If you're an automotive enthusiast, the name James May should sound familiar. As one of the three hosts of the legendary BBC TV series "Top Gear" and later "The Grand Tour" on Amazon Prime, he has driven and reviewed a greater variety of vehicles than almost anyone. He's also well known as someone who has a deep appreciation for the classics, with a collection that has included vintage vehicles from Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, Triumph, Porsche, and Ferrari. In a recent episode on his YouTube channel, he drives and reminisces about a uniquely American classic: the 1969 Ford Torino convertible.

In a landmark move to celebrate and share its storied automotive history, the Ford Motor Company launched the Ford Heritage Vault in June 2022. This expansive digital archive grants public access to over a century’s worth of materials from Ford, Lincoln, and the now-retired Mercury brands. Created as part of Ford’s efforts to make its heritage more accessible and to commemorate the company’s 119th anniversary, the Heritage Vault is a goldmine for car enthusiasts, historians, collectors, educators, and anyone with a passion for American automotive culture.

Consider this, if you will. You have an impressionable 10-year-old boy, who worships his dad and has gone to car shows with him since he was four years old. Thanks in large measure to his pops, he appreciates and learns about cars from the early 1900's up to the present day, but has a soft spot in his heart and his gearhead brain for automobiles from the Art Deco Design 1930's up through the swingin' muscle car 1950's, 60's, 70's and the exotic super and hyper cars of today.

When discussing the world of high-performance American automobiles, few names resonate as deeply as Steve Saleen. A visionary racer, engineer, and entrepreneur, Saleen is best known for his eponymous brand, Saleen Automotive, which has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of American performance vehicles. From transforming Mustangs into track monsters to building one of the few true American supercars—the Saleen S7—Steve Saleen’s legacy is as fast-paced and fascinating as the cars that bear his name.

When Ford Motor Company introduced the Ford Torino in 1968 for the North American market, it was intended as an upscale variant of the intermediate-sized Ford Fairlane that Ford produced from 1962-70. The car was so well received by automotive journalists and consumers, it wound up replacing the Fairlane nameplate altogether for all trim, powerplant, option, and accessory levels after the 1970 model year. The car is named after the city of Turin (Torino in Italian), where famous automakers Alfa Romeo and Fiat are located. Turin is known as "the Italian Detroit".