THE TRUCK that thought it was A CAR
The Fifties was famously the most creative period for American car design, and the pursuit of novelty was responsible for some highly unorthodox thinking. While this was mainly limited to show cars, every now and then a new concept was carried through to the production stages.
It’s a pity no one recorded the discussion at Ford when someone said: “Do you think there might be a gap in the market for a stylish, comfortable car that’s also a practical pick-up?” – but it evidently met with the boardroom’s approval as it entered the market in December 1956 as the Ranchero. There must have been some nail-biting at Ford, as a vehicle that attempts to fulfil two functions can too easily fail to perform either of them to any useful degree, but the Ranchero was stylish, pleasant to drive and practical, and it was
