The Ford Pinto hit the streets in the early 1970s, with the manufacturer looking to tempt American drivers by offering a budget-friendly, fuel-efficient subcompact at the dawn of the fuel crisis. It was a low-risk, high-reward move, and with Ford selling more than 800,000 Pintos in its first two years, the manufacturer initially had a bonafide hit on its hands. However, the tide tragically turned on the Pinto in 1972, when it became clear that some suspect design flaws left the fuel tank susceptible to rupture in rear-end collisions, potentially leading it to burst into flames.