![]() In 1978, Lee Iacocca and Hal Sperlich both departed Ford and were hired by Chrysler. Developed during the 1973 energy crisis, the Carousel was fitted with a 460 V8, shared with full-size Ford vehicles and one-ton Ford trucks. Along with it not replacing an existing Ford model line, the Carousel did not compete against an existing GM or Chrysler vehicle. At the time of its development, financial constraints forced the company to divert funds towards critical projects (such as the development of the Fox platform, Panther platform, and 1980 Ford F-Series). While the prototype would receive a positive response by many Ford executives (for a potential 1976 introduction), the Carousel ultimately would not reach production (under any model name). ![]() The interior of the prototype was fitted two rear bench seats trimmed similar to the Ford Country Squire and Mercury Colony Park. In a key indication of its future as a family-oriented vehicle, the Carousel wore a rear tailgate with a drop-down rear window like the LTD station wagon, it was fitted with simulated exterior woodgrain trim. The Carousel also received a more steeply raked windshield, a new (longer) front fascia, and a wagon-style roofline (with wraparound window glass). To achieve its "garageable" status, the roofline of the Carousel was lowered approximately 12 inches in comparison to a standard-wheelbase Ford Club Wagon (placing its height close to that of the later Ford Windstar/Freestar). Dubbed the Ford Carousel, a prototype was tested from 1972 to 1974, using the 124-inch wheelbase chassis of the Club Wagon. Additional objectives for the "garageable van" included increased interior space (over station wagons) and more desirable styling (over full-size vans). As the full-size van was slated to grow in size, Ford explored the concept of a "garageable van", designed with a roofline to easily fit through a typical garage door opening. In total, 2,029,577 vehicles were produced across a single generation.ĭevelopment Carousel: the garageable van įor Ford Motor Company, the development of the minivan began life in the early 1970s as a companion model to the third-generation Ford Econoline/Club Wagon, under development for the 1975 model year. Louis Assembly Plant in Hazelwood, Missouri. The role of the Aerostar cargo van was left unfilled, with the Ford Transit Connect serving as the closest successor (in terms of size and capability).įor its entire production, the model line was assembled by the St. The Aerostar was replaced for the 1995 model year by the front-wheel drive Ford Windstar Ford sold both model lines concurrently through the 1997 model year. ![]() Sold primarily in the United States and Canada, a limited number of vehicles were exported outside of North America. The model line was sold in multiple configurations, including passenger and cargo vans, along with an extended-length body. The first minivan powered exclusively by V6 engines, the Aerostar was also one of the first vehicles to introduce all-wheel drive to the segment in North America. Introduced shortly before the Ford Taurus, the Aerostar derived its name from its slope-nosed "one-box" exterior (although over six feet tall, the body of the Aerostar retained a drag coefficient of C d=0.37, besting the Lincoln Mark VII). The first minivan produced by Ford, the model line was marketed against the Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari and the first two generations of the Chrysler minivans. The Ford Aerostar is a range of vans that was manufactured by Ford from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. ![]()
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