by Mike –
The Ford Torino fastback sort of looks like an over sized Mustang fastback to me. These cars tended to rust away and it is rare to see one in such good condition.
The Torino was a successful NASCAR race car because of the fastback aerodynamics and the big 428 cid and 429 cid “Cobra-Jet” engines used for racing.
The success of the aerodynamics led competitors to develop the Dodge Charger with an even more radical fastback and later the Dodge Charger Daytona and the 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a pointed nose and a very large rear wing that was later outlawed by NASCAR.
Like a few other American cars the Torino name is Italian and has nothing to do with the heritage of the car. Torino is the Italian name for the city Turin, Italy. I don’t know why we just don’t call the city Torino instead of Turin. I am sure there is a reason but I don’t know what it is.
Other Italian names used by American car companies are “Monza”, “GTO” and…what else can you think of?
Share other Italian names used by American car companies in the Comments.
“Gran Torino” is the name of a Clint Eastwood movie with a 1972 Gran Torino Sport playing a featured role.
The photo of the movie car below was taken, in the dark, at the Clint Eastwood owned Mission Ranch Inn in Carmel, California.
1972 Gran Torino Sport
Here in Europe, in that years (and a bit later) Ford sold lots of Ford “Capri” and Ford “Cortina”.
I don’t know if these names of Italian cities were a choice by USA Ford or by the German/British branches
Ciao Mike!
Flavio
Flavio,
Both of those names were used on US models too. American car companies are shameless when branding their cars.
We even had one model called “Le Mans”.