The Ford Del Rio is a

full-size Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment. ...

, six-passenger station wagon that was produced by

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in the United States for model years 1957 and 1958. The model was also marketed under the name Del Rio Ranch Wagon.

Description

The impetus for the creation of the Del Rio was Ford's desire to remain in the two-door sport wagon market started by the

Chevrolet Nomad Chevrolet Nomad is a nameplate used by Chevrolet in North America from the 1950s to the 1970s, applied largely to station wagons. Three different Nomads were produced as a distinct model line, with Chevrolet subsequently using the name as a trim ...

and

Pontiac Safari The Pontiac Safari is a line of station wagons that was produced by Pontiac from 1955 to 1989. Introduced as the Pontiac counterpart of the two-door Chevrolet Nomad for 1955, the nameplate was adopted across the entire full-size Pontiac station wa ...

and the decision to discontinue the company's original attempt at a sport wagon, the premium Parklane, which failed to entice buyers during 1956, its only year in production. Four-way power seats were available. While the Nomad was Chevrolet's most expensive model, offering a premium vehicle with a show car-inspired body style, the Del Rio was strictly based on an existing product, the utilitarian two-door Ranch Wagon, Ford's least expensive station wagon, as part of the Custom 300 series. Beginning with the basic body, buyers of the Del Rio were offered a unique two-tone paint scheme (optional), better quality interior and exterior brightwork (including gold

anodized aluminum Anodizing is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. The process is called ''anodizing'' because the part to be treated forms the anode electrode of an electr ...

accents) and a higher grade

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upholstery. Del Rio buyers also had their choice of either Ford's “Mileage Maker” 144 hp six or its “Thunderbird” 215 hp, 312 cubic inch (5.1 litre) displacement

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V-8. The Del Rio was equipped with 11-inch front drum brakes. Like all other Ford station wagons at that time, the Del Rio used a two-piece tailgate – a feature that dealers emphasized was an advantage over GM's steeply raked rear gate and self-storing window, which were known for water leaks in heavy rains. While the Ford sold more Del Rios in 1957 (46,105) than Chevrolet did with its Nomad in its three years of production, Ford terminated the Del Rio program at the end of the 1958 model year after selling only 12,687 of its "sport wagons". Ford didn't entirely abandon the concept of a two-door station wagon, and used a smaller version with the all-new

Ford Falcon Ford Falcon is an automobile nameplate applied to several vehicles worldwide. * Ford Falcon (North America), an automobile produced by Ford from 1960 to 1970. * Ford Falcon (Argentina), a car built by Ford Argentina from 1962 until 1991. * Fo ...

in 1960, offered in multiple bodystyles, including a two-door station wagon. 1958 Ford Ranchwagon (37540444816)

References

Del Rio Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Station wagons Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States {{Classicpow-auto-stub