American Car Spotters Guide - 1965

Acclaimed motoring magazine MOTOR TREND gave the 1965 Car of the Year gong to Pontiac (General Motors) for styling and engineering leadership in the development of personalized passenger cars. It was the third time Pontiac had graced their trophy room with this award. In 1959, when the big, luxury feel was all the rage among car buyers and performance engines were in the process of gaining popularity, Pontiac was successful in improving handling of their vehicles with suspension changes, wider tread, and more positive steering. Their leadership set the pattern for firmer ride, more positive steering, and a styling concept that found immediate acceptance.

The 1961 Tempest, featuring transaxle, curved driveshaft, and independent rear suspension, brought Pontiac another Car of the Year award. Previously there had been a lack of public acceptance of the earlier Tempest concepts, but buyers had a natural tendency to be slow in acknowledging anything too different and in learning to use something in order to extract the most from it. Motor Trend conducted rather extensive tests on the swing-axle Tempest, including a cross-country run over the Continental Divide in heavy winter snow without chains or snow tires as a test of handling and traction. It had noticeable advantages over solid-axle suspensions.

For 1965 Ford called their lineup the "most changed, newest Ford's since 1949" and it was certainly true. The Ford range had been re-engineered from the ground up and was totally restyled. It featured a quiet ride, comfortable interiors, and the new luxurious appointments were marketed heavily. The biggest news was the addition of a totally new series called the Galaxie 500/LTD. A 2-door and 4-door hardtop were offered. Like the Galaxie 500/XL models, the 289 Challenger V-8 and Cruise-O-Matic transmission were standard equipment.

Both the Galaxie 500 and Galaxie 500/LTD 4-door hardtops came with Silent-Flo Ventilation which had been introduced on Thunderbird the year before. There were 2-door and 4-door sedans in both the Custom and Custom 500 series. In addition to the 4-door hardtop the Galaxie 500 offered a convertible, a 2-door hardtop, and a 4-door sedan. The Galaxie 500/XL series included a 2-door hardtop and a convertible.

If you were looking for a station wagon, Ford offered five in 1965: the Ranch Wagon, the Country Sedan, the Country Sedan with Dual Facing Rear Seats, the Country Squire, and the Country Squire with Dual Facing Rear Seats. Squires included Galaxie 500-level trim level, woodgrain paneling, and power tailgate window. The power tailgate window was also standard on the Dual Facing Rear Seat Country Sedan. The 1965 Fords had some of the cleanest, crispest styling ever offered on anything to come out of Dearborn. They had a sparkling, fresh appearance that the public loved and bought in record numbers.

1965 was also another banner sales year for the industry. All major makers were offering more models than ever before. All-new styling changes were certainly more evident among certain lines, standing out as '65 models against competitors' cars with all-new sheet metal but only minor styling changes. In styling, Pontiac shared body shells with other GM cars.