Introduced in 1955 as Ford's fullsize model, the Ford Fairlane was reborn in 1962 as Ford's entry into the hotly contested intermediate muscle car market. With lighter weight than the fullsize Galaxie but with the same powerful engines, the Fairlane, and its spinoffs the Torino and Cobra, were a force to be reckon with on the street and the drag strip.

A predecessor to the muscle car era, the Galaxie was Ford's fullsize competitor. Although it outpowered the similar Chevy Impala at first, it never sold as well do to its uninspired styling, poor aerodynamics, and heavy weight. Ford kept trying though and continued to install larger and larger engines, reaching a pinnacle with the most powerful engine Detroit ever made, the Cammer 427. Producing 657bhp, this engine was installed in only a few copies as it was almost impossible to drive on the street and was later banned by NASCAR, promting Ford to stop production. Most street racers had to rely on the Ford 427 engines.

The Ford Thunderbird was Ford's answer to the Chevrolet Corvette. But whereas the Corvette never strayed far from its two seat sports car concept, the Thunderbird would soon add a hardtop coupe version, a back seat, and even two more doors as the do-everything personal car for Ford over the years. But it always provided decent performance along with a dash of style.