identical to the 1969 version being built through the end of December, 1969; none of the 1970-model Falcons used a locking steering column that would be standard on all other 1970 Ford products (except Mavericks built before September 1969). "Despite the listing of a plain Falcon series in some early literature, it appears that all Falcons bore the Futura name this year." Although the Falcon, Fairlane, and Fairlane 500 names would disappear, the Futura name would reappear in 1978 on the Fairmont Futura Sport Coupe. Intermediate Falcon (1970½) For the second half of the 1970 model year, Ford renewed the Falcon model line for a final time in North America. Shifting size segments, the Falcon became the lowest-price Ford intermediate car, slotted below the Ford Fairlane and Ford Torino, with which it shared a chassis and bodywork while the Ford Maverick replaced the market segment held by the Falcon. To distinguish the model line from the compact 1970 Falcon (discontinued by December 1969), Ford assigned the intermediate Falcon with a 1970½ model year designation. The 1970½ Falcon was offered in three body styles (distinguished by no grille badging), including a two-door pillared sedan (unique to the Falcon), four-door sedan (shared with the Fairlane and Torino), and five-door station wagon (shared with the Fairlane and Torino). To comply with federal safety regulations, the Falcon was fitted with a locking steering column and 3-point outboard seatbelts. As the lowest-price intermediate series, the Falcon was marketed with a limited number of luxury and convenience options, including standard manual windows (optional power windows were limited to the station wagon), radios (were all optional), and air conditioning (heater was standard). The model line was offered with the entire range of powertrains offered to Ford intermediates, ranging from a 155 hp 250 cubic-inch inline-6 to the 370 hp 429 Cobra Jet Ram Air V8. For 1971, Ford adopted the Torino nameplate across its entire intermediate model line, leading to the retirement of both the Falcon and Fairlane nameplates in North America, and the entry level status was given to the Ford Pinto. Other uses of name Variations of the Ford Falcon were manufactured in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile and Mexico. Early Mexican built versions of the Ford Maverick used the Falcon Maverick name. From 1961 to 1967, passenger versions of the Ford Econoline and Ford Club Wagon were marketed under the Ford Falcon name. See also