Top 10 Rarest Ford Limited Edition Cars

Maybe you’re a fan of Ford cars. Perhaps, you’re looking for a unique vehicle from this company to buy to stand out wherever you go riding in it. Regardless of your case, consider purchasing one of the rarest Ford limited-edition vehicles. Any of these machines will enable you to make a lasting statement wherever you go.

Most people know the Ford Motor Company for the mass production of vehicles. However, the carmaker has also made rare, limited edition cars. Since Ford’s beginning in 1903, this company has remained synonymous with the auto industry. Many individuals know Henry Ford as the innovator who transformed vehicles into commodities for mass consumption.

Today, Ford is among the most successful brands globally. Creating memorable vehicles, tough-looking trucks, and implementing effective advertising strategies are some of the reasons behind the success of this company. Some cars from the Ford Motor Company have maintained their mythical status for years. Perhaps, this explains why you could find one of these machines when visiting a top online casino in the USA.

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Brief History of the Ford Motor Company

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company, building the Quadri-cycle, the first car by this firm back in 1896. The Ford family has controlled this company since its founding. The first venture by Henry Ford into car making was in the Detroit Automobile Company. Nevertheless, the firm changed its name to Henry Ford Company in 1901. But Henry Ford fell out with financial backers prompting him to leave the firm with $900 and rights to his name.

Afterward, Henry and Alexander Y. Malcomson financed another car company. Malcomson and Ford partnered to design a car and order parts. While the manufacturing company demanded payment, the partnership ran out of funds. Thus, Malcomson turned to John Gray, his uncle, who headed the German-American savings bank. John suggested incorporating Malcomson and Ford to bring in new investors.

That’s how Ford Motor Company became an incorporated organization with 12 investors as the owners of 1000 shares. Ford Motor Company became profitable immediately, though some shareholders had reservations. But, the company faced frictions at first when Malcomson and Ford disagreed over the company’s future. Gray and Ford sided with each other, freezing out Malcomson. Ford bought Malcomson’s shares while Gray died in 1906. Therefore, Ford became the president of the Ford Motor Company.

In 1903, the company produced the Ford Model A. The firm named white Ford cars chronologically. For instance, the Ford Model K was the firm’s first 6-cylinder model, called the gentleman’s roadster. This model’s price was considerably higher than most cars available in the market back then, selling at $2800 while the Enger 40 sold at $2000.

Ford produced the Model T in 1908. At this time, the company was making a few cars every day at its rented Detroit factory. During the first year of the Model T, the company produced slightly more than 100,000 units. But the increasing demand for this vehicle prompted the company to relocate production to a larger plant.

As of 1913, the company had created basic methods of its assembly line, reducing production time to 2 hours and 40 minutes from 12 and a half hours. Eventually, the company lowered this to one hour and 33 minutes.

The company ran a successful ad that increased sales to 501,462 in 1915. As of 1920, Ford had increased production to over 1 million per year. Eventually, the company started producing vehicles overseas by finding the Ford of Canada.

Extensive expansion into the global market happened in 1911 when the company launched factories in England and Ireland, and eventually France in 1917. Germany, Denmark, Argentina, and Austria followed. Also, the company opened factories in South Africa, Japan, and Australia. As of 1920, the company made 40% of cars in Britain and 50% of all vehicles in the United States. Half of the cars in the U.S. were Model Ts.

In 1919, Henry Ford took control of Ford Motor Company after buying out the minority shareholders. And this happened after losing in a case where he wanted to end shareholders’ special dividends to increase new plants’ investments, but the Dodge Brothers objected and took him to court.

The company’s reincorporation occurred in 1919, with Ford, his wife Clara, and Edsel, his son, acquiring its full ownership. These and the Ford Foundation became the sole stockholders until the first offer in January 1956. Since reincorporation, Ford Motor Company has continued to expand operations, producing different car models.

Currently, Ford leads in innovation and reliability. Ford makes SUVs, cars, and trucks that help users arrive at their destinations safely and efficiently and automotive accessories and parts. Ford Motor Company has headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. It has over 200,000 employees globally, selling up to 6 million vehicles per year. Also, this carmaker has expanded past the origin point in Detroit. The company has more than 10,000 dealerships globally.

Rare and Limited Edition Cars from Ford Motor Company

As one of the most prominent global carmakers, Ford Motor Company has produced many special edition vehicles. Therefore, including all rare, limited edition cars by this company in a single article is challenging. Here are the top 10 rarest Ford limited edition cars to consider if you love unique vehicles.

1. Ford GTX1 Roadster

Ford GTX1 Roadster’s production began when the company allowed Genaddi Design Group to create a limited production of Ford GT-based roadsters. But this vehicle is not like the 2000s’ Ford GT with a cut-off roof since the users can remove the roof panel to create a Targa or T-top configuration. The plan was to create 100 special SEMA edition vehicles and 500 standard models initially. However, the company made around 100 cars within two years.

Based on GT40, this car is among the leading American race vehicles. But only one vehicle in the entire production had gold and black. Also, this vehicle had signatures from top figures in the vehicle history like Carroll Shelby and Henry Ford III.

2. Ford Torino Talladega

Ford created Ford Torino Talladega in response to NASCAR rules. The company produced 754 muscle cars under this name within a few weeks in 1969. The homologation rules required the company to make a specific number of models, compelling it to sell this vehicle to customers. That’s why Ford Torino Talladega is a valuable collectible and scarce car today.

This car’s Total Performance Program made it suitable for racing. Changes in NASCAR rules allowed the company to introduce aerodynamic, unique bodies to enhance speed. The Ford Torino Talladega dominated the 1969 NASCAR season.

3. Ford Mustang McLaren M81

Fox-body generation was the next step upon moving away from the disastrous Mustang II. The early 80s and late 70s were not good moments for muscle cars. However, that’s when Ford released unique car versions. The company released Ford Mustang McLaren M81, an exciting vehicle made with help from the McLaren racing team.

The 1980’s partnership between Ford and McLaren created a prototype showing off the hand-built McLaren engine. It also exhibited Ford’s aftermarket breadth and motorsports parts. This concept became a reality with the company slating 249 cars only. However, few takers compelled it to make ten vehicles. Out of these, seven cars had bright colors.

The idea behind the creation of this vehicle was to transform the 2.3-liter turbo engine from a regular Mustang into a street racing vehicle with modifications like light bodyweight and race-tuned suspension. Ford and McLaren installed the 190 hp tuned turbo engine while entirely changing the Ford Mustang. This design will avoid getting other Ford’s engine problems.

Read more: Vehicle Tech – The Latest Aesthetic and Safety Innovations

Consequently, Ford Mustang McLaren M81 had better driving dynamics and performance. Its price tag also remained high. The sale price for this car was $25,000, around three times that of a regular Mustang. Nevertheless, this car remained a tough seller, even with installing the new items. The Ford Motor Company canceled this project after selling only around 10 Ford Mustang McLaren M81.

Although Ford Mustang McLaren M81 was one hell of a car, it was expensive for the target market. The engine was costly to produce. The vehicle required equipment past the body kit, including the Race mark steering wheel, Racero seats, Koni suspension, Stewart-Warner instrument gauge, bolt-in roll bar, upgraded brakes, and Firestone HPR tires.

4. Ford RS200

The Ford Motor Company made this car competing in Group B Rally racing, a mighty mid-engine sport and small machine with two different versions. These are the tracing version with 450 hp and the street-legal car with 250 hp. Ford designed and created this excellent car in the U.K. to dominate the Group B Rally. The turbocharged mid-mounted 1.8-liter Cosworth engine powered this vehicle sending around 250hp to the four wheels in the road-going homologation models. Depending on its tune, this engine pushed between 350 and 450 hp in the racing trim. The fiberglass bodywork was by Ghia, weighing 2,315 lbs only.

Driving the brand new vehicle was hard during the first competitions. However, the car has a significant promise. In the first season, Ford RS200 had a tragic accident. After that, another rally accident occurred, leading to several deaths. Several reactions from these accidents led to the abolishment of Group B class by FIA, ending the rallying golden era. Consequently, Ford built 200 road-going versions only for homologation. The Ford Heritage Center in the United Kingdom preserves the 200 versions.

5. Ford Skyranger

The American Sunroof Company, a third-party manufacturer, built the Ford Skyranger. That’s because Ford was not enthusiastic about this project. Consequently, the company scrapped the project after making less than 20 Skyranger cars. Some reports say that the company built 17 or 19 Skyrangers. But every Skyranger comes with a stock 4.0L V6, extended cab, and all-wheel drive.

Some people haven’t heard about this vehicle because it’s limited. Ford wanted to produce convertible pickup with a regular ranger but an extended cab serving as its basis. The ASC delivered the first samples according to Ford’s instructions. However, Skyranger was odd with attractive graphics on its sides, spoilers on the back, and a soft top.

Unfortunately, this truck didn’t look good, and its sale was not successful. Although similarly built and executed, the Dodge Dakota Sports Convertible looked better and was popular, despite not doing well.

6. 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype

The 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype was the first car by the company with the Ford GT name. But the company made two units only, paving the way for the legendary Ford GT40. The idea behind this car was the infamous Ferrari snub of its attempt to buy them. But Ford started a partnership with Lola Cars to create a race car that led to this prototype. Although the company made the prototype in short order, it performed to Henry Ford II’s expectations.

The 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype was one of the two GT40s the Shelby American prepared for the racing season in 1965. These cars are among the shipments Shelby received from the U.K. upon joining the Ford racing program to beat Ferrari at the Le Mans.

This car has a G.T./104 chassis that started its rise in beating Ferrari. Ken Miles and other British test drivers in the Shelby team loved this car due to its aerodynamics, weight savings, and rear suspension. Also, this car had a drastically better engine with sporting white stripes and blue color schemes. The 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype finished first and third in the 1965’s season of Daytona.

7. Ford Pinto Rally Cruising Wagon

Maybe you’ve heard about Ford Pinto if you’re a fan of cars. This model was the best-selling economy car from Ford since the 70s. But this vehicle was the basis of many jokes. Also, the car was an object of several government inquiries regarding spontaneous combustion issues and safety.

Regardless of its potential problems, low power, and not inspiring design, this car and its variants became increasingly popular. This car enabled Ford to survive the challenging financial moments in the 1970s. Ford opted to spice it up when it became a typical car by introducing the Rally Cruising Wagon. Thus, the new version, the Pinto Wagon, had a bubble rear side window and a panel van-style back end.

Also, the Pinto Rally Cruising Wagon had a blackout trim, bumpers, and script graphics on its side. It also had unique interiors, wheel details, and rally gauges on the dashboard. But the car maintained the power of the regular versions. In most cases, Rally Cruising Wagons come with a 2.3-liter engine and a measly 88 hp. Thus, they lack the actual racing performance their name suggests.

Ford produced 10,029 units only. However, the front spoiler and glass potholes made this vehicle stand out.

8. Ford Free-Wheelin’ Models

Special car editions that featured flashy wheels, crazy graphics, and details swept the automotive world towards the end of the 70s. At this time, Ford’s Free-Wheelin editions were the typical models. Ford produced these editions in several models, including Econoline vans, Branco, the F-150, and the Courier Compact Pickup Truck.

These editions stood out due to their graphics. Every Free-Wheelin model came with five colors, making rainbow stripes that suited the car’s lines. The company availed this option for four years, between 1977 and 1980. During this period, the Ford Motor Company made a car with a unique style. Thus, each year’s model was different from its predecessor.

Also, Ford prepared several styling details as optional extras. Thus, customers had unique wheels, additional lights on the roof, white letter tires, bull bars, side pipe exhausts, and more aftermarket details.

The availability of Free-Wheelin in different models made it hard for customers to know the exact number of units the company produced. While these vehicles are not rare or expensive today, owning them is remarkable, especially with intact paint and details.

9. Ford Falcon XC Cobra

Ford was among the first carmakers to produce unique vehicles for specific markets. And the company makes vehicles across the world. The Ford Motor Company made Falcon under one name. However, the American Falcon was different from Australia’s. For instance, the company produced Falcon XC Cobra in the late 70s in the Australian plant. Ford sold this specific car in Australia and South Africa.

Most people remember this car for its appearance in the Mad Max film. Although the company made it in Detroit, it was a good muscle car. Ford Australia had around 400 Falcon coupes bodies in 1978, lying around. However, the company didn’t scrap it but transformed it into special edition vehicles. These cars had a 5.7 liter V8 or 5.0-liter V8 engine under the hood.

Additionally, the two high revving V8 engines provided immense firepower to the vehicle. It also had many modifications, racing stripes, exterior details, and an exceptional paint job. All these attributes made the Falcon XC Cobra rare. The Ford Motor Company produced 400 units only, making it one of the most sought-after models globally by home country collectors and muscle car enthusiasts.

10. Ford Thunderbird Limited Edition 007

If you’re a movie fanatic, you’ve probably noticed Ford vehicles in several James Bond films. For instance, the 65′ Ford Mustang dominated the Goldfinger movie. The 2004 Mondeo featured in Casino Royale. In the past, Ford also sponsored the Die Another Day movie. And this enabled the company to place its products in the films.

The main villain in the film drove the Jaguar XKR while James Bond rode in an Aston Martin. The Ford Motor Company owned both brands at this time. However, the Bond girl, the beautiful Halle Berry, drove on the Ford Thunderbird’s last generation.

Back in the early 2000s, the retro design of this model was big. However, the sales dropped after its initial popularity. Therefore, Ford Motor Company required a special edition to make the model exciting again. The Halle Berry’s model was red with tinted windows, chrome wheels, and a silver removable hardtop. And that’s precisely the look of the Limited Edition 007.

T-Bird came with a bit of plaque on its dashboard and a serial number, plus a plush leather interior to make it more interesting. Ford produced 700 units of this model, and all of them had the 4.0-liter V8 engine providing 280 hp.

Parting Shot

The Ford Motor Company remains a dominant force in the automotive industry. Since the beginning of the 20th century, this carmaker has revolutionized the automotive industry, selling hundreds of millions of vehicles. This company has also served as the market’s trendsetter.

Perhaps, this company makes excellent cars while making them unique and exceedingly rare to celebrate its successes. Ideally, the Ford Motor Company produces special editions to commemorate its history and victory after a few years. Also, this company adds extra features to every edition to attach special significance to it.

The Ford Motor Company has produced special editions for many years, barely distinguishable from regular models. However, the firm has also made unique models that enthusiasts wish they had enough money to buy. Of course, this list doesn’t include all limited edition cars exhaustively because the company has many more rare, limited edition cars.

Due to tight production budgets, guidelines, and regulations, the company can produce limited edition cars. And this compels them to exhibit their creativity, serving up spectacular vehicles within a short time before the accounting folks cut off their funding.

But limited edition cars may also include popular mainstream models with significant production capital. Such a model came about when Ford partnered with Eddie Bauer, the outdoor outfitter. However, some are one-offs, super limited models that are outrageously exclusive because of their exclusivity. This list has highlighted some of the rarest special edition cars by the Ford Motor Company. Others include F-150 Saleen S331, F-150 Tonka, Denver Broncos Bronco, Roush Warrior Mustang, Ranchero Rio Grande, and Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Mustang. The Ford Motor Company made few units of these models, meaning owning one is among the most incredible things for vehicle fanatics. Some people treasure these vehicles and keep them as valuable collectibles.

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