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:

• 

  Best T-bird ever! - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By MacLeod - February 19 - 5:01 pm

  Ive had four Thunderbirds before this an old 57 I bought used, an 84 Elan, an 88 Turbo Coupe, a 90 Super Coupe. I liked them all a lot, but the 05 is the best ever.

• 

  Love My Bird - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Bil Keane - February 19 - 12:59 pm

  I remember well the original T-Bird. At the time, I couldnt afford one, and by the time I could, it was upsized, downsized and removed from the market altogether. While not a true sports car, it is sporty enough for most conservative adults. It handles well on the road and is much quieter than you would expect from a convertible. On the downside, its not the best car for folks over 6 with the soft top. There is however plenty of headroom with the optional hard top. Definitely a head turner. If you dont like people constantly asking you about your car, you better not get one.

• 

  A Fun Car to Drive - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By Retiredbirdman - February 18 - 2:00 am

  The most exciting car I have ever own. It is really fun to drive. I would recommend it to anyone.

• 

  I love the power & handling of my new TH - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By tunasnake - February 18 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE THE POWER& HANDLING OF MY 2003. IT HANDLES AS WELL AS MY 1981 CORVETTE. IVE ALWAYS WANTED A THUNDERBIRD SINCE THE 1966 MODELS BUT ONLY UNTIL NOW HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORED!! THANK YOU FORD MOTOR COMPANY.

• 

  Best Value for Money - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By CNN - February 7 - 1:28 am

  Bought it in 1997 brand new fell in love with it on test drive forgot about all the other cars I test drove. Very smooth, very comfortable, great looking car for a very reasonable price. At 7+ years, it still looks and feels new! This car has spoiled me. No trouble at all after all these years.

• 

  Happy Bout My Bird - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By tbirdman - February 5 - 8:55 pm

  After drooling over her for a month at the dealership, I couldnt help but take her home. This is by far the best car Ive ever owned. The hardtop / softtop feature allows for variety according to the seasons. It has wonderful power and handling. It is definitely a head-turner.

• 

  Fun BUT - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Hammock - February 4 - 10:10 am

  Traded in 2000 VW Cabrio which rode and handled better than the Bird BUT this thing turns heads all the time. Vintage Mint Green and all options. Fast enough but would like retro exhaust sound so will have that installed I think. List, $41,795 purchased new $31,990. For what it is, boulevard cruiser, it is about as good as you can get. Would like radio to increase volume with speed like many now do. Trunk just holds 2 golf bags. A really super nice cruiser.

• 

  Bird up - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Dan - January 22 - 9:38 pm

  Calm, cool, and collected. Thats the way this car rides. Not loud or proud, just right. I have the all black and when the sun is out, there is nothing more fun than this car.

• 

  I Love My T-Bird - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By szwickel - January 17 - 6:22 pm

  My 2002 Red Ford T-Bird (hard top and convertible) is the most wonderful car I have ever owned. It is fun to drive and I just love the fact that after 2 and1/2 years, people still stop and comment on what a gorgeous car it is and how wonderful it is that Ford brought the car back. I always wanted the 1955 T-bird, but could not afford it, and when I finally could, my husband objected to buying such an old car. As soon as he saw the 2002 T-Bird he bought it for me and gave it to me as a surprise. The car looks good, drives like a dream and is fun to be in and be seen in.Thank you for bringing it back.

• 

  Great Driving Adventure - 2005 Ford Thunderbird
  By Pat - January 5 - 6:45 pm

  This is the closest thing to a 1950s Thunderbird that is possible, but with the latest in auto technology. It is fun to drive, classic in looks, and elegant in detail. I recently drove a new Jag and it does not even compare to the new Thunderbird. I do not hesitate when I say that I would recommend it to anyone that wants a sporting opinion. By the way, I am 62 years old and love the power.