Ford LTD (North America)

Ford LTD
1972 Ford LTD 2-Door Hardtop
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford
Production	1964–1986
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size (1964–1982) Mid-size (1982–1986)
Layout	FR layout
Chronology
Successor	Ford LTD Crown Victoria (for full-size LTD) Ford Taurus (for mid-size LTD)

First generation
Overview
Also called	Ford Galaxie 500 LTD (1965)
Production	1964–1968
Model years	1965–1968
Assembly	Louisville, Kentucky Mahwah, New Jersey Pico Rivera, California Atlanta, Georgia St. Louis, Missouri
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door hardtop 4-door sedan (1967-1968) 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 4-door station wagon.
Related	Mercury Monterey Mercury Park Lane Mercury Colony Park Ford Galaxie Ford Custom Ford Country Squire
Powertrain
Engine	289 cu in (4.7 L) Challenger/Windsor V8 302 cu in (4.9 L) Challenger/Windsor V8 352 cu in (5.8 L) Thunderbird (FE) V8 390 cu in (6.4 L) Thunderbird Special (FE) V8 427 cu in (7.0 L) Cobra (FE) V8 428 cu in (7.0 L) Thunderbird (FE) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	119 in (3,023 mm)

Second generation
1971 Ford LTD Brougham 2-Door Hardtop
Overview
Production	1968–1978
Model years	1969–1978
Assembly	Canada: Oakville, Canada (Oakville Assembly) United States: Hazelwood, Missouri (St. Louis Assembly Plant) Mahwah, New Jersey (Mahwah Assembly) Pico Rivera, California (Los Angeles Assembly) Hapeville, Georgia (Atlanta Assembly)
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door hardtop 4-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 4-door station wagon
Related	Mercury Marquis Mercury Monterey Mercury Colony Park Ford Galaxie Ford Custom Ford Country Squire
Powertrain
Engine	302 cu in (4.9 L) Windsor V8 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland V8 351 cu in (5.8 L) 351M V8 400 cu in (6.6 L) 335 V8 429 cu in (7.0 L) 385 V8 460 cu in (7.5 L) 385 V8
Transmission	3-speed Toploader manual 4-speed Toploader manual 3-speed FMX automatic 3-speed C6 automatic 3-speed C4 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	121.0 inches (3,070 mm)
Length	224.1 inches (5,690 mm) (coupe, sedan) 225.7 inches (5,730 mm) (wagon)

Third generation
1979 Ford LTD Landau two-door sedan
Overview
Also called	Ford Custom 500 (Canada)
Production	1978-1982
Model years	1979–1982
Assembly	Oakville, Canada St. Louis, Missouri Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door sedan 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Platform	Ford Panther platform
Related	Ford Country Squire Ford LTD Crown Victoria Mercury Marquis Mercury Grand Marquis Mercury Colony Park
Powertrain
Engine	255 cu in (4.2 L) Windsor V8 302 cu in (4.9 L) 5.0L Windsor V8 351 cu in (5.8 L) Windsor V8
Dimensions
Length	209 inches (5,300 mm) (coupe, sedan) 214.7 inches (5,450 mm) (wagon)
Chronology
Successor	Ford LTD Crown Victoria

Fourth generation
1983-1984 Ford LTD sedan (aftermarket Ford Mustang wheels)
Overview
Production	1982-1986
Model years	1983–1986
Assembly	Chicago, Illinois Atlanta, Georgia Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Platform	Ford Fox platform
Related	Mercury Marquis Lincoln Continental
Powertrain
Engine	2.3 L Lima I4 3.3 L Thriftpower Six I6 3.8 L Essex V6 4.9L 5.0L Windsor V8
Transmission	3-speed C5 automatic 4-speed AOD automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	105.6 in (2,682 mm)
Length	196.5 in (4,991 mm)
Width	71.0 in (1,803 mm)
Height	53.8 in (1,367 mm) (sedan) 54.4 in (1,382 mm) (wagon)
Curb weight	3,001 lb (1,361 kg) (sedan) 3,108 lb (1,410 kg) (wagon)
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford Granada (1981–1982)
Successor	Ford Taurus

The Ford LTD (pronounced el-tee-dee) is a range of automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company for the 1965 to 1986 model years. Introduced as the highest trim of the full-size Ford model range, the Ford LTD introduced options and features normally reserved for luxury brands (such as the Lincoln brand). The largest vehicle produced by Ford in North America for most of its production, the LTD was joined by the intermediate Ford LTD II from 1977 to 1979; the LTD II served as the replacement for the Torino/Gran Torino range. At various times throughout its production, the LTD range included two-door and four-door pillared and hardtop sedans, a two-door convertible, and the Ford LTD Country Squire five-door woodgrain station wagon.

For the 1979 model year, the LTD would undergo downsizing, becoming externally smaller than the LTD II. For 1983, the LTD effectively became a midsize car as the Ford Granada was discontinued and renamed the LTD; its full-size counterpart became LTD Crown Victoria. The mid-size LTD was replaced by the Ford Taurus after 1986, as Ford shifted much of its model line towards front-wheel drive vehicles.

Outside of North America, the 1965-1968 Ford LTD was manufactured in South America into the 1980s.

The LTD designation is considered by some an abbreviation of "luxury trim decor" and by others as a limited trim designation for the Galaxie. There is evidence in early 1970s Australian LTD sales brochures that "Lincoln type design" was adapted by Ford's Australian marketing as the meaning of the LTD nameplate to play up Lincoln-like exclusitivity and design influence of its Falcon-based LTD luxury car since actual Lincoln models were not sold in that country. However there is no evidence of "Lincoln type design" ever being used in brochures or advertising copy of North American sales literature. The original Car Life review at the time the first Galaxie 500 LTD was released suggests that "LTD" stood for nothing and was ambiguous in meaning just like the "XL" suffix of the Galaxie 500 XL model.