Ford introduces the wonderful new world of its 1960 models

Image from video below.

New car introductions were quite a bit different in 1960 than they are today, and to roll out its space-age 1960 models, Ford spared no expense. Complete with its own musical score and revelers bedecked in formal attire, this short video is a glimpse at the zeitgeist of postwar, pre-Cuban Missile Crisis America.

The 1960 model year was an important one for Ford, as all models received a significant evolution in styling. The space race was a prominent theme (and one depicted in the video), reinforced with product names like the Galaxie (introduced as a range-topping model in 1959) and the new Mercury Comet (a slightly upscale version of Ford’s Falcon). The planetarium observatory backdrop to the video is no coincidence; instead, Ford was doing all it could to portray itself as a modern and progressive automaker.