In the seventies and early eighties, American automobile manufacturers faced an identity crisis. While domestic automakers were still very good at providing reliable transportation with good styling, the cars they made were still basically the same ones they punched out in the sixties with some gradual evolution thanks to government regulations. They usually fell flat on their faces when they tried to copy the Japanese and European cars that were gaining valuable market share. That didn’t stop them from making outlandish claims in ads. This 1979 Ford Granade ESS for sale on Craigslist in Hiawatha, Kansas is a surviving example of one of Ford’s most egregious claims. Yet this claim was rooted somewhat in fact. Curious? Read on and see if the story makes you want to pony up the $3,500 for this forlorn 35,000-mile Ford find.
Before we throw Ford under the bus too much, bear in mind that they sold around two million Granadas from 1975 through 1982. When developing the car, which was intended to replace the Maverick, the company used the sedans at the lower end of the Mercedes-Benz lineup as benchmarks. There is nothing wrong with that, and those sedans were very popular in Europe and America for their ruggedness, build quality and handling. If Ford had worked to break the mold of traditional American design and built a vehicle similar in structure, tolerances, and quality without Mercedes’s penchant for making their cars more complicated than necessary, this would have been a game changer.
Sadly, Ford couldn’t or wouldn’t build a vehicle that much outside of the norm. What we got was a competent, if a little boring, sedan and coupe that still used all of the same parts and pieces Ford had been using since the sixties. All they ended up copying from Mercedes was the general dimensions such as length, wheelbase, and width. To add insult to injury for American customers, the Ford Granada ESS was launched in 1978 with ads that compared it to a Mercedes. While you would think that if the ESS stood for European Sport Sedan customers would benefit from a sportier suspension, alloy wheels, and a few other goodies that would set it apart from the average American coupe. What customers got was louvers for the opera windows, color-keyed hubcaps, and blacked-out exterior trim. Inside, bucket seats were standard, with a bench seat being optional. It also came with a floor-mounted shifter for the automatic transmission. Ford would build the ESS version of the Granada until 1980.
The 1979 Ford Granada ESS pictured above (the only picture provided in the ad) is a 302 cubic inch V-8 powered barn find. It spent 20 years slumbering in a barn before the seller came across it. The original owner stored the car when it had just 35,000 miles on the odometer. The seller has all the original paperwork, and the title, and will let go of the owner’s manual “for the right deal.” Once they cleaned up the car, a few issues revealed themselves. There are a few pinholes of rust in the trunk, surface rust where there are scratches and chips, and the headliner and seats were damaged by a rodent infestation. The seller was told that it was running when it was put in the barn. Unfortunately, the engine was locked up when the seller found it. The cylinders have been soaking and it is now “beginning to turn over.”
Once they purchased the car, the seller had intentions of modifying it with a 347 cubic inch stroker engine with a tunnel ram, a hood scoop or custom cowl hood, a set of racing bucket seats, and some Torq Thrust wheels. A few of these items may be available along with a set of shackles for the rear end if you are so inclined. This is a bit far from the car’s European Sports Sedan motif, but beauty is in the eye of the title holder.
One has to wonder what would have happened if Ford focused on providing the customer with a car featuring European-style handling, good build quality, and the reliability of an American drivetrain under the Granada nameplate. Customers were sending a message loud and clear in the seventies that they wanted something different than the usual American sedan. As their market share kept decreasing, domestic manufacturers had to lose a lot of customers before they changed how they did business. You could make a good argument that the debut of the Ford Taurus in 1986 was the first sign that management was getting the message. Ford was reeling from losses totaling $3,000,000,000 in the years preceding the debut of this make-or-break automobile. Think of the financial impact if they had implemented the needed changes a decade earlier instead of making foolish comparisons in ads.
What do you think about the Granada ESS? Was it the right car for the time, or another example of Ford being tone-deaf? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
The Granada ESS pkg included European – style head restraints ? Lol What does that mean.
Taller headrests shaped like Mercedes was using at the time rather than the usual ’70s Fomoco low-profile ones.
🤝 thanks nlpnt.
It always kind of rankled my feathers a bit when I started hearing this jazz about “European inspired” or something like that. Why not American inspired.
And then what I saw in my mind’s eye was the Olds Cutlass Salon’s front fender emblem on a car that also was “European inspired.” Puleeeze.
Jeff, good write-up. With the benefit of decades of hindsight, I’d say your analysis is mostly accurate. I don’t know how much of “the state of things” was tone-deafness, or other business factors (e.g. government regulations, plant availability and capacity, engineering staff availability, management edict, dozens more I suspect). In any case I think it is clear that the 1986 Taurus was how Ford broke out of their mold.
Meanwhile, through all of that, the Granada was a reasonably good seller.
I think the mold was broken even a few years earlier with the 83 Thunderbird.
“It looks like a Mercedes” was something you’d hear back then. I guess Ford tried to capitalize on that gold standard car on that time
An ESS ( whistles), if there ever was a “pig with lipstick”, here you go. Not to downplay the actual car. I thought the Granada was one of the best mid-size cars, but compared to a M-B? Please,,,Hard to find MSRPs, but I think the ESS went for almost $5grand, compared to a regular Granada at about $4300. I suppose, for some folks, like my old man, that never sat or rode in a M-B, yeah, this was one fancy Granada. We all know, a silly Granada pales in comparison to any M-B, but that Madison Ave. for ya’.
The rear suspension on the 1979 Ford Granada was about as reliable as the rear suspension of an ’86 New Yorker. Pure garbage, probably designed for ultimate failure in no time at all.
Suspension on an M-B is superior and can’t be compared to north american cars which seem to be obsolete the day before the vehicle is originally sold.
Perhaps Ford couldn’t afford to make the Granada into a “world class” car because they had to deal with the UAW? Something that M-B didn’t have to deal with. Between the govt and the unions? I’m amazed our car makers have made it this long.
German auto workers don’t design cars or engineer assembly systems anymore than North American auto workers do. However, they do enjoy a rate of pay, vacation days and heath and safety oversights that would make Walter Reuther a “company man.”
They are unionized and enjoy a better reputation because they are set up to win and are supported by a competent management team and skilled engineers.
And that’s why M-B outsells Ford, right?
A similar Mercedes was 3-4x the price of the Granada. If Ford was building a $15k-$20k Granada maybe they could compete. The Granada was only $5k
In 1979, even if Ford would have made a world class sedan, and priced it accordingly? The automotive “journalists” would have slammed it. They always worshipped the European makes, back then. And the meat and potatoes Ford buyer would have freaked at the MSRP. Ford had the technology, but they knew their consumers as well.
Ok here’s how I see it my father was a Cadillac man but in the mid seventies he bought a new Mercedes 240D he only kept it about a year and traded it in on a new Cadillac. I drove the Mercedes a few times while he had it. The Mercedes was the slowest car I ever drove 5 miles up 95 pedal on the floor the whole time it might hit 55 mph. A Granada with even a smogged out 302 V8 would blow that Mercedes off the road. This is a nice Granada if I had it I would get that 302 running fix the interior and drive it. The bad part with the add on CL the seller only has 1 pic. They must want to sell it to a local who will go to see it in person. I would not buy it unless I could inspect it. To the seller good luck with the sale.
You can’t compare acceleration of a non-turbo diesel 240 to a 302 Granada. Apples and oranges. And there was a big difference in price. The Granada was more like $5k whereas a Benz was more like $15K – $50k. Not even in the same league.
I liked more the Fox bodied Granada’s and Cougars but the previous ones were decent cars. The only thing i never liked was the starkness of the instrument clusters. One lonely square speedo and fuel guage
It always kind of rankled my feathers a bit when I started hearing this jazz about “European inspired” or something like that. Why not American inspired.
And then what I saw in my mind’s eye was the Olds Cutlass Salon’s front fender emblem on a car that also was “European inspired.” Puleeeze.
On the plus side some of these, the ones with the hydroboost power brake/steering system came with a 9″ rear differential with disc brakes on it that was popular with the street rod and custom crowd. The weak link was that they had the smaller wheel bearings and 28 spline axles so they couldn’t take a huge amount of horsepower.
Call me crazy, but always liked the body style on a Granada reminded me of older 69/70 Lincolns. As far as older MBs, just so over complicated in the simplest part to repair. Want to change the starter… Drop the tie rod…
My pop was born 1916 in N.D. and a WW2 Vet and never bought any German or Japanese cars,Only drove Chevys and Fords including a 78′ Granada.Plus he shopped at Sears.A different time and generation i still respect to this day.
I bought a brand new 1976 Ford Granada 2-door red. Nice car but pure garbage. I had problems with it within a month. Spent more time in the garage than I drove it. All repairs under warranty. Big mistake so still under warranty I got rid of the car. No wonder model was discontinued.
Jeff, outstanding write up! Truly to notch. I loved, and still love, the round headlight Granada style. The square light version is garbage. Just my thoughts on the look
I agree to preferring the round headlight version, too. I didn’t care for the Chrysler Cordobas when they got away from the round headlight look either. I had a two door 75 Granada and wouldn’t mind having another, but the main reason I liked the Granada was that it was a stick shift. A V8 would have been even better, but….
By the shore of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning.
Hiawatha stood and waited,
For the sale of cream Granada.
All the air was full of freshness,
All the earth was bright and joyous,
And before him, though the sunshine,
Did he spot a hopeful patron?
I absolutely loved the Hiawatha poetry from Dave. I am guessing that not too many braves are knocking on Hiawatha’s door with cash in hand trying to drive off with this car.
I’m glad that you enjoyed the poem, a variation due to the Granada being located in Hiawatha, Kansas. The real (imagined) Hiawatha would have been somewhere around NY state as an Iroquois.
Diamond hard pass at “rodent infestation”
$3500 is $3000 overpriced for what you get for the money, engine that may or may not come back rodent damage I bet there is more rodent damage than what the seller knows for sure. I would call it a part’s car but I don’t know of anyone actually restoring one
Living in Europe for more than 10 years in the 70s and 80s (courtesy of the US Army), among others I drove a German Ford Granada, with the 3.0 V6. Fast & reliable, it was just like this one, 25 mpg easy on the autobahn at 120+ kph. Ford US suffered from what all other manufacturers did, stupid smog rules choking the life out of their engines.
Living in Europe for more than 10 years in the 70s and 80s (courtesy of the US Army), among others I drove a German Ford Granada, with the 3.0 V6. Fast & reliable, it was just like this one, 25 mpg easy on the autobahn at 120+ kph. Ford US suffered from what all other manufacturers did, stupid smog rules choking the life out of their engines.
Owned one for about 2 months. Belongs in the category of the Pinto
Nice size? Yep. 302 quicker than a non turbo MB 240 or 300 diesel? Yep. Nice yellow/pale beige color like MB taxis and their exported cars? Yep. Floor mounted automatic and disc brakes? Yep. Good car for the money in it’s day? Yep. The 1975-1980 Granada/Monarch had 1960s suspension and sloppy big Ford effortless steering. So that’s a nope. The 1981-1982 models were Fox bodies with power rack and pinion steering but the 302 was axed. The nice looking car for sale is a fixer upper. Hasn’t run in years. So nope on buying it.
Maybe Ford should have built a EES Versailles as a European style car to complete with MB. Might have worked. I guess.
Man, I hate to see all the dislike for the Ford Granada. I for one have a beautiful black 1977 2 door Granada out in the garage. It is a fairly rare 302, 4 speed car with bucket seats, center console, Magnum 500’s, and A/C. I always liked the body style of the Granada and when I came across this one a long time back I couldn’t help myself. Been a good small car show, cruse night car for me for many years. And people always seem to like it and have stories about family or friends that owned one before. Y’all have a great day out there and drive safe!
I do like the Granada, and yours seems like an excellent example. It is just that the one for sale here has issues, too many for the lack of extra photos, the faults that the text mentions and the sale price. I like the antique cream color too. Too bad. Not all fault the Granada, just the problems with this one.
Sounds like the kind of car I would have ordered.