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Ford Granada (North America) 2nd gen 1981-1982
The North American version of the Ford Granada is a range of sedans that was manufactured and marketed by Ford; two generations of the model line were sold from 1975 to 1982. Developed as the original successor for the Ford Maverick, the Granada shares its name with Ford of Europe's flagship sedan. The model line was marketed as a luxury compact vehicle, expanding the segment in the United States.
The first generation of the Granada was a compact sedan, slotted between the Maverick and the Torino (and the Fairmont and LTD II that replaced them) in the Ford sedan range. The second generation was a mid-size sedan, slotted beside the Fairmont and LTD. For the 1983 model year, the Granada underwent a mid-cycle revision, taking on the Ford LTD nameplate; the model line was ultimately replaced by the Ford Taurus for 1986.
In total, over two million examples of the Ford Granada were produced for the U.S. market. The first generation was produced by Mahwah Assembly and Michigan Assembly with the second generation produced by Atlanta Assembly and Chicago Assembly.
[B]Second generation (1981–1982)[/B]
For the 1981 model year, Ford introduced a second generation of the Granada. Slotted between the Fairmont and the LTD in the Ford model line, the Granada was redesigned as a premium version of the Fairmont. While the model line shifted to the larger mid-size segment, its exterior footprint would decrease in size; though far less extensive than the downsizing applied to the 1979 Ford LTD, the 1981 Granada shed an inch in length, four inches in wheelbase length, and approximately 300 pounds of curb weight (depending on powertrain).
For the 1983 model year, as part of a major realignment of the Ford and Mercury product lines, the Granada nameplate was withdrawn. As part of a mid-cycle revision, the model line effectively continued as the Ford LTD (the LTD Crown Victoria remaining as full-size sedan). Following the 1986 model year, the mid-size Ford LTD was replaced by the Ford Taurus as Ford shifted its mid-size sedans to front-wheel drive.
[B]Chassis[/B]
The second-generation Ford Granada is based on the rear-wheel drive Ford Fox platform, sharing its 105.5-inch wheelbase with the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr.
In the shift from the Ford Falcon chassis (dating from 1960) to the Fox chassis, the suspension and steering systems were modernized. In line with all Fox-platform vehicles, the second-generation Granada used MacPherson strut front suspension (replacing short/long-arm suspension) with a coil-sprung live rear axle (replacing leaf springs). A rack-and-pinion steering system was introduced, replacing the previous recirculating-ball system. While the optional four-wheel disc brakes and anti-lock brakes were discontinued, power brakes became standard equipment.
Shared with the Fairmont, a 2.3-L Lima inline-four was the standard engine, with a 3.3-L inline-six (the Ford 200 six, under metric displacement) as an option. For 1982, the inline-six was replaced by a 3.8-L Ford Essex V6. A 4.2-L V8 became an option (replacing the 4.9-L V8 of the Fairmont). While an automatic transmission was standard for all engines, the 2.3-L engine was available with a four-speed manual transmission.
[B]Body[/B]
The second-generation Ford Granada was offered in three body styles. For 1981, the Granada was introduced as a four-door sedan and a two-door sedan (replacing the previous coupe). For 1982, a five-door station wagon was introduced (transferring the body style from the Fairmont line).
In a break from the previous generation, the second-generation Granada shifted away from European-influenced styling, sharing many visible design elements with the Fairmont (including the doors). To distinguish the two model lines, the Granada received a formal notchback roofline (for both two-door and four-door sedans); the front and rear fascias were styled in line with larger Ford vehicles.
[B]Trim[/B]
The second-generation Ford Granada was offered in three trim levels, in line with other Ford vehicles of the 1980s (including the Ford Escort and the later Ford Tempo and Ford Taurus). The base trim was the Granada L, with the mid-level Granada GL. Effectively replacing both the Granada ESS and Ghia, the Granada GLX was the top trim level.
[B]Blue oval return[/B]
As a minor historical note the 1982 Ford Granada was among the first U.S. Ford vehicles to mark the return of the Ford blue oval exterior emblem. Although stamped on door threshold trim on Ford-division (and Continental Mark series) cars for many years, the blue oval had been absent on vehicle exteriors in North America since the 1930s. The blue oval had remained in wide use as the company corporate logo in sales literature, advertisements, owners manuals and on dealership signs.
Beginning in 1976, the blue oval emblem saw a return on cars and trucks produced by Ford of Europe and Ford of Australia. For 1983, only the Ford Fairmont (in its final model year) and Ford Thunderbird (produced with its own exterior emblems) were left without the blue oval emblem in North America.
[SIZE=1]Source: Wikipedia[/SIZE]
