Originally a trim level for the iconic Ford Galaxie, the XL became a separate model in 1967. And like most American cars of the late 1960s, it joined the muscle car wars.
While not as iconic as other large Ford vehicles from the era, like the Torino and Fairlane, the XL came with all the goodies Ford had to offer, including the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor and the 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) ThunderJet. The latter generated a solid 360 horsepower.
But the ThunderJet V8, shared with the Thunderbird, wasn't the largest mill that Ford offered on the fourth-gen XL. Ford also sold a 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) engine, even though it was mostly restricted to police cars. But none of these V8s were as mean like the one you're about to see in the video below.
Hailing from Finland, Northern Europe, this blue-painted, 1969 Ford XL is not your regular factory fastback. Don't let the mundane exterior and the paint chips on the nose and the front bumper fool you, you're definitely not looking at a survivor that's been dragged out of a barn recently. This seemingly unassuming XL hides a stroker V8 of the Ford Racing variety under the hood.
And this thing is so massive that it makes the police-spec 460 seem small. Specifically, this bad boy comes in at 545 cubic inches, which converts to a massive 9.0 liters. It's obviously powerful enough to send the rear wheels into a smokey burnout with a light touch of the gas pedal, but it also sounds downright brutal.
The footage below actually shows the XL idling next to a Dodge Charger R/T fitted with Mopar's 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8, a proper engine note comparison from which the Ford emerges as the winner. But things get louder when the driver hits the gas and even wilder during the massive burnout at the 2:30-minute mark.
In case you're wondering what's with this Ford XL terrorizing the streets of Finland, American classic cars are quite popular in this country. Much like Sweden, another Scandinavian nation packed with U.S.-made classics, Finland is home to several muscle car meetings during the warm season. And as it turns out Finland is also home to the most intriguing Ford XL out there.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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