Apart from the engine changes, customers were sure to notice the new Fairlane, which replaced the Crestline as the top trim level, while a new Crown Victoria-style featured a chrome "basket handle" across the familiar (and continued) "Victoria" hardtop roof, which originally appeared on the Mercury XM-800 concept car.

[3] The Fords introduced for 1955 also featured the panoramic windshields found on Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs the previous year.

For the first time, Ford offered seat belts as a dealer option (not factory installed, with instructions provided by a Service Bulletin).

The optional air conditioner, which remained expensive and thus a slow seller, was totally revamped; the compressor was now housed beneath the hood[13] and the cooling vents were moved to atop the dashboard (it could not be ordered on the Thunderbird[1]).

[20]: pp 131–132  The latter body style was developed in Australia utilising an imported convertible chassis strengthened for load carrying.

[21] Australian Customlines and Mainlines received the 1956 US Ford facelift and then further makeovers in 1957 and 1958 with the final series utilizing the grille from 1955 Meteor of Canada.

[20]: pp 131–132  The 1957s, introduced in September 1957, were also available with the Fordomatic automatic transmission, and local parts content had been increased to 80 percent.

[25] Australian production ended the following year with the introduction of the 1959 US Ford which was locally produced in Custom 300, Fairlane 500 and Ranch Wagon models.