1956 Ford Thunderbird – media.ford.com | Shop Ford Thunderbird on Carsforsale.com
George Walker and Louis D. Crusoe were the guys behind one of Ford’s most iconic cars. While Ford was known for its sedans, the company felt it needed a sportier vehicle in their model line-up, mainly to compete against Chevrolet’s Corvette. Enter, the Ford Thunderbird.
The “Thunderbird” name came from a Ford designer referencing a Native American legend of supernatural bird that represented power, speed, and strength. The more boring creation of the name involved the Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. It’s said that Ernest Breech, a Thunderbird Country Club member who was then chairman of Ford Motor Company, asked his Club’s permission to use the name. Both may be true, but either way we can be grateful that Ford passed on some of the earlier 5,000 name recommendations, including Beaver, Apache, and Tropicale.
Once Ford decided to move forward on the Ford Thunderbird, it was on the showroom in less than two years. Even now, that’s considered a remarkable turn-around. This “true Ford sports car” was introduced to the market in 1955. While the Thunderbird’s size may have changed, it stayed true to its concept as a personal luxury car for 50 years.
The Ford Thunderbird was designed to be a sporty two-seat convertible. However, Ford knew they couldn’t fully compete with Chevrolet‘s new Corvette and saw the opportunity to position the Thunderbird as an upscale model. Ford didn’t know it at the time but soon discovered that it made an entirely new segment later known as the personal luxury car.
Even with the success and upward sales of previous Thunderbirds, Ford didn’t rest on their laurels. To expand their market, Ford set out to redesign the Thunderbird’s next generation. The two-door 1958 Ford Thunderbird could now carry four people. This was the right marketing choice since Ford proceeded to sell more cars than the previous model.
Ford once again redesigned the Thunderbird and gave the 1961 model the sleek shape. The new Ford Thunderbird appeared as the pace car for the 1961 Indianapolis 500, and it also appeared as a regular in the hit TV series 77 Sunset Strip.
A new generation arrived, and so did a unique style. The 1964 Thunderbird moved from its sleek styling to a blunter appearance. The square look and more formal edges replaced the aero look of the front and rear.
Ford’s own Mustang, introduced in 1964, created the biggest competition for the Thunderbird. The Mustang’s low price, two doors, and two rows of seats in a hardtop or convertible form forced a change to the Thunderbird. As a result, the Thunderbird took on a completely new look and moved to a luxury tourer segment. Unfortunately, this change and the engine restrictions brought a significant hit to the Ford Thunderbird legacy as a sports-oriented personal luxury car. As a result, the fifth generation is the least appreciated generation.
The long-hooded Ford Thunderbirds of the sixth-generation redesign were the largest Thunderbirds ever built. It wasn’t just the body that was huge, however. The engines were also the largest cubic inch engines ever installed in the Thunderbird. Even though emission controls sapped horsepower from once-powerful engines, buyers still bought them up. As a result, the Ford Thunderbird’s sales increased.
The seventh generation of Ford’s Thunderbird saw a chassis move to the one that served as a foundation for the 1972-76 Ford Torino. Although the new Thunderbird’s wheelbase shrank, it was still a visually large vehicle. The 1977 Thunderbird was a radical change from earlier T-Birds with its angular styling cues.
In 1980, Ford’s new Fox platform became the foundation for an eighth-generation Ford Thunderbird. The compact platform, which was the basis of the Ford Fairmont, shrunk 5.6 inches in wheelbase and over 17 inches in total length. Ford built the eighth-generation Thunderbird off the angular styling clues from the previous models. It was reminiscent of the previous Thunderbird, but in a shrunken form. Regardless of the Thunderbird’s exterior look, it was packed with the latest electronics and luxury. Unfortunately, the public’s reception of this Ford Thunderbird was less than enthusiastic.
Ford knew they had to do something drastic. So, the ninth-generation Ford Thunderbird took on a more aerodynamic body in response to the growth of imported automobiles sales. Ford’s newest Thunderbird was still built on the Fox-body, but had a slightly shorter wheelbase at 104.2 inches.
The tenth-generation Ford Thunderbird moved a little closer to the first-generation’s original concept. The 1989 Thunderbird replaced the mediocre Fox chassis that had held it back during the ’80s and moved to a better and more sophisticated platform. Ford also gave the Thunderbird a new supercharged V6 with the promise of better performance.
2002 Ford Thunderbird – carsforsale.com | Shop Ford Thunderbird on Carsforsale.com
At the 1999 Detroit Auto Show, amidst a retro revival from other models like the 240z, the public saw the return of a Ford Thunderbird concept that harkened back to the two-seat convertible of 1955. However, when the Thunderbird was eventually produced and sold in 2002, the new Thunderbird lost some of its momentum. After the 2002 launch, it sold 31,368 vehicles, but in 2003, the sales dropped to 14,678. Nevertheless, the new retro look Ford Thunderbird stayed in production until it finally disappeared in 2005.