Full size car

A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. Traditional U.S. full-size passenger cars were designed to be comfortable for six occupants and their luggage for long-distance driving. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently uses the term large car to denote full-size cars based on their combined interior passenger and luggage volume.

The traditional full-size passenger cars that were built by the U.S. automakers (General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, and American Motors) up to the 1970s "can carry six occupants plus vast amounts of luggage over long distances in great comfort, with more than adequate performance, and will give reasonable gas mileage under such conditions."

Full-size cars were also denoted for their length, nearing 4,953 mm (195 in) in basic low-priced, family sedans. The luxury models often tended to reach 5,350 mm (211 in). Previously, a wheelbase greater than 2,794 mm (110 in) was the criterion for full-size. The term first appeared in the early 1960s to distinguish what also became known as "standard"-size cars from the new compact and intermediate models then being introduced. The U.S. EPA defines "large" size as 120 ft³ or more of combined passenger and cargo interior volume in sedans and 160 ft³ or more in station wagons. A majority of U.S. automakers manufactured full size automobiles (with the exception of the Chrysler C platform and AMC's Ambassador) were constructed using a body-on-frame platform. This platform was phased out in 2011 when the Ford Panther vehicles ended production.

Use of the term in North America became popular (and necessary) after the introduction of compacts by the U.S. "Detroit Big Three" for the 1960 model year, and then a few years later the introduction of what became known as mid-size cars. While length and wheelbase varied (increasing over time) being considered full-size required a width as close as practical to the 80 in (2,032 mm) width limit over which the federal government required vehicles to have clearance lights. The term was most correctly applied to cars close to the width limit carrying nameplates of "The Low Priced Three", Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth.

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