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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  Satisfied owner - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By Fred Altman - July 13 - 1:22 am

  The car has performed flawlessly with absolutely no service requirements other than oil changes in the 15,000 miles I have driven it. The only problem I have encountered is hitting my head on the hardtop as I enter the car when it is on. The car attracts much admiring attention from both young and old wherever we go. Trunk could be bigger, but it does haul two suitcases plus several small packages.

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  Best Sports Car - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Taylor - July 9 - 3:35 pm

  Great style and comfort, fun to drive. Im really enjoying owning it - insurance not too expensive for vehicle type. GREAT summer car!

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  I bought a Ford? - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Jason - July 8 - 3:07 am

  I have loved this car before it ever hit the dealership. I knew I would have one myself someday and now that day has come. I love the way heads turn and people ask What is that car?. As i always have had a sport luxury coupe, I do miss that luxury ride though. A lot of that has to do with the many manhole covers and poor roads in Idaho. I plan on keeping this car to pass down to my niece (10 yrs old now), for she thinks it will be hers to drive once receiving her drivers license. That all remains to be seen. But I must say I love this car. I love many others as well, but knowing of Thunderbirds demise, I just had to have one of the last, so I bought an 04 with everything.

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  nice choice - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By RON - July 6 - 6:22 pm

  Having come out of an Audi TT I was at first disappointed in the workmanship, especially interior quality. It has stood up very well however and it seems to have lost its chintz factor as I got used to it strange.

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  Nice Care with some design flaws - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Dave - July 6 - 1:23 am

  Beautiful Car! I love to drive it. Chose it over a Z-4. Large doors for easy access but become problems when parked in garage or parking lot. Interior plastic could be much better quality. Bottle holders on arm rest really get in the way. Performance is exceptional and will leave everything on the road behind. Golf clubs fit in trunk. Sound system is outstanding. Dealership was excellent, especially pricing. Options needed include day/night automatic mirrors and heated outside mirrors. If I had to do it over, would probably buy the BMW 3 Series convertible.

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  Love my silver - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By LS - June 29 - 6:19 pm

  I LOVE THIS CAR. This is my second Tbird ... the first one was dark green and loaded. This one isnt loaded but comfort and power (v8) blows away most of my friends cars. Bought it as a used car 5 years ago (its a 96) and while reliability has been fantastic, its time to start thinking of trading my baby in. My check engine light has been on for 4 years. Funny - must be a design/electrical flaw. Also rolled my green one during an ice storm in MI (wont miss the real wheel drive in winter). Ah, fond memories. I think I cried when the last one rolled off the assembly line a few years ago. Now what am I supposed to do? :)

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  TBird - Best Performance Value - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By RobTBird - June 29 - 3:44 pm

  Have had great fun with the TBird. Everywhere I go people comment how nice it looks - from parking garage attendants to people walking on the street. Distinctive, rare look. Fast convertible top raising or lowering. High performance V-8, 390 HP, for low $30s. Cant beat the performance & price

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  I dont know if I ll buy it again - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By RNK - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, lots of power ,poor and cheap finish .Very poor paint finish. Good A/c .Not noisy for conv. Cheap interior finish

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  A GREAT RIDE AND A LOOKER - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By JASPER - June 27 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is a great looker. I get only positive comments from everyone who sees the car and those who ride in it. It has lots of pickup and power. The only negative I have discovered is that the convertible top rattles a little when it is not up and is in its storage compartment.You can especially hear that noise when the hard top is on.

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  T-BIRD - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By ART VAN DELAY - June 16 - 11:39 pm

  Fun to drive, they did this right. This car is tight. Well appointed, I love this car. Ive had over 50 automobiles. Had 66 Corvette, 56 T-bird they were great. This car is simply fun, and a good buy. Used theyre relatively cheap, will only go up in value over the years. How many cars can you say that about?