Ford Granada

The Ford Granada was introduced in 1975 along with its fancier twin Mercury Monarch as Ford's new compact/mid-size offering, slotting in between the Maverick and the Torino (and in Mercury's case, the Comet and Montego). The "Granada" name was also simultaneously used on Ford's European mid-size car line. Ford attempted to cash in on the Granada name's European roots by marketing the car as an alternative to other European cars, namely the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 280 model, even going so far as to directly compare the two in various advertising campaigns (which was only wishful thinking, of course). Most buyers, however, were content to see the Granada (and Monarch) for what they really were, and that was a viable alternative to Ford's larger full-size offerings. The Granada/Monarch were offered as a 2-door coupe and a 4-door sedan - no wagon bodystyle was offered until the car's final year in 1982.

This report applies to the Granada and Monarch, except where noted.

Here's a rundown from year to year:

1st Generation (1975-1980)
The Granada and Monarch debut in 1975 as supposed replacements for the Maverick and Comet twins, but Ford decided that there was room enough for both car lines, so the Maverick and Comet stayed on. The Monarch's styling differed from the Granada mainly in a different (less chrome-laden) grille and taillights and a little fancier trim, but they were otherwise identical. Top of the line models were called Ghia, which offered even more glitz and luxury options. Drivetrain choices started with the standard 3.3L (200 cid) I6 engine, with a 4.1L (250 cid) I6, 5.0L (302 cid) V8 and a 5.8L (351 cid) V8 as options. Transmission choices were a 3- or 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic on the I6s, a 4-speed manual or 3-speed auto with the 302, while the 351 was automatic only. Interior appointments also mirrored Ford's big cars with woodgrain dashes with a minimal amount of gauges along with a little more luxury trim than usual mid-size cars of the era. Mercury offered a Grand Monarch Ghia as its top of the line model, which many claim was the actual predecessor to the 1977-1980 Lincoln Versailles.

The Granada and Monarch were strong initial sellers for Ford - apparently their big-car styling appointments and luxury-car ride clicked with alot of buyers who were downsizing from their previous full-size cars. 1976 models offered virtually no change to either model, other than Ford offering a Sport Coupe option for the Granada, which offered a little sportier trim, styled 5-spoke rims and bucket seats with a center console. In 1977, Mercury would follow suit for the Monarch coupe with the "S" model. Due to the sales success of the compact Cadillac Seville, Ford was inspired to offer a Lincoln version of the Granada this year and named it Versailles (see separate report). Due to the arrival of the Versailles, the Grand Monarch Ghia was dropped, although the luxury Ghia package was still available. There were no real changes to the 1977 Granada.

In 1978, both models received revised noses and taillights. Headlights were now rectangular with the parking lights underneath, and the grilles were made smaller and no longer surrounded the headlights. Although the automotive press (and general public) didn't really buy Ford's marketing campaign about the Granada being an alternative to a European sports sedan, Ford nonetheless now offered an ESS package for the Granada and Monarch, which stood for (what else?) European Sport Sedan. The ESS, available on the coupe or sedan, offered blacked-out grilles and exterior trim, standard color-keyed wheelcovers (styled-steel wheels were optional) and unique opera-window louvers on the coupes. Bucket seats were standard, but a bench seat could also be had if desired. Lesser Granadas and Monarchs continued as before. As far as drivetrain options were concerned, Ford discontinued the base 200 I6 and the top of the line 351 V8 engines, leaving the 250 I6 as the standard engine and the 302 V8 as optional. 3- and 4-speed manual transmissions were available in the I6 with the automatic optional, while the 302 could have either the 4-speed manual or automatic. 1979 and 1980 Granadas and Monarchs continued with no appreciable changes, but sales had started to decline of both models as the competition (not to mention Ford's own Fairmont and Zephyr) was starting to make the Granada and Monarch look increasingly old-fashioned. There would be an all-new Granada in 1981.

Main Competitors

 * AMC Concord
 * AMC Hornet
 * Buick Skylark
 * Chevrolet Nova
 * Chrysler LeBaron
 * Dodge Aspen
 * Dodge Diplomat
 * Oldsmobile Omega
 * Plymouth Volare
 * Pontiac Phoenix
 * Pontiac Ventura

2nd Generation (1981-1982)
Ford redesigned the Granada to the Fairmont's Fox platform this year, which was both a blessing and a curse - a blessing because the Granada was now more modern and a bit more space and fuel-efficient, but a curse because many now dismissed the new Granada as simply a larger, heavier and more expensive Fairmont (which it really was). Its exterior and interior dimensions were virtually identical to the Fairmont's as well. Drivetrain choices also (naturally) mirrored the Fairmont's, the 2.3L (140 cid) I4 was now standard, with the 3.3L (200 cid) I6 and 4.2L (255 cid) V8 as optional. A 4-speed manual was standard on all but the V8, which was automatic only. The automatic was optional for the I4 and I6. Mercury dropped the Monarch name altogether in this generation, its twin was now the Cougar. The only two noteworthy changes in 1982 was the addition of the new 3.8L (232 cid) V6, replacing the 255 V8 as the top engine option, and the addition of a station wagon model - which was actually little more than a Fairmont wagon with a Granada (or Cougar) nose grafted onto it. Sales of this generation Granada/Cougar were never strong and suffered from far too much product confusion and overlap, and Ford admitted as much by discontinuing both cars after only a short-lived 2 model years. The Granada and Cougar would be replaced by the new sleekly-styled mid-size Fox-body LTD and Marquis to much greater success in 1983.

Main Competitors

 * AMC Concord
 * Buick Century/Regal
 * Chevrolet Malibu
 * Chrysler LeBaron
 * Dodge Diplomat
 * Oldsmobile Cutlass
 * Pontiac LeMans/Bonneville

Europe
A completely different Granada was offered in Europe between 1972 and 1985 through two different generations. The base engine was a 2.0 liter S4 with a 2Bbl carburetor, though a wide variety of V6 engines were also offered (some with fuel injection) and a diesel was also available. In Hyundai's copy only the four-cylinder was offered.