FORD GRANADA : WHY FORD COMPARED IT TO THE MERCEDES BENZ

Mercury Monarch Granada would appear for the 1975 model year and would continue the evolution the Maverick had started. The story was of luxury and a greatly reduced footprint that would rival the best offerings from the US and Europe. Ford's main concern was Convincing the American public that a smaller car could be just as luxurious as the traditional American barges of the past. Granada would have to appear different, regardless of the bones on which it was based. Despite significant energy and economic uncertainties, the American people were reluctant to let go of their land yachts. So, comparisons to the best of the best were made right from the start. Granada was presented as an elegantly downsized solution to America's transportation needs. Many aspects of Granada were covered in great detail in Ford's brochures. A great deal of effort was also invested into convincing prospective buyers the Granada was precision sized, not downsized. The standard 200 cubic inch 6 didn’t exactly advance Granada's luxury reputation. However, the available 250 cubic inch 6, as well as the 302 and 351 v8 offerings did offer a bit more power and prestige. But this is of course all in the context of this most malaise of times. The vast range of luxury and appearance features made Granada a hit. And, as before, there was a driving force behind this remarkable automotive success story. Years before Iacocca was saving Chrysler, he was saving Ford... again. Lee Iacocca and his team saw the future was not bright for traditional full-size American luxury, so, he insisted that Granada would feature styling and content that went far beyond Anything previously offered in a mainstream downsized American car. And he didn't stop with the Ford brand. Mercury would offer an even more luxurious variant. Yes, before there was Versailles, there was the monarch. Though only superficially enhanced over Granada, Monarch did offer a compelling product for the traditional Lincoln buyer. Exteriors featured even more right work and enhanced detailing. The grill and turn signals were distinct and the hood ornament was probably the largest ever offered on a car of this size. It was during this time that the twilight was nearing for the traditional full-size American luxury car. It is for this reason that Monarch and Granada were designed from the start to offer unusual amounts of luxury and sophistication. Even though Ford succeeded in some ways, there is no denying that the Lincolns of this time period were truly something else, a kind that has not been seen since they left. Granada would prove from the start to be one of those worthwhile efforts. The combination of formal, upright styling and vast range of comfort and convenience features made it a major sales success. The Ghia trim level in particular personified the spirit of Granada. Accoutrements furthered the luxury aesthetic. Even more luxurious was the Ghia trim level. Door cards featured Rolls Royce-esque upper faux wood trim that was surprisingly convincing. Floating pillow style seating surfaces and a digital clock combined with available Ultra-soft leather to outclass most rivals in Granada's price range, foreign or domestic. Once again there was cause for celebration. Ford had the right car at the right time. In addition to a generous array of standard features, what set Granada apart was the available options. Higher trim levels offered over 100 pounds of sound insulation and remote-control rearview mirrors. Granada was truly something special. Before there was Versailles there was monarch. Introduced alongside Granada, Monarch offered a higher level of standard features and detailing. The front end in particular was distinguishable from Granada with its vertical waterfall grill and cartoonishly oversized hood ornament. Monarch was clearly intended to further the fairytale luxury connection to the finest of the European offerings. As with Granada, Monarch offered the luxurious Ghia trim level. Granada and Monarch did arrive at a time when advertisers were rapidly moving away from the concept of more inches sell more cars. It was clear by its second model year that Granada was a sales success. The effort to distill large car handling and comfort into a smaller package proved popular among younger buyers in particular. Ghia continued for 1976 with even more luxury detailing inside and out. The two-door was labeled a sedan, which is probably a more accurate description than coupe as the two and four-door models actually shared identical wheelbase and overall length. The luxury décor option featured bucket seats and a sporty console with storage and an armrest. The sport sedan model toned down the wood grain accents for the interior and added heavy duty suspension components. Available power ranged from the standard 200 cubic inch 6 to the 351 V8.

Added 22 May 2026