Ford LTD (Americas) - Panther-platform (1979-1982)

Panther-platform (1979-1982)

Downsized two years after its main rivals, the Chevrolet Impala and Caprice, the 1979 LTD was fifteen inches shorter than the 1978 model (and ten inches shorter than the "mid-size" LTD II). However, the interior remained just as large as the previous LTD, and the whole design became more efficient. The reduced size and weight led to improved road manners and maneuverability, with ride quality and fuel economy improving as well. The two base engines, the 302 and 351 Windsor V8s, were carried over from 1978; the big-block 400 and 460 V8s were discontinued. For 1981 and 1982, to further improve fuel economy (while avoiding diesel or 6-cylinder engines), Ford introduced a 255 cu in (4.2 L) variant of the Windsor V8. The 255 proved an unreliable and unpopular choice; at 115 hp, its output was ill-suited for the LTD's two-ton curb weight.

In Canada, the Custom 500 continued as the base model through 1981. Low-end cars were identifiable by single square headlamps, while the higher models received duals. For 1979, the LTD S was added as a lower-priced model and the Crown Victoria replaced the Landau on a permanent basis; it had a landau roof with a targa-like chrome band. First introduced in the U.S. in the mid-1950s, the Crown Victoria returned as a trim package for the LTD in 1979; its Mercury equivalent was the Grand Marquis.

For 1983, as part of a major product shift, the LTD and LTD Crown Victoria were split into separate product lines. The LTD was downsized to the Fox platform (and Mercury Marquis) to replace the Granada, while the full-size LTD Crown Victoria became a stand-alone model (along with the Mercury Grand Marquis).