The Ford Motor Company is a legend in U.S. car manufacturing, first entering the automobile scene in 1903. Throughout the decades, it has specialized in cars, trucks, SUVs, and more, producing more than a few prominent models along the way. Of course, there are some underrated ones that deserve a spot in your garage as well. Of course, in addition to creating countless cars, Ford also set its sights on improving the individual components behind them. The company is responsible for more than a few excellent engines, including the notable Ford FE.

This engine first hit the road back in 1958 for Ford, Mercury, and Edsel models, and despite only sticking around into the mid-1970s, it made quite a name for itself in its time. Powering some of the Fairlanes and Mustangs, it offered nine different displacement types — 332, 352, 360, 361, 390, 406, 410, 427 (which was one of the greatest Ford V8 engines ever made) and 428 cubic inches — throughout its run. The FE series also paved the way for the more heavy-duty FT line, designed for vehicles larger and more powerful than the average car. Still, there’s FE representation among the best engines ever put into Ford trucks.

With these key details behind the Ford FE engine’s history in mind, the big question that remains is what does the “FE” actually stand for? It has generated quite some debate.

[Featured image by FordFE com via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC0 1.0]

In the case of the Ford FT engine, its naming isn’t much of a mystery. It simply means “Ford Truck,” which makes plenty of sense considering it was often found in such vehicles. However, things aren’t so straightforward in the case of the FE engine. Surprisingly, throughout the decades of its use and those after, there has been debate among car enthusiasts regarding the true words behind this acronym. Through it all, one of them has risen to become the most widely-accepted of the bunch.

Researching the true identity of the Ford FE yields all kinds of results. Some sources claim it follows similar naming conventions as the FT, being known as the “Ford Engine,” while others offer different perspectives. It has been suggested to stand for “Ford Engineering” and the “Ford Experimental” by some. Last is the “Ford Edsel” — said to be named after Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford and his wife Clara’s only child, Edsel. This is perhaps the most frequently-cited answer to the question of the FE’s actual name, though there isn’t an official Ford source available to affirm or deny that claim.

A staple of the muscle car era and an increasingly powerful engine during its time in production, the Ford FE will surely remain celebrated by car enthusiasts for years to come.