The Ford Thunderbird is a
personal luxury car
Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and ma ...
manufactured and marketed by
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
for
model year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured.
...
s 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001.
Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the ''T-Bird'', Ford Introduced the model as a two-seat
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...
, subsequently offering it variously in a host of body styles including as a four-seat
hardtop
A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, typically metal, and integral to the vehicle's design, strength, and style. The term typically applies to a pillarless hardtop, a car body style without a B-pillar. The term "pillared hardtop" was ...
coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop
sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five-passenger pillared coupe — before returning in its final generation, again as a two-seat convertible.
At its inception, Ford targeted the two-seat Thunderbird as an upscale model. The 1958 model year design introduced a rear seat and arguably marked the expansion of a market segment that came to be known as ''personal luxury cars'', positioned to emphasize comfort and convenience over handling and high-speed performance.
Overview
The Thunderbird entered production for model year 1955, marketed as an upscale, "sporty" two-seat convertible rather than as a
sports car
A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...
, per se — averting direct competition with the
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by General Motors under the Chevrolet marque since 1953. Throughout eight generations, indicated sequentially as C1 to C8, the Corvette is not ...
.
With the 1958 introduction of second row seating, the Thunderbird led a new market segment, the so-called ''personal luxury car.'' Subsequent generations became successively larger until the line was downsized, first in 1977, again for 1980, and once again in 1983.
By the 1990s, the Thunderbird's core market, the large two-door
coupe
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
, had fallen almost completely out of favor. Production ended with model year 1997, resuming for model years 2002–2005 as a smaller two-passenger convertible.
From its introduction in 1955 to its termination in 2005, production reached over 4.4 million.
Development
A smaller two-seater sports
roadster, named the
Vega
Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. It has the Bayer designation α Lyrae, which is Latinised to Alpha Lyrae and abbreviated Alpha Lyr or α Lyr. This star is relatively close at only from the Sun, and ...
, was developed in 1953 at the request of
Henry Ford II
Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), commonly known as Hank the Deuce, was an American businessman in the automotive industry. He was the oldest son of Edsel Ford I and oldest grandson of Henry Ford. He served as president ...
. The completed one-off generated interest at the time, but had meager power, European looks, and a correspondingly high cost, so it never proceeded to production. The Thunderbird was similar in concept but was more American in style, more luxurious, and less sport-oriented.
Credit for the development of the original Thunderbird is given to
Lewis Crusoe, a former GM executive lured out of retirement by Henry Ford II;
George Walker, chief stylist and a Ford vice president;
Frank Hershey
Franklin Quick Hershey (1907–1997) was an American automobile designer and student of General Motors Vice President of Design Harley Earl. Hershey is known for his 1932 Peerless V-16 prototype, 1949 Cadillac tailfins, and the 1955 Ford Th ...
, chief stylist for the Ford Division;
Bill Boyer, designer for the Body Development Studio, who became the manager of the Thunderbird Studio in the spring of 1955; and Bill Burnett, chief engineer. Ford Designer William P. Boyer was the lead stylist on the original 1955 two-seater Thunderbird and also had input in the following series of Thunderbirds that included the 30th Anniversary Edition. Hershey's participation in the creation of the Thunderbird was more administrative than artistic. Crusoe and Walker met in France in October 1951. Walking in the
Grand Palais
The (; ), commonly known as the , is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine, France. Construction of the began in 1897 following the demolitio ...
in Paris, Crusoe pointed at a sports car and asked Walker, "Why can't we have something like that?" Some versions of the story claim that Walker replied by telling Crusoe, "Oh, we're working on it" ... although if anything existed at the time beyond casual dream-car sketches by members of the design staff, records of it have never come to light.
Walker promptly telephoned Ford's HQ in
Dearborn and told designer Frank Hershey about the conversation with Crusoe. Hershey took the idea and began working on the vehicle. The concept was for a two-passenger open car, with a target weight of , a Ford Y-block
Interceptor V8 based on the forthcoming overhead-valve Ford engine slated for 1954 model year introduction, and a top speed over . Crusoe saw a painted clay model on May 18, 1953, which corresponded closely to the final car; he gave the car the go-ahead in September after comparing it with current European trends. After Henry Ford II returned from the
Los Angeles Auto Show
The Los Angeles Auto Show, also known as the LA Auto Show, is an auto show held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is open to the public for ten days, filling of exhibit space. Since 2006 ...
(Autorama) in 1953, he approved the final design concept to compete with the then-new Corvette.
The name was not among the thousands proposed, including rejected options such as Apache (the original name of the
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...
), Falcon (owned by Chrysler at the time), Eagle, Tropicale, Hawaiian, and
Thunderbolt.
[Witzenburg, p.86.] A Ford stylist who had lived in the southwest submitted the Thunderbird name, a reference to the mythological
thunderbird, a supernatural bird of great power and strength of the
North American indigenous people.
At the time,
Ernest Breech, then chairman of Ford Motor Company, was a member of the
Thunderbird Country Club in
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is a low-density desert community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. Nestled along the foothil ...
. According to club lore, he asked its permission to use the name, which was granted.
Generations
First generation (1955–1957)
The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in February 1953 as a response to
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...
's new sports car, the
Corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...
, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before.
Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the
Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. It was a two-seat design available with a detachable fiberglass hardtop and a folding fabric top.
Production of the Thunderbird began on September 9 of that year, with the car beginning sales as a 1955 model on October 22, 1954. Though sharing some design characteristics with other Fords of the time such as single circular headlamps and tail lamps, and modest
tail fins, the Thunderbird was sleeker in shape and featured a
hood scoop and a
speedometer
A speedometer or speed meter is a gauge (instrument), gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the early 20th century, and as ...
not available on other Fords. It used mechanical components from mass-market Ford models. The Thunderbird's wheelbase frame was a shortened version used in other Fords and the standard
Y-block V8 came from Ford's
Mercury division.
["Ford Thunderbird History"](_blank)
Edmunds, 2009.
Though inspired by and positioned directly against the Corvette, Ford advertised the Thunderbird at launch as a "personal car of distinction" and put a greater emphasis on the car's comfort and convenience features rather than its inherent sportiness.
The Thunderbird sold exceptionally well in its first year, outselling the Corvette by more than 23-to-one in 1955 with 16,155 Thunderbirds sold against 700 Corvettes.
With the Thunderbird considered a success, few changes were made to the car for the 1956 model year. The most notable change was moving the spare tire to a
Continental-style rear bumper to make more storage room in the trunk and a new 12-volt electrical system.
The addition of the weight at the rear caused steering issues. Among the few other changes were new paint colors, the addition of standard circular porthole windows in the fiberglass roof to improve rearward visibility (with a delete option), and a Y-block V8 rated at when mated to a three-speed manual transmission or when mated to a ''Ford-O-Matic'' three-speed automatic transmission; this transmission featured a "
low gear", which was accessible manually via the gear selector. When in Drive, it was a two-speed automatic transmission (similar to Chevrolet's Powerglide). Low gear could also be accessed with a wide-open throttle. In 1956, Ford also added its new
Lifeguard
A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...
safety package.
The Thunderbird was revised for 1957 with a reshaped front bumper, a larger grille and tailfins, and larger tail lamps. The instrument panel was heavily restyled with round gauges in a single pod, and the rear of the car was lengthened, allowing the spare tire to be positioned back in the trunk.
The V8 became the Thunderbird's standard engine, and was rated at an increased . Other, more powerful versions of this V8 were available, including one with two four-barrel
Holley carburetors (
VIN code "E"), and another with a
Paxton supercharger
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement (engine), displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically ...
rated at (VIN code "F"). Though Ford was pleased to see sales of the Thunderbird rise to a highest ever 21,380 units for 1957, company executives felt the car could do even better, leading to a substantial redesign of the car for 1958.
Second generation (1958–1960)
Although the 1955–57 Thunderbird was a success, Ford executives—particularly
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ...
—were concerned that the car's position as a two-seater limited its sales potential. As a result, the car was redesigned as a four-seater for 1958.
Despite being released mid-model year, the new Thunderbird began a sales momentum previously unseen with the car, selling 200,000 units in three years, four times that of the three-year two-seat model run. This success spawned a new market segment, the personal luxury car.
It was the first individual model line (as opposed to an entire brand's line) to earn ''
Motor Trend
''Motor Trend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949.
Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''Motor Trend'' until 1998, when it was sold ...
''
"Car of the Year" honors.
It was offered in both hardtop and convertible body styles, although the latter was not introduced until June 1958, five months after the release of the hardtop.
The new Thunderbird was considerably larger than the previous generation, with a longer wheelbase to accommodate the new back seat. The increased size also increased the car's weight by . Along with a new, more rigid
unibody
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car had ...
construction was new styling, including quad headlights, more prominent tailfins, a bolder chrome grille, and a larger, though nonfunctional, hood scoop. The engine was the new
FE V8, available with a three-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
The mid-1958 model year sales were 37,892 units, an increase of 16,000 over the previous year.
For 1959, the Thunderbird featured a new grille and a newly optional
MEL V8 engine. Sales increased to 67,456 units.
For the 1960 model year, the grille was again redesigned along with minor styling changes. A new option was a manually operated sunroof for hardtop models. The dual-unit round taillights featured on the 1958 and 1959 were changed to triple-units. Sales increased again, with 92,843 sold in 1960.
Third generation (1961–1963)
The Thunderbird was redesigned for 1961 with styling that gave the car a futuristic bullet-like body-side appearance. A new engine, the
FE V8, was the standard and only engine initially offered in the Thunderbird. It was rated at and was mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. The new Thunderbird was well received, with 73,051 sold for 1961.
The car was 1961's
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
pace car and was featured prominently in
US President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
John F. Kennedy's inaugural parade, who appointed Ford executive
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ...
as
secretary of defense.
It also benefitted from
product placement
Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of t ...
, notably on the popular television series ''
77 Sunset Strip''.
A vinyl-roofed
Landau
Landau (), officially Landau in der Pfalz (, ), is an autonomous (''kreisfrei'') town surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße ("Southern Wine Route") district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town (since 1990), a long ...
option with simulated S-bars was added to the Thunderbird for 1962 as was a Sports Roadster package for convertible models. The Sports Roadster included 48-spoke Kelsey-Hayes-designed wire wheels and a special fiberglass
tonneau
A tonneau ( or ) is an area of a car, truck, or boat open at the top. It can be for passengers or cargo. When applied to trucks it refers to their ''bed'' (American English) or ''tray'' (British English).
Origin of term
A tonneau was orig ...
cover for the rear seats, which gave the car the appearance of a two-seat roadster like the original Thunderbird. The Sports Roadster package was slow-selling due to the high price of the package and the complexity of the tonneau cover.
Newly optional for 1962 was a version of the V8 equipped with three two-barrel
Holley carburetors. For 1963 only, The engine was only available in cars equipped with factory air conditioning.
Few other changes were made to the Thunderbird for 1963, as Ford prepared to introduce a new version for 1964. A horizontal styling line was added that ran from the front of the car back through the door. Small diagonal chrome bars were added in this area on the door.
Alternator
An alternator (or synchronous generator) is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field wit ...
s rather than
generators were a new feature on all 1963 Thunderbirds.
Fourth generation (1964–1966)
For 1964, the Thunderbird was restyled in favor of a more squared-off appearance, which was mostly evident when viewing the car from the side or rear. Hinting at its roots in the previous generation of Thunderbird, the new model retained a similar grille design with quad headlights and a wheelbase. As before, the new Thunderbird continued to be offered in hardtop, convertible, and landau versions. The FE V8 continued as the standard engine. It was paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. For 1965,
sequential turn signals were added, flashing the individual segments of the broad, horizontal tail lights from inside to outside. Also new for 1965 were standard front
disc brake
A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the #Calipers, calipers to squeeze pairs of #Brake pads, pads against a disc (sometimes called a rakerotor) to create friction. There are two basic types of brake pad friction mechanisms: abrasive f ...
s.
The 1966 model received a new egg crate-style grille and a single-blade front bumper. Its restyled rear bumper included new full-width taillamps. The standard V8 equipped with a single four-barrel carburetor was rated at , and a FE V8 became the top power option.
This was the last year for the convertible until the "retro" models of 2002–05.
Fifth generation (1967–1971)
1967–1969
From 1958 through 1966, the Thunderbird had remained fundamentally the same in concept as a two-door coupe/convertible with two rows of seating. The 1967 model year introduction by
Lincoln-Mercury of the similarly configured
Mercury Cougar
The Mercury Cougar is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury (automobile), Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at va ...
, the most luxurious of the flood of "pony cars" to follow the wildly successful mid-1964 introduction of the
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...
but still considerably less expensive than the Thunderbird, created a challenge to its market positioning. To combat this, the fifth generation Thunderbird was upsized, and a four-door option was added.
The new Thunderbird was no longer
unibody
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car had ...
, but a body-on-frame construction. The convertible was discontinued in favor of an optional four-door hardtop coupe with
suicide doors and a very wide C-pillar. It received simulated
landau bars to help minimize its visual mass. A new front end included a full-width grille and hidden headlights.
1970–1971
The 1970 model year Thunderbird continued with the same platform and many of the same parts and styling cues from the 1967 through 1969 models, such as the sequential turn signals incorporated into the full-width tail lamps. The most noticeable change was in the front grille, where a prominent projection somewhat resembling a bird's beak was added on the centerline, in line with long, angular lines in the hood. The T-bird was offered in coupe or new models.
The 1971 Thunderbird was mostly a carry-over from the 1970 model as Ford prepared to release a new, larger Thunderbird for 1972. It was also the last year to offer a four-door.
Sixth generation (1972–1976)
The sixth generation of the Thunderbird debuted in the fall of 1971 as a 1972 model. With a wheelbase, an overall length of (growing to by 1974), and a curb weight of (over when equipped with an optional V8), it was the largest Thunderbird ever produced by Ford. It continued to share the assembly line with the
Lincoln Continental Mark series, as it had since the debut of the
Mark III in 1968.
Matching the large size of the car were large engines, including the previous generation’s standard V8 and the optional V8, which became standard after 1973. Though offering two of the largest displacement V8 engines ever installed in a production vehicle by Ford, the car's considerable weight combined with low power output caused by restrictive emissions technology resulted in modest performance.
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical energy, chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or Mechanical work, w ...
was corresponding poor.
The big Thunderbirds were initially popular, with sales peaking at over 87,000 units in 1973 in spite of the
1973 oil crisis
In October 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced that it was implementing a total oil embargo against countries that had supported Israel at any point during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which began after Eg ...
, but sales had slumped to less than 43,000 by 1975. Sales had a small uptick to almost 53,000 units for 1976, but increasing fuel prices and ever more stringent federal emissions standards led to a downsized vehicle the following year.
Seventh generation (1977–1979)
Reflecting the rising demand for more fuel-efficient cars, the model year 1977 Thunderbird was shifted to the smaller wheelbase chassis shared with the 1972–76
Ford Torino
The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company, Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the mid-size car, intermediate market segment and essentially a twin to the Mercury Monte ...
and its replacement, the
LTD II, which also debuted for 1977. The Thunderbird went from 225 inches of length from the sixth generation to 217.7 inches of length for the downsized seventh generation and still looked large to the eye. As a restyled continuation of the 1974–1976
Ford Elite, this generation Thunderbird represented Ford's effort to better compete in the high-volume affordable midsize personal luxury car market occupied by the
Pontiac Grand Prix and
Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Along with being shorter, the car was lighter, although height and width were relatively unchanged.
A substantial component of the weight reduction was in the drivetrain, where a
small-block V8 replaced the
big-block V8s of previous years. The standard engine outside California was the
Windsor V8, while the larger
351M and
and T-tops were available as options along with the 351W. In California, the 351 was the standard engine, and the 400 was optionally available. For the first time, a wide, fixed "B" pillar was used, reflecting Detroit's discontinuation of the pillarless hardtop body designs. However, the door window glass remained frameless.
In 1978, Ford offered the "Diamond Jubilee Edition" to commemorate the company's 75th year as an auto manufacturer. This option package virtually doubled the standard price of the car to almost US$12,000. It included every option available except for a
moonroof and engine block heater. A similar "Heritage" option package was available for 1979. Though this generation was the most successful ever, with over 955,000 units produced in its three-year run,
ongoing fuel-efficiency and emissions concerns caused Ford to downsize the Thunderbird further for 1980.
Eighth generation (1980–1982)

Reflecting a further industry-wide adoption of smaller vehicle designs in the interest of improved fuel efficiency and emissions compliance, the Thunderbird was downsized again for 1980. Even more squarish, it rode on the compact
Ford Fox platform, which had first appeared only two years prior as the basis for the
Ford Fairmont. Compared to the previous Torino-based Thunderbird's large wheelbase and overall length, the new Thunderbird lost of wheelbase and in overall length.
Frameless door glass was discontinued in favor of a chrome-trimmed metal frame. The combination of a low-output
Windsor V8 base engine and a C5 three-speed transmission with 2.26 rear gears resulted in dismal acceleration. The optional , Windsor V8, coupled with the optional AOD automatic overdrive transmission and optional 3.45 rear-end ratio, showed only moderate improvement. The heritage of the Thunderbird as a performance personal luxury car was completely lost.
Reinforcing this reality, a six-cylinder engine was made available for the first time in the Thunderbird's history in 1981, the aptly named, thoroughly anemic,
Thriftpower Six first introduced by the manufacturer in 1963.
For the 1982 model year, the straight-six was replaced with a more modern V6, the
3.8 L Essex, as the Thunderbird's standard engine. The V8 was optional.
At 288,638 units produced between 1980 and 1982, the eighth generation of the Thunderbird had a sales average under 100,000 units a year. This, however, tapered off drastically after the first year, whereas the previous generation had achieved sales records for three consecutive years.
Ninth generation (1983–1988)
Seeking to reverse the sales slide of the 1980–1982 models and revitalize the Thunderbird's appearance, Ford executed a significant redesign for 1983. Though still based on the Fox body, it featured a radically sleeker, more aerodynamic body and a slightly shorter wheelbase of . Power, however, remained limited, with the 3.8 L Essex V6 and the V8 being carried over from the previous generation. The 302 gained CFI electronic fuel injection in 1983, and the V6 in 1984 for US models, 1985 for Canadian models (which was in turn replaced by multipoint fuel injection on the V8 in 1986 and the V6 in 1988). All-new, and a Thunderbird first, was a
turbocharged
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
2.3 L OHC four-cylinder
The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized.
Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...
engine featured in the 1983 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. The engine initially was rated at , but by 1985, power was increased to . Another first was the availability of a five-speed manual transmission with the turbocharged four. In 1983, the higher trim model was the Heritage; this was renamed the Elan in 1984. Also, a
Fila-branded model was introduced. In 1985, a special 30th Anniversary edition was available, with special Medium Regatta Blue Metallic paint, special graphics, and trim.
For 1987, the Thunderbird received a significant refresh, complete with new sheet metal and a revised front fascia with aerodynamic composite headlamps. Mechanically, the car was little changed. The V6 models carried over
port fuel injection from 1986, while the Turbo Coupe's turbocharged four-cylinder engine gained an
intercooler
An intercooler is a heat exchanger used to cool a gas after compression. Often found in turbocharged engines, intercoolers are also used in air compressors, air conditioners, refrigeration and gas turbines.
Internal combustion engines
Mo ...
, increasing output to and 240 lb of torque.
Tenth generation (1989–1997)

In late 1988, for the 1989 model year, a completely redesigned Thunderbird was introduced, along with the similar
Mercury Cougar
The Mercury Cougar is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury (automobile), Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at va ...
. The new Thunderbird was developed on Ford's
MN12 (mid-sized North American Project 12) platform, which had been in development since 1984. Featuring a 9-inch (229 mm) longer wheelbase than the previous-generation Thunderbird and a four-wheel
independent suspension, the car offered better handling and ride quality.
Only two engines were originally available—naturally aspirated and supercharged versions of the
Essex V6. The
naturally aspirated
A naturally aspirated engine, also known as a normally aspirated engine, and abbreviated to N/A or NA, is an internal combustion engine in which air intake depends solely on atmospheric pressure and does not have forced induction through a turboc ...
standard engine produced , while the "Super Coupe" model received a
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically powered (usually by ...
and
intercooled version rated at .
The 35th anniversary of the Thunderbird was released in 1989, for the 1990 model year. The Super Coupe was available with a black-and-silver two-tone paint Anniversary Edition with Anniversary floor mats, a car cover, a pen, a poster, and a few other anniversary collectible items.
A V8, marketed as the "5.0" was added in 1990, for the 1991 model year. Power ranged between the standard and supercharged versions of the 3.8 L V6.
In 1993, the 1994 model year Thunderbird received a substantial refresh, including stylistic changes inside and out and mechanical enhancements. In particular, the small block V8 was replaced with Ford's new
Modular 4.6 L
OHC V8. The Super Coupe's supercharged V6 produced more power and torque.
Eleventh generation (2002–2005)

For model year 2002, after a five-year hiatus, the Thunderbird returned for its eleventh generation, returning to a two-passenger convertible body style. Along with its revived layout, the 2002 Thunderbird combined many design elements of the first generation with the minimalist styling of the third generation convertibles. A predominant feature of the removable hardtop was the circular window (from the 1956-1957 versions).
The eleventh-generation Thunderbird uses the
Ford DEW platform also used by the
Lincoln LS sedan (and the
Jaguar S-Type); the
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...
is loosely based on it. Though sharing no body panels with its sedan counterparts, the Thunderbird shared some visible components with the LS (instrument panel, steering wheel, and other trim pieces). As with the LS V8, the Thunderbird was powered by a Jaguar DOHC 3.9 L
AJ-30 V8, producing and of torque; the engine was paired with a Ford-designed
5R55N 5-speed automatic. For 2003, the AJ30 became the AJ35 following the addition of
variable valve timing
Variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a Poppet valve, valve lift event in an internal combustion engine, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combina ...
and
electronic throttle control
Electronic throttle control (ETC) is an Automotive engineering, automotive technology that uses electronics to replace the traditional mechanical linkages between the driver's input such as a Car controls#Throttle control, foot pedal to the vehi ...
; output increased to and of torque. The 5-speed automatic received optional ''SelectShift'' manual shifting control.
With sales dropping significantly after its first model year, Ford discontinued the eleventh-generation Thunderbird after the 2005 model year; the final vehicle was manufactured on July 1, 2005. As of current production, Ford has not returned the model line to sale in any form.
Convertible models
Alongside the original two-seat Thunderbirds of 1955-1957, the Thunderbird was offered as a soft-top convertible from 1958 through 1966. The model shared its convertible top retraction mechanism with the
Ford Skyliner retractable-hardtop convertible and would also be shared the 1960s Lincoln Continental convertible. When the top was stowed, the rear-hinged trunklid was raised in order for the forward edge of the trunklid to serve as a metal boot cover.
Though the hydraulically powered design reduced available trunk space, the metal top boot negated the need for a separate cover. Unlike hardtop models that used a conventional key-secured, forward-hinged design, the convertibles combined the trunk opening and closing within the convertible top operating system.
The Skyliner-derived design could present challenges for troubleshooting a convertible top malfunction. The system consists of solenoids, relays, limit switches, electric motors, and a hydraulic pump/reservoir, as well as several hydraulic directional valves and cylinders. While the hydraulic system is not often a cause for trouble, electrical relays are known to fail. Malfunction of any of the numerous relays, motors, or limit switches prevents the convertible system from completing the cycle.
For 1962 through 1964, the Ford offered convertible Thunderbirds with a rare "Sports Roadster" option, with a fiberglass tonneau cover over the rear seat offering the appearance of a two-seat car; the Sports Roadster packaged was sometimes combined with even rarer options including higher-performance engines and wire-spoke wheels.
NASCAR
Thunderbirds first made inroads into NASCAR racing in the 1959 season. The combination of the second-generation body style and the newly available 430 CID V8 took drivers
Curtis Turner,
Johnny Beauchamp, "Tiger"
Tom Pistone, and
Cotton Owens to victory lane. In the 1960 season, most teams returned to using the conventional full-sized Ford body style, and the T-Bird made only sporadic appearances through the rest of the 1960s, with no additional wins.
Beginning in 1977, Thunderbird-bodied racecars replaced the Torino as Ford's primary body style in
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
, starting a trend of luxury coupe-type body styles (eventually the 1981
Imperial would also be seen racing) being used as a sheet-metal source on the race track.
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison (December 3, 1937 – November 9, 2024) was an American professional stock car racing driver and owner. Allison was the founder of the Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama, where there were abundant ...
won 13 races with this car driving for owner
Bud Moore in the 1977 through 1980 seasons, though the cars looked boxy and un-aerodynamic. During 1981–1997, the downsized and aerodynamically clean Thunderbirds were successful in NASCAR stock car racing before they were replaced by
Taurus-based bodies in 1998. The 1983- through 1988-bodied exceeded 200 mph and in one case during a qualifying session set the record of the fastest lap in stock car history at 44.998 seconds with an average speed of at
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway (Alabama International Motor Speedway from 1969 to 1989) is a tri-oval superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Built in 1969, the track has hosted a variety of racing events, primarily races sanctioned by NASCAR. The track is ...
, a record that still stands.
History
at Talladega Superspeedway Bill Elliott
William Clyde Elliott Sr. (born October 8, 1955), also known as "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville", "Million Dollar Bill", or "Wild Bill" is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Superstar Racing Experienc ...
and Davey Allison, in particular, were successful with the cars, with Elliott winning the 1988 championship. Alan Kulwicki
Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 – April 1, 1993), nicknamed "Special K" and "the Polish Prince", was an American auto racing driver and team owner. He started racing at local Short track motor racing, short tracks in Wisconsin bef ...
also won the championship in 1992 in a car nicknamed "Underbird", for his underdog status as a driver. The last time a Thunderbird was used in the Cup Series was when Billy Standridge failed to qualify for the 1999 Daytona 500.
References
Further reading
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{{Ford Motor Company vehicles
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Cars discontinued in 2005
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