The Ford Elite wis an automobile produced bi the Ford Motor Company for the North Americaen mercat frae 1974 tae 1976. The Elite wis based on the Ford Torino, an wis a twa-door coupe intendit tae be, in the words o Ford's advertising, a "mid-size caur in the Thunderbird tradition"—a mair affordable personal luxury caur than the Thunderbird, intendit tae compete wi sic caurs as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo an the Chrysler Cordoba. It wis essentially the concurrent Mercury Cougar XR-7 wi a mild front end restyle.
In the 1974 model year, the Elite wis considered a sub-model o the Torino; awtho advertised separately, the side script said "Gran Torino Elite" an the caur wad be titled an registered as a Gran Torino. In 1975 an 1976 (wi "Elite" side script) ,the Elite wis fully its awn model. In aw three years, the caur sauld well.
The Elite name wis dropped efter 1976 acause the Ford range wis bein restructured an dounsized. The Thunderbird wis dramatically reduced in size an price for 1977, movin tae the LTD II platform that replaced the Torino. In effect, the Elite continued unner the mair-recognised Thunderbird name, wi the lairger caur bein discontinued.
As standard, the Elite came wi:
Amang the options that coud be specified on the Elite wur: