What years did Ford make the Pinto Wagon?
Ford produced the Pinto Wagon from model year 1971 through 1980.
Timeline and context
The Pinto was Ford’s compact subcompact lineup introduced for the 1971 model year, built on a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive platform. To expand practicality for small families and buyers seeking more cargo space, Ford offered a wagon variant built on the same Pinto chassis. The Pinto line — including the wagon variant — was discontinued after the 1980 model year, marking the end of the Pinto era in most markets. Availability and exact trim naming varied by year and region, but the wagon was part of the Pinto family across the majority of its production life.
Availability by year (Pinto Wagon)
Below is a year-by-year snapshot of when a Pinto-based wagon was commonly documented in the U.S. market. Names and exact configurations could differ by year and market, but the wagon variant generally appeared within the Pinto’s production window.
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
In summary, the Pinto Wagon occupied the Pinto lineup from the start of the Pinto’s U.S. production run in 1971 through its end in 1980, with some variability in trim names (such as wagon或Squire) and market-specific availability.
Design and market context
The Pinto Wagon shared its mechanical underpinnings with other Pinto body styles, offering the same engines and transmissions but with the added cargo space of a wagon body. In various markets, the wagon carried distinctive branding or trim names, reflecting Ford’s marketing approach to compact wagons during the 1970s. The wagon version aimed to blend affordability with practicality, a hallmark of the era’s family-oriented subcompacts.
Notes on sources and accuracy
Production years reflect widely cited automotive histories and archived Ford materials documenting the Pinto line and its wagon variant. Regional variations and specific trim naming (for example, references to “Pinto Squire” in some markets) can affect how the wagon is listed in vintage documents.
Summary
The Pinto Wagon was produced from 1971 through 1980, aligning with the overall Pinto production run. While the exact wagon configuration and naming could vary by year and market, the 1971–1980 window represents the core production period for Ford’s Pinto-based wagon.
What year did they make the Ford Pinto wagon?
| Ford Pinto | |
|---|---|
| Model years | 1971–1980 (Pinto) 1974–1980 (Bobcat) |
| Assembly | United States: Edison, New Jersey (Edison Assembly) Milpitas, California (San Jose Assembly) Canada: Southwold, Ontario (St. Thomas Assembly) |
| Designer | Robert Eidschun (1968) |
| Body and chassis |
How much did a Ford Pinto cost in 1970?
The 1970 Ford Pinto had a suggested retail price of $1,919. This price was intended to be competitive with other subcompact imports and was undercutting the General Motors Vega by about $150.
- Base price: The starting price for the base model was $1,919.
- Options: Additional cost options included a 100-horsepower engine for an extra $50, an automatic transmission for $175, and a radio for $61.
What was the last year of the Ford Pinto?
The last year for the Ford Pinto was 1980. Production ended in July 1980, with the Ford Escort serving as its replacement.
- Production of the Ford Pinto ceased in 1980.
- The last model year was 1980.
- The Ford Escort was introduced as the successor to the Pinto.
How many people died in the Ford Pinto scandal?
The Ford Pinto scandal is linked to an official total of 27 deaths from fires in rear-impact crashes, but some estimates are much higher, ranging from 500 to 900. The lower figure comes from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation, while the higher estimates were reported by news outlets like Mother Jones and reflect the public outcry over the vehicle's design.
- Official NHTSA count: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officially tied 27 deaths to Pinto fires in rear-end collisions between 1970 and mid-1977.
- Higher estimates: Some news articles and legal analyses claim the number of fatalities is significantly higher, ranging from 500 to as many as 900 deaths, based on their own investigations and analyses of the company's actions.
- Context: The official count is much lower because it specifically focuses on a limited number of rear-end collisions where fire resulted, while the higher estimates often include deaths from other accidents and broader interpretations of the car's design flaws. The scandal was amplified by a famous cost-benefit analysis memo that appeared to value human life less than the cost of safety improvements, further fueling public anger.
