In assessing Ford’s lineup of cars for the 1979 model year, one could say that the company’s down sizing program was very successful, resulting in cars that not only offered good fuel economy but also provided functional transportation in efficient packages of various sizes.
Ford’s biggest downsize was the LTD and its Lincoln-Mercury equivalent, the Marquis. These models were still regarded as the standard size car in Ford’s lineup, and the company points out that it had only nine new standard-sized cars in its history until 1979, and only three since WWII. The new LTD/Marquis was built on a 114.4-in. wheelbase and it was a little more than 600 lb lighter than its predecessor. They were also much more efficient aerodynamically because of 270 hours of wind-tunnel testing.
In keeping with most big cars that were downsized, the usable space did not suffer and the result was an infinitely more efficient automobile.
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