Ford has produced some of the finest vehicles in the automotive industry, including classics like the Thunderbird and Gran Torino and American favorites like the Ford Explorer. Coincidentally, these models have all had their taste of Hollywood fame thanks to appearances in widely acclaimed films. Sounds interesting, right? Take a seat and explore the cinematic history of these popular Ford models.
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1966 Ford Thunderbird
The 1991 film “Thelma and Louise,” directed by Ridley Scott, tells the story of two women who embark on an innocent girls’ trip that quickly turns into a desperate cross-country chase. Their getaway vehicle? A 1966 Ford Thunderbird. Throughout the film, Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) hit the road in this classic convertible — meeting a youthful Brad Pitt along the way — before driving off a cliff into the Grand Canyon in a shocking suicide finale.
Five identical Thunderbirds were used on set, all sporting a turquoise exterior coat, white interior upholstery, and an overall stylish design. The roof was flat and “disappeared” into the trunk, the grille was accented with an egg-crate pattern and Thunderbird emblem, and accessories — such as bumper guards, restyled front fenders, and twin taillights — were also included.
Want to see the 1966 Ford Thunderbird in person? You can find it on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
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1972 Ford Gran Torino
Clint Eastwood’s 2008 film “Gran Torino” is memorable for its storyline centered around a disgruntled Korean War vet and widower named Walt Kowalski (played by Eastwood). Throughout the film, he forms an unlikely bond with his neighbor Thao (Bee Vang) who attempts to steal Kowalski’s 1972 Gran Torino to appease his gangster cousin.
The Gran Torino ends up in Thao’s hands, nonetheless, against Kowalski’s will and much to the dismay of an indifferent son, disgruntled daughter-in-law, and spoiled granddaughter.
In terms of specs, the exact model used in the film was a two-door fastback Gran Torino Sport, one of 92,000 Sport models manufactured by Ford in 1972. It was coated in a dark green paint and featured a “laser stripe” down the sides, an integrated hood scoop, chrome bumpers, and a set of Magnum 500 wheels. It was further accented by quad headlamps and Thunderbird-style chrome bezels.
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1993 Ford Explorer
The 1993 Steven Spielberg-directed film “Jurassic Park” set the foundation for a dinosaur movie franchise that’s still going strong as of 2018. The 1993 Ford Explorer XLT UN46 models seen in this classic sci-fi thriller were used as tour vehicles to guide guests through Jurassic Park. As such, they came with a self-navigation system, under-seat night-vision goggles, and a trunk full of brochures, flashlights, and road flares.
They were further — and famously — customized with yellow, green, and red paint; a “Jurassic Park” logo on the side; a bubble roof; and an impressive light setup, including high-beam headlamps and front fog lights. They were also painted with numbers (mainly 04 and 05) and had a small box TV and leather upholstery in the cabin. Number 4 was later crushed and destroyed during one of the film’s most notable T-Rex scenes.
Fords have become the stars of many films in cinematic history, and these three are just a few of our favorites.
Image by tdhedengr via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Cropped from original
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