Cars that Start with F: Inside Ford‘s Most Influential Automotive Icons

Hello auto aficionado! What first comes to mind when you picture iconic Ford cars?

For me, it‘s the Mustang‘s wild galloping horse emblem soaring down an open highway. Or watching a resilient, hard-working F-Series truck powering a construction crew through their daily grind. Throughout Ford‘s rich 119-year automaking history, some of their most legendary four-wheeled (and two-wheeled!) machines have names starting with the letter F.

Want to join me on a fun ride exploring Ford‘s greatest hits? We‘ll uncover fascinating stories behind the Models T, A, F-Series, Mustang, GT and Bronco – vehicles that each revolutionized transportation in their own unique way.

An All-American Success Story

Before diving into the cars, let‘s briefly trace Ford‘s rise as one of America‘s oldest and continuous automakers.

It all began in 1903 when ambitious engineers Henry Ford and 11 investors kickstarted the Ford Motor Company with $28,000 in funding.

Production started not in Ford‘s native Detroit, but a rented wagon factory in Mack Avenue, with Ford‘s first model – the Model A – rolling off the line in 1903. Priced at an affordable $850, the simplified, no-frills car helped bring mobility to the masses.

Ford incorporated innovative production techniques like interchangeable parts and moving assembly lines in his factories. By 1925, mass production efficiencies helped the legendary Model T drop to an astonishing $260 per car – the lowest rate in the world!

Fun Fact: Over 15 million Model Ts were built in total with Ford needing just 93 minutes to assemble one, a new record!

Today, Ford‘s come a long way from its early "tin lizzies". But Henry Ford‘s vision of versatile, reliable and economical vehicles continues powering the company into its second century!

So let‘s explore 7 iconic cars starting with F that transformed Americans work and play through the decades!

1. Model T – Putting the World on Wheels

We can‘t forget the car that started it all for Ford – the Model T! Unveiled in 1908, Henry Ford proclaimed his eagerly awaited new model the "universal car", affordable for the average citizen.

The early Model T retailed for $825, undercutting rival autos by almost $1,000! Ford achieved this revolutionary price via a moving assembly line that took mass production to unprecedented levels. Within 7 years, annual output exploded from 10,000 to 725,000 units annually.

By the mid 1920s, prices plunged even further to just $260 thanks to Ford‘s assembly line efficiencies and direct material sourcing. And thus the Model T fulfilled its promise – over 15 million units sold from 1908 to 1927, helping shape early 20th century mobility.

Key Model T Facts & Stats:

• Total Production Run: 19 years (1908 – 1927)
• Units Sold: Over 15 million
• Best Yearly Sales: 1923 – Over 2 million units
• Base Price (1908): $825
• Minimum Price (1925 Model): $260
• Body Styles: 2-door touring, roadster, coupe, sedan
• Seating Capacity: 2 to 5
• Weight: Approx. 1,200 pounds
• Engine: 20 hp, 176 cu. in. flathead inline four-cylinder
• Transmission: 2-speed planetary manual
• Dimensions (in.): Width – 64, Height – 84, Length – 134
• Factory: Highland Park Plant, Michigan

Yes, the Model T lacked what we now consider basic features – no speedometer, fuel gauge or even doors! But by optimizing production for maximum simplicity and economy, the "Tin Lizzie" became America‘s first mass produced, mass market automobile.

2. F-Series – The Best-Selling Workhorse

Now we shift from early Ford innovators to the modern day. No discussion of iconic Ford toughness is complete without their legendary F-Series – America‘s best-selling truck for an astounding 40 straight years and counting!

The F-Series story began after World War II in 1948, when Ford rebranded its truck range to directly target America‘s post-war industrial and agricultural boom. The first generation F-Series models (F-1 to F-8) replaced older car-based Ford pickups with more durable, capacious chassis better suited to the demands of a growing economy.

Initially launched as no-frills workhorses, later generations added more power, features and luxury to keep attracting customers across economic ups and downs.

By 1981, an expanding variant range plus Ford‘s reputation for truck reliability saw the F-Series outsell all passenger cars to become not just America‘s best-selling truck, but its outright sales king – a throne it hasn‘t relinquished since!

Let‘s crunch some numbers highlighting the F-Series‘ record-smashing success:

• 40+ years as America‘s Highest Selling Vehicle
• Average 7,000 units sold daily in 2020
• Total Trucks Sold in 2020: Over 787,000
• 2020 Market Share: 32.7% of full-size pickups

The 14th generation launched for 2021 brings Ford‘s trucks deeper into the future with connectivity tech and over-the-air update capability. Yet top-rated towing muscle up to 14,000 pounds remains a prime reason this workhorse just keeps outworking every rival year after year!

3. Mustang – The Original Pony Car

From full-size Ford toughness let‘s gallop over to a more compact speedster – the Mustang! One of Ford‘s greatest 1960‘s successes, Mustang defined the "pony car" category melding sporty affordability into an instantly iconic package.

The original 1965 Mustang hardtop retailed around $2,300, undercutting the competition by almost $1,000. Yet its sleek fastback shape housed 123hp straight-6 power and crisp steering handling belying its starter car accessibility.

By cramming big thrills into a smaller format, Mustang sales exploded to 22,000 units sold on opening day and 418,000 moved in that first year – a record outpacing all rival sports compacts!

Let‘s highlight vital stats cementing Mustang‘s credentials as a 62-year sales phenom:

Ford Mustang Fast Facts:

• Total Sold: Over 10 million
• Highest Sales Year: 1966 – 607,568 cars
• 2021 Sales: Nearly 72,000 units
• Highest Power Output: 480 hp (Shelby GT500)
• Fastest 0-60 mph: 3.3 seconds (Shelby GT500)
• Current Starting Price: $28,000

Now in its sixth generation, Mustang continues delivering bold style fused with Ford‘s latest EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 potency sure to quicken pulses whether parked or flying down the highway!

4. GT Series – Track Domination in its DNA

If the Mustang represents Ford performance at its most accessible, then the R&D honed GT supercar surely showcases Ford engineering at its most extreme!

While 1960s GT40 race cars roared to back-to-back Le Mans 24 hour endurance race wins, today‘s greatest-hit GT revived that dominant motorsport DNA into an ultra-rare carbon fiber rocket.

Let‘s peek behind the GT‘s mysteriously tinted windshield to uncover what $500,000 buys:

• Construction: Ultra-lightweight carbon fiber
• Powerplant: 660 hp, 3.5L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6
• Top Speed: 216 mph
• 0-60 MPH: Under 3 seconds
• Brakes: Enormous 16.1" carbon ceramic discs
• Total Produced: 1,350 units across Mk I and II generations

With a Le Mans legend‘s soul transplanted into its gorgeously sculpted shell, today‘s GT remains purpose-built for dominating racetracks worldwide rather than civilian commute duty!

5. Bronco – Bringing Back the Fun!

Jumping from Ford‘s halo speedster to another roughness loving icon – say hello to the revived Ford Bronco!

Originally launched in 1966 to court thrill seekers wanting compact truckiness fused with heavy-duty off-road grit, the first Broncos sold respectably until sales tapered off by the mid 1990s.

But you can‘t keep a good horse down! The all-new 6th generation Bronco galloped back into the spotlight for 2021 with its boxy, no-nonsense dimensions jacked up on monster tires ready to devour boulders and desert dunes with glee!

Let‘s see how the latest Bronco‘s specs measure up against top rivals:

With its hardcore off-road specs plus removable doors and roof panels enhancing open air thrills, the reimagined Bronco arrives locked and loaded for action!

6. Future Performance Fords

Beyond legendary Ford classics, there‘s still open road left ahead for models yet to come! The Blue Oval is charging onward with next-gen projects including:

Mustang E: Developed under the code name "Mustang E", Ford confirms its iconic stallion goes electric by 2028! Expect fusion between instant EV acceleration and quintessential Mustang styling in a zero-emission package.

F-150 Lightning: Ford‘s Reinventing an icon as America‘s best-selling truck gets revolutionized with an all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning! Equipped with dual motors targeting 563 hp and 775 lb-ft torque while retaining F-series utility.

Bronco Raptor: Bronco gets weaponized for high-speed off-road performance with the incoming track-inspired Raptor variant! Expect upgraded suspension, chunkier tires and 500+ horsepower enabling narrowed focus on desrt and dunes.

Explorer Timberline: Ford retools its family-friendly Explorer SUV into more of an off-roader with this upcoming Timberline model tuned specially for forest trail adventures!

Mustang Dark Horse: Beloved Mustang coupes are also set for additional performance specials like this sinister-sounding Dark Horse edition apparently gunning for 500+ hp!

And even wilder 21st-century Fords are likely roaming in labs awaiting their moment under the spotlight. With electrification turning up the wick on power outputs while connectivity and self-driving maturity could sharpen dynamics even further, future blue oval runabouts might end up the greatest hits of all!

In Closing

I hope you enjoyed our virtual tour through Ford‘s greatest automotive hits starting with F!

We covered pioneers like the Model T and Model A that motorized millions. Workhorses like the indomitable F-Series pickups that productivity across jobsites nationwide. The legendary GT40s and modern day GT supercar dominating endurance events and hyperexotic driveways. Plus thrilling performance coupes like the Mustang where affordable V8 muscle bred timeless cool through the years.

Collectively, Ford vehicles starting with F have powered progress, propelled business and brought grins to drivers for over a century! And with the revived Bronco, Mustang Mach-E, Lightning EV truck and more exciting future models fast approaching, Ford still offers open road ahead to transform transportation for new generations!

So if you seek timeless automotive Americana or the thrill only Ford performance can deliver, there‘s an "F" car or truck with your name on it!