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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  Best car yet - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By tim - August 29 - 7:55 am

  I have a black 1996 T bird 4.6 v8 moonroof tinted windows. the first time I seen it i knew it was special. I paid $500 for her spent $1800 to bring her up to standards (brakes etc) the last owner didn,t really know what he had. I ve had her for bout 1 yr now and have not had one problem. I love the car. The leather interior needs some work. I think this is the one that is going to get some money into. I plan a complete and through rebuild with a little more hp. Shes a keeper. Good job Ford

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  Ten Years of Reliable Transportation - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By Cathy Bruno - August 26 - 1:49 pm

  Very comfortable, reliable transportation. Good body integrity. Any problems have been related to normal wear and tear. Spacious trunk.

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  1994 T-Bird V-8 - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By Jason - August 24 - 1:14 am

  I purchased my 94 T-Bird V-8 in 2001 with 89,000 miles and it has been very good to me. The only thing that I replaced was the torque converter. The 4.6 Liter V-8 has plenty of power and gets nearly the same gas mileage as the 3.8 L. V-6. It also has a very comfortable interior. 155,000 miles now in 2007 and still running circles around Civics.

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  Two birds in hand - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By Barbie - August 18 - 12:12 am

  My wife came from a poor family and her dream has always been to own a Tbird. She purchased at long last and after many years of working and saving a 1955 which she drove often but mostly in the Summer and of course being an old car. I mean Old "6 Volt Generator" She decided it was time to buy a car that was more modern. She purchased the 2002 and never looked back. Although the cars are completely different, they are both icons in her life representing old values and new ideas as she likes to say. Of course the new Tbird is wonderful, just check any of the ratings on here!

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  Thunderbird - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By SISU Bird - August 8 - 4:16 pm

  I have always loved the looks of the old T-birds and thought that one day Id purchase one. For our 25th anniversary my husband surprised me with the 2004 Pacific Coast Highway edition. Love it just as much as the old birds! I baby this car - I dont take it out of the garage until May when the salt has long washed off the roads. Nor, does it come out if the sky even looks like rain. I have the hard top but the only time it has been on the car is when I picked up the hardtop from the dealers. Ive limited myself to 2,000 miles a year so the car is virtually like new. The only problem Ive had with it is that the alarm system doesnt always activate.

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  This is the car of my dreams, - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By t-bird lover - August 3 - 12:02 am

  I am in love with this car!It drives like a dream, yet has the power of a jet planeI have never gone out without at least 2 or 3 people telling me that I have a great car. They yell over to me at traffic lights ,stop signs and parking lots. I feel like a rock star! I think so highly of this car, that I have included it in my will. I never want it to leave the family.

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  Love it, love it, love it. - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By derby - July 3 - 12:45 pm

  A real looker. Haved owned for almost 4 years now and it still turns heads. Not one days problems with it. Love the matching red leather. Kicks it by just tapping on the gas. Miles so low because I do not drive in snow or rain.

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  You gotta love it! - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By TBird Lover - June 13 - 9:26 pm

  This car is wonderful. Lots of power, great road feel, comfortable on a trip and a great roadster feel. The only problem Ive had is the multi-disc changer and Im sure thatll be fixed shortly. Ford put a lot of thought in this retro. I think they could have done a little better on the front end design, but it is still a beautiful car and I love to drive it. and even just look at in the garage. It is a member of the family!

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  I waited for this - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By C. Evans - June 9 - 7:56 am

  I actually waited for a two seat sports type car that had room in the front seat. The bird has as much room as I need. Also it is a head turner. Everwhere I go someone says something or points to it.

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  Beautiful and fun car marred by gaskets - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By JS - June 4 - 7:44 pm

  My very first car, and I loved her. Excellent slow speed handling and turning radius. Quick off the line but slow to 60. Wobbly on the highway. Had the notorious head gasket failure at around 70k miles. Otherwise, just minor sensor issues and a leaky radiator.