Ford Maverick

The Ford Maverick is a compact car that was manufactured by Ford from April 1969 to 1977 in the United States, Venezuela (first country outside the States to produce them), Canada, Mexico, and, from 1973 to 1979, in Brazil — employing a rear-wheel drive platform dating to the original 1960

Falcon. Originally marketed as a two-door sedan at a price of $1,995,[4][5] the Maverick was designed to be inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. The name "maverick" was derived from the word for unbranded range animals, and the car's nameplate was stylized to resemble a longhorned cow head. The Maverick was originally conceived and marketed as a subcompact "import fighter", intended to do battle with the Volkswagen Beetleand newer Japanese rivals for North America from Honda, Datsun, and Toyota. The Falcon, Ford's compact offering since 1960 and main rival to the Chevrolet Nova and Dodge Dart, had seen its sales decimated by the introduction of the Mustang in 1964, and despite a redesign in 1966, was unable to meet the then forthcoming U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration motor vehicle standards that would come into effect on January 1, 1970. Consequently, the Falcon was discontinued midway through the 1970 model year,[10] and the Maverick repositioned as Ford's compact entry, giving the Nova and Dart a new rival. A bigger Falcon was a rebranded low-trim version of the Fairlane for the second half of the model year,[9][11] then went away. Ford chose not to sell the European Escort in North America due to slow demand for the Cortina. However, the Escort name was introduced to North America in 1980, replacing the Pinto and stop-gap European Fiesta.

The Maverick's styling featured the long hood, fastback roof, and short deck popularized by the Mustang,[4] on a 103-inch (2.616 m) wheelbase — and featured simple and inexpensive to manufacture pop-out rear side windows rather than roll-downs.

Nearly 579,000 Mavericks were produced in its first year.[12] This rivaled the record-setting first year of Mustang sales (nearly 619,000),[13]and easily outpaced the Mustang's sales of fewer than 200,000 in 1970.[14]

Trim packages and variants
Initially available only as a "2-Door Sedan", early models lacked a glove compartment, which was added during the 1973 production run. A 4-Door Sedan on a 109.9-inch (2.791 m) wheelbase was introduced in 1971 with more rear room and roll-down rear door windows.[15] A station wagon version of the Maverick was created in Brazil in 1978 by a local dealer who customized the four-door sedan.

At introduction, exterior paint carried distinctive names including Anti-Establish Mint, Hulla Blue, Original Cinnamon, Freudian Gilt, Thanks Vermillion — along with more pedestrian names, including Black Jade, Champagne Gold, Gulfstream Aqua, Meadowlark Yellow, Brittany Blue, Lime Gold, Dresden Blue, Raven Black, Wimbledon White, and Candyapple Red.

In the first half of production for the 1970 model, two engine options were available, a 105hp 170 CID I6 and a 120hp 200 CID I6. A 250 CID I6 was added mid-year.

Commercials compared the Maverick to the smaller Volkswagen Beetle for $1,995,[4][6] although the Pinto was later Ford's primary competitor in the subcompact class (while also competing in that segment with the Chevrolet Vega that came out at the same time). Early 1970 models built from the introduction in April until August 1969 had a few interior features that the later 1970 models built from September 1969 onward did not. The earliest Mavericks featured a two-spoke steering wheel with a partial horn ring that was also found on other 1969 Fords, while the cars built in the 1970 model year had a revised steering wheel with no horn ring. Also, the early models featured the ignition switch in the instrument panel while the cars built after September 1, 1969 had the ignition switch mounted on a locking steering column, as did all other 1970 Fords in compliance with a new federal safety mandate that took effect with the 1970 model year.

The four-door model was introduced in 1971. Also available was a vinyl roof. Mercury also revived the Mercury Comet as a mechanical clone of the Maverick. A 210 hp (160 kW) 302 CID V8 was also introduced for both the Comet and the Maverick. The Comet featured a new grille, taillights borrowed from the Mercury Montego, trim, and hood.

The muscle car-themed Maverick Grabber trim package was introduced in mid-1970. The package included special graphics and trim, including a spoiler. It was offered from 1970 to 1975. In 1971 and 1972, the Grabber came with a special "Dual Dome" hood. A similar package for the Mercury Comet, the Comet GT, was also offered from 1971 to 1975, and had "muscle car" trim akin to the Maverick Grabber, plus its own distinctive hood scoop. A Sprint package offered in 1972 featured a special red, white, and blue paint with matching interior. With similar packages offered on the Pinto and the Mustang, the trim package patriotically acknowledged the 1972 Olympics and was available for only one year. U.S. versions were given a stylized U.S. flag made into a rear quarter panel decal. The badge was very much in the vein of Olympic symbols, but without being too close, to avoid copyright infringement. Sprints sold in Canada were also red, white, and blue, but had a quarter badge styled from the Canadian flag.[citation needed]

A "Luxury Decor Option" (LDO) trim level introduced late in the 1972 model year included reclining bucket seats in a soft vinyl material, plush carpeting, woodgrained instrument panel trim, radial tires with body-color deluxe wheel covers, and a vinyl roof.[15] The Maverick LDO option (also offered on the Mercury Comet) was one of the first American compacts to be marketed as a lower-priced (and domestic) alternative to the more expensive European luxury/touring sedans from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and other makes. Minor changes were made from 1973 to 1975. For 1973, the 170 CID engine was dropped, making the 200 CID I6 the standard engine. Additionally, improved brakes and a previously optional chrome grille became standard. An AM/FM stereo, aluminum wheels, and a new slightly larger front bumper to comply with federal 5 MPH regulations. In 1974, the Maverick was unchanged except for new even larger federally required 5 MPH bumpers for both front and rear which required new rear quarter panel end caps. Jumping gas prices and increasing demand for smaller cars resulting from the Arab oil embargo did cause the Maverick to grow in popularity, selling 10,000 more units than the year before. Production of the Maverick and Comet dropped in 1975 with the release of the Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch as true Euro-style luxury compacts. The Maverick received minor trim changes for 1975 that included new grilles and the replacement of Maverick nameplates on the hood and trunklid with FORD nameplates spelled out in block letters.

In 1976, the Grabber was dropped, and a Stallion package was introduced. The Stallion option came with special paint and trim. Like the Sprint package four years earlier, Ford offered the Stallion option on several models, this time including the Pinto and the new Mustang II. The Comet GT was also discontinued. Standard Mavericks received another new grille and gained front disc brakes as standard equipment along with a new foot-operated parking brake that replaced the old under-dash T-handle unit. Production continued to drop.

The final year for both the Maverick and Comet was 1977. Both cars remained unchanged except for a police package on the Maverick which was not sufficiently upgraded for police work and sold less than 400 units. The Maverick was produced in Brazil until 1979. Maverick's place in the North American Ford lineup was essentially taken by the 1978 Fairmont.

The Maverick and Comet had no significant changes towards the end of their lifespans since they were originally meant to be replaced in 1975 by the Granada and Monarch. However, Ford decided to keep selling both sets of cars until the 1978 model year introduction of the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr, which were built on an all-new "Fox" platform that would serve as the basic platform for many Ford/Mercury/Lincoln designs through the early 1990s.