car and the Ford Fiesta . In 1977, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to use a new vehicle classification system, based on interior volume instead of exterior size. Sedans with up to 100 cubic feet of passenger luggage volume were classified as subcompact. There was not a separate subcompact station wagon class with all up to 130 cubic feet of volume classified as "small." In 1978, Volkswagen began producing

2187-715: The Suzuki Cultus (a three-cylinder hatchback, badged as the Chevrolet Sprint) and the Isuzu Gemini (a four-cylinder hatchback/sedan badged as the Chevrolet Spectrum). Subcompact cars were highly popular in the 1990s due to their affordability and fuel efficiency. These cars typically had engines under 1.6 liters and were ideal for city driving. During the 1990s GM offered the Geo brand featuring

2268-529: The Volkswagen Beetle with compact cars including the Ford Falcon , Ford Maverick , Chevrolet Corvair and Plymouth Valiant , although these cars featured six-cylinder engines and comprised a larger vehicle class. As the popularity of smaller Japanese imports Toyota Corolla and Datsun 510 increased throughout the 1960s, Ford North America responded by introducing the Cortina from Ford of Europe as

2349-442: The "Pinto Memo". Cost-benefit analysis was one tool used in the evaluation of safety design decisions accepted by the industry and the NHTSA. The analysis compared the cost of repairs to the societal costs for injuries and deaths related to fires in cases of vehicle rollovers for all cars sold in the US by all manufacturers. The values assigned to serious burn injuries and loss of life were based on values calculated by NHTSA in 1972. In

2430-645: The "Rabbit" version of the Golf — a modern, front-wheel drive design— in Pennsylvania. In 1982, American Motors began manufacturing the U.S. Renault Alliance — a version of the Renault 9 — in Wisconsin. Both models benefiting from European designs, development, and experience. To replace the aging Chevette in the second half of the 1980s, Chevrolet introduced marketed imported front-wheel drive subcompact cars:

2511-594: The "minicompact" and " compact " categories. The EPA definition of a subcompact is a passenger car with a combined interior and cargo volume of 85–99 cubic feet (2,410–2,800 L). Current examples of subcompact cars are the Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage . The smaller cars in the A-segment/city car category (such as the Chevrolet Spark and Smart Fortwo) are sometimes called subcompacts in

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2592-551: The 1970s, the safety reputation of the Pinto has generated controversy. Its fuel-tank design attracted both media and government scrutiny after several deadly fires occurred when the tanks ruptured in rear-end collisions . A subsequent analysis of the overall safety of the Pinto suggested it was comparable to other 1970s subcompact cars. The safety issues surrounding the Pinto and the subsequent response by Ford have been cited widely as business ethics and tort reform case studies. American automakers had first countered imports such as

2673-406: The 1975–1976 Mercury Bobcat which render it identical to contemporary Pinto vehicles, also render it subject to like consequences in rear-impact collisions. NHTSA scheduled a public hearing for June 1978, and NHTSA negotiated with Ford on the recall. Subcompact car According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) car size class definition, the subcompact category sits between

2754-471: The 1990s -- feature what's known as a double wishbone suspension . A double wishbone design features both upper and lower control arms that work in tandem with each other to properly locate the wheel. The additional radius rod is then attached to the upper arm. Control arms are most commonly encountered as part of the MacPherson strut independent front suspension . The control arms are perpendicular to

2835-703: The 2.0L engine was standard equipment. A Pinto Squire wagon featured simulated woodgrain trim similar to the full-size Country Squire . Also in February 1972, the Sprint Decor Group was made available for the Pinto for one model year only. The Sprint Decor Group included white exterior paint with blue accent paint and red pin-striping, a blacked-out grille, color-keyed wheels with bright trim rings and hubcaps, whitewall tires , and color-keyed dual sport mirrors. The interior included red, white, and blue cloth and vinyl bucket seats, full carpeting as well as

2916-608: The 2.3 litres (140 cu in) OHC I4 engine was introduced. This engine was updated and modified several times, allowing it to remain in production into 1997. Among other Ford vehicles, a turbocharged version of this engine later powered the performance-based Thunderbird Turbo Coupe , Mustang SVO , and the European-built Merkur XR4Ti . Ford introduced the Cologne-built 2.8 litre V-6 engine as an option in 1975. Lincoln-Mercury dealers marketed

2997-545: The English 1,600 cc (98 cu in) and German 2,000 cc (120 cu in) engines tuned for performance (see below). The 2,000 cc (120 cu in) engine used a two-barrel carburetor where just one bore was bigger than that used on the Maverick. With the low weight (not much above 2,000 lb (910 kg)) and the SOHC engine it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 10.8 seconds. With

3078-713: The Gremlin's standard 232 cu in (3.8 L) I6, the V6 gave the Pinto a feature unavailable in the Chevrolet Vega. Sales of the Mercury Bobcat were expanded to Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the United States; it was sold as a hatchback and station wagon. As a minor styling update for 1976, the Pinto received the egg-crate grille and chrome headlamp bezels recycled from the Canada-only 1974 Mercury Bobcat. For one model year only, two new option packages were offered. One

3159-465: The NHTSA investigation of the Pinto was in response to consumer complaints and noted the Mother Jones article included a clip out "coupon" that readers could mail to the NHTSA. Lee and Ermann note that the Mother Jones labeling of the Pinto as a "firetrap" and accusations that the NHTSA was buckling to industry pressure as well as the public interest created by sensationalized news stories "forced

3240-728: The Pinto as the Mercury Bobcat from 1975 until 1980 (1974–1980 in Canada). Over three million Pintos were produced over its ten-year production run, outproducing the combined totals of its domestic rivals, the Chevrolet Vega and the AMC Gremlin . The Pinto and Mercury Bobcat were produced at Edison Assembly in Edison, New Jersey, St. Thomas Assembly in Southwold, Ontario, and San Jose Assembly in Milpitas, California. Since

3321-549: The Pinto fuel system was complicated by the uncertain regulatory environment during the development period. The first federal standard for automotive fuel system safety, passed in 1967, known as Section 301 in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards , initially only considered front impacts. In January 1969, 18 months into the Pinto's development cycle, the NHTSA proposed expanding the standard to cover rear-end collisions. The proposed standard

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3402-538: The Pinto solely as a two-door sedan, with entry-level models priced at $ 1,850, undercutting GM's Chevrolet Vega and directly targeting imported models – which included such new competitors as the Mazda 1200 in 1971, the Subaru DL in 1972, and the Honda Civic in 1973. The Pinto had sold over 100,000 units by January 1971, and 352,402 for the entire 1971 production run; 1974 saw the most Pintos produced in

3483-564: The Pinto was no longer the smallest Ford sold in the U.S., as the company introduced the Fiesta . Nearly two feet shorter than the Pinto, the German-designed Fiesta was the first front-wheel-drive car sold by Ford in the United States. For the 1979 model year, the Pinto featured rectangular headlamps, inboard vertical parking lamps, and a taller slanted back grille. Except for the wagons, the tail lamps were revised. The interior

3564-412: The Pinto was the front-wheel drive Ford Escort . For the 1980 model year, the V6 engine was discontinued, leaving the 2.3 L as the sole engine. Except for 1980, the Pinto was available with a choice of two engines. For the first five years of production, only four-cylinder inline engines were offered. Ford changed the power ratings almost every year. Initial Pinto deliveries in the early years used

3645-545: The Pinto's unique design features. The public understanding of the cost-benefit analysis has contributed to the mythology of the Ford Pinto case. Time magazine said the memo was one of the automotive industry's "most notorious paper trails". A common misconception is that the document considered Ford's tort liability costs rather than the generalized cost to society and applied to the annual sales of all passenger cars, not just Ford vehicles. The general misunderstanding of

3726-628: The Suzuki-built Metro subcompact. Subcompact cars of the 1990s typically featured a small footprint, lightweight design, and engines with displacements generally under 1.6 liters. They were designed to provide maximum interior space while maintaining a compact exterior, making them ideal for city driving and parking. Several models defined the subcompact car market during the 1990s. Some of the most notable include: The 1990s focused on fuel efficiency and emissions, leading to innovations in fuel injection and aerodynamics. These subcompacts set

3807-595: The U.S. in limited volumes, including the 1930 American Austin (later called the American Bantam) and the 1939 Crosley . From the 1950s onwards, various imported small cars were sold in the U.S., including the Nash Metropolitan , Volkswagen Beetle , and various small British cars. The term subcompact did not yet exist, so the Metropolitan was labeled a "compact or economy car" and marketed as

3888-539: The U.S. market and sold initially in upgraded levels of trim as the Runabout hatchback and Villager wagon. Lesser-trimmed versions were offered in subsequent model years. The Bobcat was never offered as a two-door sedan with an enclosed trunk for the U.S. market. The Bobcat was offered as a two-door sedan for a limited number of years in Canada. All Bobcats were restyled with a domed hood and a taller vertical bar grille styled to look like senior Mercury models. Throughout all

3969-458: The U.S., because the EPA's name for this smaller category — "minicompact" — is not commonly used by the general public. The prevalence of small cars in the United States increased in the 1960s due to increased imports of cars from Europe and Japan. Widespread use of the term subcompact coincided with the early 1970s increase in subcompact cars built in the United States. Early 1970s subcompacts include

4050-496: The US while over 235,000 went to Canada. Models such as the 1960 Ford Anglia were promoted as "The world's most exciting light car." Due to the increasing popularity of small cars imported from Europe and Japan during the late 1960s, the American manufacturers began releasing competing locally-built models in the early 1970s. The AMC Gremlin was described at its April 1970 introduction as "the first American-built import" and

4131-420: The United States, the segment experienced a 50 percent drop in sales in the first half of 2020 compared to 2019. In Canada, the subcompact share of the car market shrank to 1.6 percent for the year ending 2020, down from 2.4 percent in 2019. As a result, manufacturers stopped offering subcompact models and focused on larger cars instead, including subcompact crossover SUVs which offer higher profit margins and

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4212-469: The advent of emission control requirements, Ford moved from European-sourced to domestically sourced engines, using new or modified designs. New safety legislation affected bumpers and other parts, adding to the weight of the car and reducing performance. Revised SAE standards in 1972 dropped the Pinto's 1.6 L (98 cu in) engine to 54 bhp (40 kW) – and the 2.0 L (120 cu in) engine to 86 hp (64 kW). In 1974,

4293-453: The axis of the vehicle and are termed track control arms . A diagonal radius rod constrains the strut from moving forward and back. In MacPherson's original design, an anti-roll bar also acted as the radius rod. This requires the bar to be attached through a ball joint, so as to also provide longitudinal control. In most contemporary designs, still commonly termed MacPherson struts, the radius rod and anti-roll bar are now separate, with

4374-500: The car in lists of most significant recalls. The controversy also resulted in movies referencing the vehicle. The safety of the design of the Pinto's fuel system led to critical incidents and subsequently resulted in a recall, lawsuits, criminal prosecution, and public controversy. The events surrounding the controversy have been described as a "landmark narrative". The Ford Pinto has been cited and debated in numerous business ethics as well as tort reform case studies. The placement of

4455-415: The car overall. Car and Driver found the Pinto, when equipped with the larger 2.0L engine and front disc brakes, to be a nimble and powerful commuter car with good visibility and sports-car feel. A review of the 1974 Pinto with an automatic transmission by Car and Driver was not as favorable noting significant decreases in mileage and acceleration. The later controversy surrounding the Pinto resulted in

4536-504: The car's fuel tank was the result of both conservative industry practice of the time as well as the uncertain regulatory environment during the development and early sales periods of the car. Ford was accused of knowing the car had an unsafe tank placement and then forgoing design changes based on an internal cost-benefit analysis. Two landmark legal cases, Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co. and Indiana v. Ford Motor Co. , resulted from fatal accidents involving Pintos. Scholarly work published in

4617-470: The car's performance, no reports of the time indicate particular concern. The Pinto was tested by rival American Motors (AMC) where in addition to crash-testing, engineers specialized in fuel-system performance because of the potential deadly fires in severe collisions. Ford also tested several different vehicle modifications that could improve rear impact performance. However, the engineer's occupational caution and aversion to "unproven" solutions, as well as

4698-463: The decades after the Pinto's release has examined the cases and offered summations of the general understanding of the Pinto and the controversy regarding the car's safety performance and risk of fire. These works reviewed misunderstandings related to the actual number of fire-related deaths related to the fuel system design, "wild and unsupported claims asserted in Pinto Madness and elsewhere",

4779-567: The document, as presented by Mother Jones, gave it an operational significance it never had. In April 1974, the Center for Auto Safety petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall Ford Pintos to address fuel system design defects after reports from attorneys of three deaths and four serious injuries in rear-end collisions at moderate speeds. The NHTSA found there

4860-462: The facts of the related legal cases, Grimshaw vs Ford Motor Company and State of Indiana vs Ford Motor Company , the applicable safety standards at the time of design, and the nature of the NHTSA investigations and subsequent vehicle recalls. One described the Grimshaw case as "mythical" due to several significant factual misconceptions and their effect on the public's understanding. The design of

4941-484: The field data and found no actionable issue. In 1973, Ford's Environmental and Safety Engineering division developed a cost–benefit analysis entitled Fatalities Associated with Crash Induced Fuel Leakage and Fires for submission to the NHTSA in support of Ford's objection to proposed stronger fuel system regulation. The document has become known as the Grush/Saunby Report , named for its authors, and as

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5022-573: The first U.S. built subcompact car. Also introduced in 1970 were the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto . Plans for the subcompact AMC Gremlin pre-dated Vega and Pinto by several years because of AMC's strategy to recognize emerging market opportunities ahead of the competition. Sales of American-built "low weight cars" (including subcompacts) accounted for more than 30% of total car sales in 1972 and 1973, despite inventory shortages for several models. The Gremlin, Pinto and Vega were all rear-wheel drive and available with four-cylinder engines (the Pinto

5103-547: The first time. Pinto wagons were given a new option package. Dubbed the Pinto Cruising Wagon , it was the sedan delivery version of the Pinto styled to resemble a small conversion van , complete with round side panel "bubble windows" and a choice of optional vinyl graphics. Ford offered new sporty appearance packages similar to those found on the Chevrolet Vega and AMC Gremlin but were strictly cosmetic upgrades that added nothing to vehicle performance. In 1978,

5184-495: The hatch itself, with the glass portion of the hatch enlarged to almost the entire size of the hatch itself, ultimately to be supplemented for 1977–1980 with an optional rear hatch that was entirely glass. On October 30, 1970, less than two months after introduction, 26,000 Pintos were recalled to address a possible problem with the accelerator sticking on once engaged at more than halfway. On March 29, 1971, Ford recalled all 220,000 Pintos manufactured before March 19, 1971, to address

5265-509: The inboard mount. Although not deliberately free to move, the single bushing does not control the arm from moving back and forth; this motion is constrained by a separate link or radius rod . This is in contrast to the wishbone , which are triangular and have two widely spaced inboard bearings. These constrain the outboard end of the wishbone from moving back and forth, controlling two degrees of freedom, and without requiring additional links. Certain vehicles — notably, many Honda products from

5346-412: The liftgate and five decorative chrome strips, sprung scissor struts to assist in opening the hatch, a rear window approximately as large as the sedan's, and a fold-down seat – a feature which became simultaneously an option on the sedan . The hatchback model matched the sedan in all other dimensions and offered 38.1 cubic feet (1.08 m) of cargo space with its seat folded. By 1972, Ford redesigned

5427-402: The memo Ford estimated the cost of fuel system modifications to reduce fire risks in rollover events to be $ 11 per car across 12.5 million cars and light trucks (all manufacturers), for a total of $ 137 million. The design changes were estimated to save 180 burn deaths and 180 serious injuries per year, a benefit to society of $ 49.5 million. In August 1977, having been provided with

5508-403: The model years, Bobcats offered various appearance options that were similar to the Pinto's. For 1979, the Bobcat received a major restyling shared with the Pinto featuring a slanted back front end with rectangular headlamps and inboard vertical parking lamps but distinguished with a large vertical bar grille. Except for the wagons, the tail lamps were revised. The base instrument cluster received

5589-413: The more stringent fuel system safety standard and filed objections during the required comment periods of the proposed regulations. The Pinto's design positioned its fuel tank between the solid live rear axle and the rear bumper , a standard practice in US subcompact cars at the time. The Pinto's vulnerability to fuel leakage and fire in a rear-end collision was exacerbated by reduced rear "crush space",

5670-411: The same time, the NHTSA announced a long-term goal of setting a 30-mph fixed-barrier standard. Due to the confusion related to the various proposed standards and an expectation that the NHTSA would not select the more stringent 30 mph fixed-barrier standard, Ford elected to voluntarily meet the 20 mph moving-barrier standard for all cars by 1973. Ford and other automobile manufacturers objected to

5751-483: The stage for modern small cars, emphasizing efficiency and reliability. Because of consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars during the mid- to late-2000s, sales of subcompact cars made them the fastest growing market category in the U.S. In 2006, three major subcompact models were introduced to the market, the Toyota Yaris , Honda Fit , and Nissan Versa . These models were released by their manufacturers to aim at

5832-455: The standard all-glass third door. The grille and headlamp surrounds were charcoal, the fenders had ESS identification and the styled steel wheels had black wheel trim rings. The Sports Package (front stabilizer bar, sport steering wheel, full instrumentation, optional axle ratio on 2.3L manual cars) was standard. July 1980 marked the end of the Pinto's production run, with a total production run of 3,150,943 cars. Ford's designated replacement for

5913-701: Was also available with a V6 engine, and the Gremlin was also available with I6 and V8 engines). The Pontiac Astre , the Canadian-originated re-badged Vega variant was released in the U.S. in September 1974. Due to falling sales of the larger pony cars (such as the Chevrolet Camaro and first-generation Ford Mustang) in the mid-1970s, the Vega-based Chevrolet Monza was introduced as an upscale subcompact and

5994-405: Was based on a 20 mph moving-barrier rear impact test. Ford publicly announced it supported the standard. In August 1970, the month the Pinto went into production, the NHTSA changed the proposal to a more stringent 20 mph fixed-barrier standard which car companies were to meet in 18 months. The fixed-barrier standard was seen by the auto industry as a significant increase in test severity. At

6075-415: Was completed in 25 months when the automotive industry average was 43 months, the shortest production planning schedule in automotive history at the time. Some development processes usually conducted sequentially were conducted in parallel. Machine tooling overlapped with product development, which froze the basic design. Decisions that threatened the schedule were discouraged; the attitude of Ford management

6156-538: Was introduced known as the Pinto Pony with less standard equipment and cheaper interior trim. A wagon version of the Pony would later arrive for the 1979 model year. For the 1977 model year, the Pinto received its first significant styling updates with slanted back urethane headlamp buckets, parking lamps, and grille. The tail lamps were revised except for the wagons. Runabouts offered an optional all-glass rear hatch for

6237-540: Was less expensive than the design changes. The day after the article's release consumer advocate Ralph Nader and the author of the Mother Jones article held a news conference in Washington DC on the alleged dangers of the Pinto's design. On the same day, Nader and the Center for Auto Safety re-submitted their petition to the NHTSA. Former UCLA law professor Gary T. Schwartz in a Rutgers Law Review article said

6318-410: Was not enough evidence to warrant a defect investigation. In August 1977, Dowie's "Pinto Madness" article was published, leveling a series of accusations against Ford, the Pinto and the NHTSA. These included that Ford knew the Pinto was a "firetrap" and said that Ford did not implement design changes because the company's cost-benefit analysis document showed that paying out millions in damages in lawsuits

6399-621: Was the sporty new Stallion appearance package with blackout trim and black two-tone accent paint offered in red, yellow, silver, and white body colors. This option package was shared with the Mustang II and Maverick. The other new option package was the Runabout Squire which featured wood-grain vinyl bodysides like the Squire wagon. The interior received the optional Luxury Decor Group which featured new low-back vinyl or plaid cloth bucket seats with matching door trim. A new basic low-cost model

6480-418: Was to develop the Pinto as quickly as possible. Iacocca ordered a rush project to build the car, and the Pinto became known internally as "Lee's car". The Pinto's bodywork was styled by Robert Eidschun. Offered with an inline-four engine and bucket seats the Pinto's mechanical design was conventional, with unibody construction, a longitudinally mounted engine in front driving the rear wheels through either

6561-554: Was updated with a new rectangular instrument cluster and a modified dash-pad for vehicles without the optional sports instrumentation. The variety of sports appearance packages was revised, some with new graphics. The Pinto ESS (European Sports Sedan) trim package became available in 2-door Sedan and 3-door Runabout body styles featuring black roof drip mouldings, lower back panel, rocker panels, glass surrounds and door frame trims (incl. black tape along lower side window ledges), dual sport mirrors, premium body-side mouldings, and hinges for

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