A 1978 Fairmont coupe was Ford's 100 millionth car built, and one wagon was converted into an electric vehicle the same year.
Lead trim: Fairmont 3.3 Thriftpower I6 (85 hp) · up to 139 hp
Ford Fairmont1978–1983
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Ford Fairmont yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactA 1978 Fairmont coupe was Ford's 100 millionth car built, and one wagon was converted into an electric vehicle the same year.
The Ford Fairmont is a model line of compact cars manufactured and marketed by Ford for the 1978 to 1983 model years (launched in August 1977 as a 1978 model), the successor of the Ford Maverick and the third generation of Ford's North American compact sedans, positioned initially between the Pinto and Granada and later between the Escort and LTD. It was the first Ford to use the new rear-wheel-drive Ford Fox platform (steel unibody, modified MacPherson front suspension with the coil springs mounted separately from the struts, four-link solid rear axle, 10.0-inch vented front discs and rack-and-pinion steering) that would go on to underpin twelve other model lines across Ford, Mercury and Lincoln through model year 2004, and it was offered as a two-door notchback sedan, two-door coupe (the Futura, introduced December 1977), four-door sedan and five-door station wagon (base and Squire); Mercury sold a rebadged counterpart as the Zephyr. A 1978 Fairmont Futura coupe became the 100 millionth vehicle assembled by Ford Motor Company on 15 November 1977, and a 1980 wagon converted by Electric Vehicles Associates became the EVA Current Fare Wagon. The standard engine throughout was the 140 cu in (2.3 L) inline-four shared with the Pinto (a 120 hp turbo version for 1980 only, marked by a center-mounted hood "power bulge"), with a 200 cu in (3.3 L) Thriftpower inline-six optional from 1978 to 1983 that made less power but significantly more torque, and two Windsor V8s in 1978–81: a 139 hp 302 (1978–79) and a 255 (1980–81). It was replaced by the front-wheel-drive Ford Tempo for 1984, and was the only Ford model in North America to keep "FORD" lettering in place of the Blue Oval as its cycle ended.
Collectors Spotted in the Ford Fairmont Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Ford Fairmont yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
8 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmont 2.3 Lima I4 (88 hp) | 1978–1981 | 2.3 L Inline-4 | 88 hp | 118 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 2.3 Lima I4 (90 hp) | 1983–1983 | 2.3 L Inline-4 | 90 hp | 122 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 2.3 Lima turbo I4 (120 hp) | 1980–1980 | 2.3 L Inline-4 | 120 hp | 145 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 255 Windsor V8 | 1980–1980 | 4.2 L V8 | 119 hp | 194 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 255 Windsor V8 (115 hp) | 1981–1981 | 4.2 L V8 | 115 hp | 195 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 3.3 Thriftpower I6 (85 hp) | 1978–1979 | 3.3 L Inline-6 | 85 hp | 154 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 3.3 Thriftpower I6 (91 hp) | 1980–1983 | 3.3 L Inline-6 | 91 hp | 160 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fairmont 302 Windsor V8 (139 hp) | 1978–1979 | 4.9 L V8 | 139 hp | 250 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
An estimate, for the Fairmont 2.3 Lima I4 (88 hp) trim: fuel on its EPA figure and a dated national price, upkeep on a per-mile average for the kind of car it is.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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