Here’s why the Torino is Ford’s forgotten muscle car

In this episode I provide the history of the Ford Torino, which initially was the higher trim of the Ford Fairlane in 1968, but by 1970, it has become so popular that Ford demoted the Fairlane name to a cheaper version of the Torino. The Torino's optional fastback roofline, called the "Sports Roof" proved so good for NASCAR that it was banned from the race the following year. By 1972, a new generation introduced the Gran Torino, which would also be the start of decreasing engine output, and larger federally mandated bumpers over the next couple years, and ended its run entirely after 1976, thanks to Ford trying to move away from performance and more towards luxury. Today, the Gran Torino is most well known for its role in the TV cop show Starsky and Hutch, and later in the 2008 Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino".