![]() The Comet was distinguished from the Maverick by using a different grille, taillights, trim, and hood. Also for 1971, an optional 210 hp (160 kW) 302 CID V8 was introduced for both the Comet and the Maverick. Mercury also revived the Comet as a rebadged variant of the Maverick. Ī four-door model was introduced for 1971, available with a vinyl roof. Also, the early models located the ignition switch in the instrument panel, while the cars built after September 1, 1969, had the ignition switches mounted on locking steering columns, as did all other 1970 Fords in compliance with a new federal safety mandate that took effect with the 1970 model year. The earliest Mavericks featured two-spoke steering wheels with partial horn rings, also found on other 1969 Fords, while late 1969 production was changed to revised steering wheels with no horn rings. The Pinto was later Ford's primary competitor to the Beetle in the subcompact class, while also competing in that segment with the Chevrolet Vega and AMC Gremlin subcompacts new to the market at that time. A 250 cu in (4,100 cc) straight-six was added mid-year.Ĭommercials and advertising compared the Maverick, at $1,995, to the smaller Volkswagen Beetle, which was about $500 less in price. In the first half of production for the 1970 model, two engine options were available, a 105 hp (78 kW) 170 cu in (2,800 cc) straight-six and a 120 hp (89 kW) 200 cu in (3,300 cc) straight-six. Īt introduction, exterior paint colors were named with puns, including "Anti-Establish Mint", "Hulla Blue", "Original Cinnamon", "Freudian Gilt", and "Thanks Vermillion" - along with more typical names including black jade, champagne gold, gulfstream aqua, meadowlark yellow, Brittany blue, lime gold, Dresden blue, raven black, Wimbledon white, and candyapple red. A four-door sedan on a 109.9-inch (2.791 m) wheelbase was introduced for 1971. Initially available only as a two-door sedan, early models lacked a glove compartment, which was added during the model year 1973 (early 1973 models still lacked a glove compartment). Its production in 1975 with the release of the Granada as a more European-style luxury compact (the Granada and Maverick shared the same basic chassis). Jumping gas prices and increasing demand for smaller cars resulting from the 1973 oil crisis caused the Maverick to grow in popularity. Total North American Maverick production (1969-1977) reached 2.1 million units. Nearly 579,000 Mavericks were produced in its first year, approaching the record-setting first year of Mustang sales (nearly 619,000), and easily outpaced the Mustang's sales of fewer than 200,000 in 1970. The Maverick's styling featured the long hood, fastback roof, and short deck popularized by the Mustang, on a 103-inch (2,616 mm) wheelbase - and featured pop-out rear side windows. A bigger Falcon was a rebranded low-trim version of the Fairlane for the second half of the model year, then went away. Consequently, the Falcon was discontinued midway through the 1970 model year, and the Maverick repositioned as Ford's compact entry, giving the Nova and Dart a new rival. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration motor-vehicle standards that would come into effect on January 1, 1970. 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. ![]() ![]() It was originally conceived and marketed as a subcompact "import fighter", intended to compete against the newer Japanese rivals for North America, then primarily from Datsun and Toyota. The Maverick was introduced on April 17, 1969, as a 1970 model. ![]()
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