The 10 Most Iconic Ford Models Ever Built

After 120 years in business, Ford Motor Company remains one of the world's largest carmakers, with multiple best-selling models in its current lineup. Its back catalog also includes a laundry list of iconic nameplates, many of which boast decades of production history and millions of units sold. Not every car the company has produced was a hit, however -– Ford has had its fair share of flops over the years too.

Like every other major manufacturer in the industry, Ford is currently in the midst of pivoting its lineup towards EVs, with several high-profile models like the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E already in dealerships. So, now is a great time to take a look back and round up ten of the brand's most iconic nameplates so far. Reducing the list down to just 10 is no easy task, and plenty of well-loved models narrowly missed the cut. To keep things simple, we've also excluded cars by Shelby and Lincoln here -– both of which have enough icons in their back catalogs that they deserve lists of their own.

After seeing Chevrolet's success with the two-seater Corvette, Ford hastily developed the Thunderbird, which went on sale for the 1955 model year. It shared a lot of parts with other Ford production cars, but its stylish looks and affordable starting price made it stand out from the rest of the lineup. In fact, it quickly outsold the 'Vette, although over the years, the two would eventually diverge away from being direct rivals.

The Thunderbird became Ford's luxury-focused offering, with a wider variety of body styles available after the initial run of two door convertibles from 1955 to 1957. After decades of production it was axed in 1997, before being briefly brought back in the early 2000s. The last Thunderbird left the line in 2005, with the iconic nameplate retired after 50 years. 

Recent rumors pointed to a revival of the name with a new car targeted at taking on the upcoming electric Corvette, although for now, Ford has remained tight-lipped on its future plans.

American buyers today can't get enough of SUVs, and the Ford Explorer played a key role in starting that market shift. According to Ford, the Explorer is the best-selling SUV of all time in the U.S., with the model first launched in the 1991 model year and remaining in continuous production ever since. Like many of the most successful Fords, the brand has kept the basic formula unchanged throughout those years of production: boxy, upright styling, a range of trims to suit all tastes and budgets, and plenty of space for a family and their luggage.

However, an all-electric Explorer was recently unveiled for the European market, and Ford has hinted that it may eventually also be launched in America. If it does launch stateside, it would mark the most drastic change to the Explorer line since it was first released, although it's unlikely to replace the gas-powered bestseller outright anytime soon.

The F-Series remains America's best-selling pickup truck line by a significant margin, with the first F-Series trucks appearing in the post-war years. The F-100 was the first to really capitalize on the trend of Americans using their trucks for everyday driving duties, offering increased comforts like sun visors and armrests. It was a huge hit, although it's tough to find one in original condition today -– most have been worked into the ground, modernized to some degree, or modified.

The second-generation F-Series truck was in production from 1953 to 1956, with later models gaining a wraparound windshield and other styling tweaks. Later successors added even more car-derived features, but today's most lavishly appointed trucks might never have been were it not for the success of the F-100. Like many of the best classic truck models, well-sorted examples of the F-100 are highly collectible, and the most pristine can command a significant premium on the occasion that an owner puts one up for sale.

Alongside its American operations, Ford has a long-standing presence in Europe, particularly in the U.K. There's a long line of models that were developed specifically for European tastes, but few can claim to be as iconic as the Ford Escort. The Euro Escort differed significantly from its North American counterpart, with the first generation car designed to replace the venerable Ford Anglia. A small, simple, and affordable car, the Escort soon proved to be a hit, both at dealerships and with the press.

It also proved to be highly successful in motorsport, with the Escort Mexico and RS2000 launched to capitalize on those successes. In particular, the car forged a reputation as one of the best rally cars of its day, handing Ford the drivers' championship in 1979 and 1981 with Björn Waldegård and Ari Vatanen at the wheel, respectively. The rise of four-wheel drive saw the Escort's reign cut short, but over a decade later, the Escort RS Cosworth reasserted the nameplate's place at the top of the sport. 

The car remained in production from 1968 until 2000, when it was replaced in Europe by the Focus. However, the Escort remains a collectors' favorite today and can often still be seen at classic car rallies across the continent.

It's hard to understate the impact of the Ford Model T. Undoubtedly the most important model in Ford's production history, the Model T was launched in 1908 and helped transform mass production. Henry Ford's revolutionary assembly line slashed the cost of making each car, which in turn meant each model could be priced much lower than the competition. It was an unbeatable deal, and just 15 years after the model's initial launch, over half of all registered road cars were Fords.

The car remained in production until 1927, with over 15 million examples sold in total. The majority of those were painted black, although a select number of cars were also sold in other colors over the course of production. When it comes to iconic Fords, despite all of the segment defining luxury and performance models that have graced the car's dealerships over the years, its original mass-produced model is still firmly among the brand's most iconic vehicles ever made.