It was 40 years ago that Duff Willey's grandfather opened the doors to his Ford dealership - Marion Willey - in Bountiful. After a change of address - just in time to display the new 1973 model Fords - and the changing of the guard - twice - Willey is now continuing in the traditions his grandfather started. That is, offering Fords to the buyer at the best possible prices.
This year Willey will appear at the annual Salt Lake 500 New Car Sell-Off with additional savings. Ford is offering everything from 2.9 financing to large rebates on some models to potential buyers.And what will Willey have in the Sell-Off to show buyers?
The all-new Thunderbird and the high-performance SHO Taurus, just to name two.
The Thunderbird, which led the way for Ford's popular "aero look" in 1983, sets a new standard in aerodynamic styling with a sleek, all-new 1989 design.
Thunderbird's aerodynamic new shape produces an air-drag coefficient of only 0.31 for Standard and LX models, and 0.35 for the Super Coupe. More than 700 hours of wind-tunnel testing also contributed to reduced passenger-compartment wind noise and improved stability and handling in curves.
The car's new platform gives it a longer, wider stance. A new, four-wheel, fully independent suspension system futher enhances Thunderbird's ride and handling characteristics.
Inside, every front- and rear-seat space measurement has been increased - most notably, its rear-seat hip and shoulder room.
The rear-wheel-drive T-Bird comes with a 3.8-liter engine, automatic transmission, air conditioning, tinted glass, independent rear suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, interval windshield wipers, motorized shoulder belts and lap belt for center passenger.
The Super Coupe is powered by a 215-horsepower supercharged 3.8-liter V6 engine with intercooler, electronic fuel injection and dual exhausts.
The Taurus, winner of nearly two-dozen awards, has undergone several evolutionary changes for 1989, including a new grille, headlamp and taillamp lenses, and availability of the Ford JBL audio system.
Also new, and right now rare, is the SHO Taurus. SHO stands for "Super High Output." The car has been timed from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. The power is provided by a dual overhead cam, 24-valve, 3.0-liter V6 engine with sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection, dual exhausts and five-speed manual transaxle.
Ford and Yamaha developed the highly sophisticated Taurus SHO engine. Its net rating of 220 horsepower at 6,000 rmp places it among the top performance sedans in the world.
Along with the power, the SHO also has four-wheel disc brakes, a handling suspension system with increased diameter stabilizer bars, cloth-and-leather upholstery, full-length console and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, speed control, power door locks, a "light group," rear-window defroster, diagnostic alert lights, power side windows and electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with four speakers and tilt-steering column.
Also in the show will be the Escort, the best-selling nameplate in the world for six straight years. It received a variety of styling and functional improvements including gas-pressurized struts for improved handling.
The Mustang GT - selected by the editors of Road & Track as one of the 1988 "Best Cars in the World," based on value - is joined in the Mustang performance lineup by a new LX 5.0-liter series. Mustang convertible - the best-selling convertible in the U.S. in 1986 and 1987 - gets standard power windows and power lock group.
The Tempo, which built a strong buyer acceptance for 1988-model aerodynamic styling and driveability improvements, gets a new Sport Appearance Group option on GLS four-door models for 1989. For the third straight year, an all-wheel-drive model is available. The system can be activated at the touch of a conveniently located switch - even while the car is in motion.