Overview & Reviews

Unlike today, vehicle choices were pretty limited 50 years ago when the Ford Thunderbird first took flight. There were sedans, coupes, station wagons and convertibles, but essentially a Ford was a Ford -- straightforward variations on a common design. With the 1955 T-bird, however, Ford introduced the notion of a sporty "personal luxury car" -- a close-coupled two-seater with V8 power, a cushy ride and elegant styling. It also had the simple construction and reasonable price of a Ford.

What that first cozy Thunderbird convertible didn't have was much extra room for more people and things -- but when this was addressed in 1958, Ford's Thunderbird really took off. That year it became a bigger, heavier car, a four-seater available as a coupe or convertible with a blocky body that gave rise to the nickname "Square Bird." A much cleaner fighter jet-inspired body design debuted in the early 1960s and the sleek, missile-like profile earned these cars the moniker "Bullet Bird." The mid-'60s saw sharper-edged lines for the body, though the basic platform remained mostly unchanged.

Things really started to get weird in the later '60s, '70s and early '80s. Within this span of time, the Thunderbird convertible was dropped, a four-door version with suicide doors and landau irons was offered briefly, the car grew to the size and shape of a Lincoln Mark IV and was then downsized twice, first in 1977 and again to a Fairmont-based platform in 1980. Yep, the Ford Thunderbird "celebrated" its 25th anniversary in fine style, riding atop an economy car's chassis and sporting less than 130 horsepower from its V8 engine. But it did have a heavily padded landau top complete with opera lights as well as a digital dashboard, so things weren't that bad, right?

Interesting things happened during the mid- and late 1980s, when style and performance returned in the form of the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and its successor, the Super Coupe. The former had a turbocharged inline-4 while the latter sported a supercharged V6. The Thunderbird stayed with this format (standard coupe with V6 or V8 power and the hyper Super Coupe) through the late 1990s, at which point the Thunderbird died a quiet death due to slow sales and general disinterest in the personal luxury coupe market.

For the new millennium, Ford resurrected the Thunderbird. As a full-circle, retro-inspired return of the original two-seat roadster, the new Thunderbird garnered plenty of attention and initial hype. Still more about motoring with a little extra flair and panache than driving fast and hard, the Thunderbird seemed poised for success. It never met with much critical acclaim, however. Sales were brisk at first but slowed considerably afterwards. Ford ended production after four years.

Those shopping for a used Ford Thunderbird built in the last 20 years have lots of choices in terms of configurations, powertrains and styling. The best T-birds from the 1990s are the ones with V8 power. Driving enthusiasts may want to look for the performance-oriented but much rarer Super Coupe from the same era. Finally, the more recent two-seat roadster will no doubt satisfy those with retro "cruising" fantasies and could quite possibly become a future classic.

Most Recent Ford Thunderbird

In 1999 Ford displayed a concept car that brought the Thunderbird back full-circle to its roots as an open two-seat roadster. The response was overwhelming, and three years later it had a production version ready for 2002. The designers did such a great job that this "modern" Thunderbird managed to preserve the sleek styling cues of the original without looking like a four-wheel caricature.

As a basis, Ford used the same platform as it did for the Lincoln LS sedan. As such, some criticism was leveled at the Thunderbird's interior, as it was perceived as being too similar to the LS's and lacking in design flair. At the time, we suspected that buyers would have accepted a higher sticker price in exchange for unique, Thunderbird-specific pieces for the dash and center console. The pleated leather seats and door panels, however, recalled the days when auto upholstery resembled the seating in a diner's booth.

On the road, the new 'Bird performed quite well with its independent suspension and 3.9-liter V8 with a five-speed automatic transmission. But it didn't make the claims of a sports car; its mission in life was that of a comfortable boulevard cruiser. The Thunderbird gained 28 hp in 2003 for a total of 280. Detail changes marked its final couple years, with trim and paint changes and a Light Sand Appearance Package in 2004, and 50th-anniversary badging and more trim changes inside and out for 2005. Though flawed, it was still fun to drive and fun to be seen driving, and it largely succeeded at straddling the fine line between luxury and performance.

Past Ford Thunderbird models

The previous-generation Ford Thunderbird coupe was produced from 1989-'97. At its debut, a new fully independent suspension helped ride and handling, but acceleration was disappointing due to the combination of a hefty curb weight and 140-hp base V6. A more inspiring alternative was the new Thunderbird Super Coupe, (SC) which used a supercharged version of the V6 to produce 210 hp. It transferred its power to the rear wheels through either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. A special-edition 35th-anniversary model of the Thunderbird SC arrived in 1990, and a 200-hp 5.0-liter V8 returned to the Thunderbird lineup in 1991 -- the preferred choice for most Thunderbird buyers.

The base Ford Thunderbird was dropped from the 1993 lineup, and the car was now available either as an LX (with either the V6 or V8), or as a Super Coupe with the supercharged V6. Dual airbags were made standard in 1994, and this car also featured revised front-end styling and Ford's new, more refined SOHC 4.6-liter V8. The Super Coupe flew the coop after '95, leaving just the LX model to soldier on. There was a new instrument cluster in 1997 plus some new colors and a new rear spoiler, but the car itself was doomed as Ford shifted its focus to increasingly popular -- and profitable -- SUVs and trucks.

In reviews of this Thunderbird, our editors wrote that they liked the car's sporty coupe body style, V8 power and reasonable price. With its decent-size backseat, we claimed that it was "a car for closet enthusiasts who need a car that is more mature than the Mustang."

User Reviews:

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  1996 Ford Thunderbird - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By TopJimmy - January 18 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Thunderbird used 4 years ago. It has been a great car and has only left me stranded once when the manifold cracked and I lost coolant. There was a TSB on that problem and Ford fixed it free of charge ( an $800 repair )It is fun to drive and has plenty of power. The 4.6 V8 is quite economical and there is a feeling of safety with this vehicle.

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  The T-Bird is great! - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By The man - January 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this car since 1995. I have found it to be an excellent car. I now have over 160,000 miles on it and it is still going strong. Ive never had any trouble with it. I would love to have another one when this one is gone.

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  One awesome car - 1992 Ford Thunderbird
  By Bad Bird - January 5 - 2:00 am

  The only problems that I have had with this car are regular maintenance issues, ie: O2 sensors, plugs etc.

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  ONE OF THE BEST - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By G-MAN - December 22 - 2:00 am

  MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT FORD DOES NOT MAKE A CAR LIKE THIS ONE ANYMORE. MY ONLY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE BRAKES, ROTORS GO OUT OF ROUND AFTER 15000- 20000.

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  A Good First Car - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By Robyn_Marie - November 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought my T-Bird from a friend who really screwed me on this car. It needed new ball joints and control arms in the front end($700)Then the brakes totally went out, complete brake job ($500)needs an alternator and new tie rods another $4-500. This is a good car if you have the money to fix it when something goes wrong with no warning. It is also sporty and reliable. Fords are really an expensive car to own they have transmission problems as well as the starters. Mine has 127,000 miles but Ive had it less than 6 months and just look at everything thats been fixed already. Just be picky when buying a ford and youll be better off buying from a dealership.

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  The most fun car to drive - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By otoluva - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I just dont understand why on earth Ford stopped making this beauty. I have a 96 V8 and love it more every time I get behind the wheel, its been very reliable and pleasure to drive.

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  Unreliable but Fun to Drive - 1991 Ford Thunderbird
  By TbirdSC - October 29 - 2:00 am

  I ordered the my T-bird SC new. So far its been the most enjoyable car Ive driven. It has a unique blend of performance and comfort. The vehicle is roomy and rides well. It handles like a much smaller car. Its a cross between a luxury car and muscle car. Unfortuantely Ive had numerous problems with the vehicle from the very first week. This resulted in an alarming 90+ service invoices over 10yrs for problems outside of regular maintenance. The vehicle remains a very enjoyable and fun car to drive. Although the reliability has left me with a somewhat tarnished image of this product.

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  Hanging On To My Youth - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By Tcocove - September 17 - 2:00 am

  At 55, my Tbird is helping me hang on to whats left of my youth! A neighbor had a 57 and I just loved his car and dreamed that someday. My Tbird rides a little heavy and sometimes feels like its floating. Both inside and out, it is just retro beautiful and everybody who sees it has a Tbird story to tell me. My story happened last Oct. when a Park policeman pulled me over for speeding. He told me that he had a 56 and that mine was the first new one he had seen on the parkway. He asked me if he could drive mine! And who would say no to a policeman? 15 minutes later he returned with a big smile. By the way, I didnt get a ticket!

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  SC - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By miclub7 - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Too many easily prevented problems from manufactuer. Head gaskets are a huge problem along with skrawny motor mounts that couldnt even support torque for a 4 cylinder. Honestly the problems are a pitty.

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  Needs more power - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By jmyers - September 12 - 2:00 am

  Overall a very nice car. Needs more power. Mileage is excellent. Ride is a bit soft. Grabs lots of attention.