Ford touts an all-new lineup for 1960

(January 5, 2015) Ford turned out an all-new design for the 1960 model year, as well as a new compact car, the Falcon. This three-minute advertising video puts a heavenly star-struck spin on the trio of cars — the standard full-sized Ford, the Thunderbird and the compact Falcon sedan.

While the engines were carried over from 1959, the mainstream Ford got new sheetmetal and was not riding on a larger 119-inch wheelbase. The lineup ranged from the Fairlane, mid-line Galaxie and top-trim Starliner. The station wagon series continued with the Ranch Wagon, Country Sedan and Country Squire models. The two-door Starliner was the basis for Ford's NASCAR entry.

Ford abandoned the late-1950s look for a more futuristic, sleek design with the traditional round taillights replaced by half-moon shaped lights. Tailfins remained, but they were toned down from the 1950s style.

The Thunderbird saw only minor styling changes for 1960, and the Falcon was an all-new model with the ad promising a low price and up to 30 mpg. For 1960 it came with a 90-horsepower straight-6 with a single-barrel carburetor. A three-speed manual shift on the column was standard and a two-speed Ford-O-Matic was optional. Body styles included two- and four-door sedans and two- and four-door station wagons.

Sources: Wikipedia, Ford Motor Company