1978 Ford P6 LTD Sedan

Description

Ford’s LTD was already well established as Australia’s premier luxury car by the time the revised XC Falcon was launched in 1976, but competition from Holden’s new Caprice saw a facelifted version, dubbed the P6, arrive on the market. The latest LTD sported a bold new face that bore little resemblance to the regular Falcon, with quad circular quartz halogen headlamps and a new grille design heavily influenced by American styling trends. The slow selling Landau was dropped, while the rear sheet metal also underwent some restyling; there were new wheel trims and the vinyl roof remained. Under the bonnet, mechanical changes were restricted to meeting tough new emissions laws, a Carter four-barrel carburettor added to ensure little power was lost, while the Handling Option – consisting of heavy-duty shock absorbers, better brakes and raised ride height – improved an already compliant ride. Inside Ford made further changes for the P6, adding a strip speedometer to the revised instrument panel and leather upholstery was now standard. The steering wheel was reshaped to improve legroom and the dash pad lowered to improve visibility. Mechanically P6 LTDs remained much as before, equipped with Ford’s powerful 351-cid V8 engine and automatic transmission, four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes and a limited slip differential as standard. Despite the emissions gear, the engine was still rated at a healthy 290 bhp, providing effortless, long-legged performance. The impressive list of standard features including integrated air conditioning, power windows and stereo cassette player, along with six-way power front seats. Towards the end of the LTD’s production life, Ford released the limited edition Town Car, complete with accessories like a folding umbrella, leather key fob and wallet. Ford made only 5,896 LTDs between September 1976 and May 1979, making this one of the most exclusive luxury cars of the era and today few survivors remain on the road.