Ford Pinto Trial

The purpose of the Ford Pinto test is to investigate the cause and its impact of the Ford Pinto criminal trial. Ford's criminal prosecution, the trial itself, and the contents of the trial will be explained. The impact of testing on the automotive industry will also be investigated. In the late 1960s, Volkswagen and some Japanese companies competed fiercely in the compact car market. Because of this competition, Ford pushed their compact car focus design into the market.

Ford Pinto is a compact car from 1971 to 1980, manufactured and sold by Ford Motor Company in North America. Since 1907, Pinto is the smallest Ford in America and the first microcar manufactured by Ford in North America; Pinto is also the first mass-produced American car sold in rack and pinion steering. Pinto is sold in three body styles. 2 door fast back sedan with suitcase, 3 door hatchback, 2 door wagon. From 1975 to 1980 (in Canada from 1974 to 1980), Mercury offered to Pinto to re-release Mercury Bobcat. From 1974 to 1978, Ford Mustang II shared a common platform with Pinto / Bobcat, but the classification of integration and power system is different. In the 1981 model, Ford turned its product line to front wheel drive, so Pinto was replaced by Ford Escort

Pinto started a preliminary plan in early 1967, was recommended by the Ford Product Planning Committee in December 1968, and was approved by the Ford Board of Directors in January 1969. Ford President Lee Iacocca hopes that the 1971 model will weigh less than 2,000 pounds and cost less than $ 2,000. The development of focus products from concept to delivery was completed in 25 months, when the automobile industry was on average for 43 months, and the Pinto Project is the shortest production schedule in the past automobile history. Some development processes that are normally executed sequentially are executed in parallel. Machine tools overlap with product development, freezing the basic design. I can not recommend deciding to threaten the timetable. Ford management attitude is to develop focus as soon as possible. Iacocca ordered a peak project for automobile manufacturing, and Pinto was internally called "Lee's Car".

The key to the open discussion on Ford Motor Company was to decide not to refine Pinto's fuel tank after completing risk / benefit analysis. Internal Ford's document shows that Ford has developed a technique to improve focus design which would greatly reduce the possibility that the focus "ignites" after a rear impact. Ford estimates that Pinto's production co-ordination cost is $ 11 per car. 12 Most people think that Ford is costing $ 11 per unit is too expensive.