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 - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By thunder8 - May 20 - 8:09 am

  When I need to cruise its my joyride. The smooth ride down the road makes it very comfortable and when I want to race somebody the power is there.

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  Nostalgia plus fun - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By bud - March 29 - 8:45 am

  A lot of people complain about the price being too high and cite the car as costing $50K. I say to those people that Ive got some swamp land for them to buy. I purchased this car for around $20K and the original sticker was $27K. For $25 K the car is an excellent sports car. Its not a Porsche but is quite nimble and has ample power with the small v8 equipped. For the money, its a bargain. The fit and finish are quite excellent for a Ford. The reliability is not bad for a sports car of which cars in that category usually require a bit more than just changing the oil and filling it up.

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  Highway rollin - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By Joel Dillon - February 23 - 8:08 pm

  The Thunderbird is a true American made car. The engine sounds great when accelerating, which is why adding 2 Flowmaster mufflers was easy to do. The Thunderbird is not like anything on the road today. The car is sharp around corners and when you put your foot to the floor, watch out.

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  Great car for fun driver - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By George Schwab - February 1 - 8:25 am

  Bought this for my wife and we both enjoy driving it, and owning it. Its not a hot rod, but has plenty of power. Smooth ride and very fun to drop the top and cruise. If you want a Corvette, buy one (I probably will) but dont sell the Thunderbird short. Its a keeper, in my opinion.

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  10 year T-bird anniversary - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By rsu11 - August 1 - 11:52 am

  Just gave my 10 year old T-bird a makeover - new paint and carpet. Why? Simple. The car deserves it! Why pop for a newer car, or an older classic, when this one fills the bill so admirably. Great performance with the 4.6 V8, good suspension with IRS in the back, decent brakes, a comfortable interior for two people and styling that still looks good. Low maintenance costs and 19 mpg around town just make me smile more behind the wheel. The retro styled Mustang will probably be my next car, but not until my T-bird dies, probably many years from now. This car is like finding an Armani suit at a yard sale. A bargain with style!

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  WANTING MORE - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By WILSON - July 21 - 2:00 am

  SINCE THIS WOULD BE FORDS HALO CAR I WAS HOPING FOR MORE STANDARD EQUIPMENT AND BETTER BUILD QUALITY

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  #92 on 2003 production Line - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By Jim Jette - July 19 - 8:26 pm

  Car had no problems until 20-22K. Had right rear brake caliper stick wearing out pads/scoring disk Throttle body (fuel regulator system) had to be replaced. Rear defroster switch stayed on with hard top on drained battery. Had random slap in transmission. Took in twice tech could not find. Finally at 3 year(30K mileage) another tech spotted problem in auto transmission shifting module. The visor (where you view mileage etc) was dirty on inside tech got dirty when removing dashboard to replace rear defroster module. Tires wore out at 31K. Car has had tires and oil changed every 3K. Original tires made you feel like you were floating in car. I weigh 230lbs need seat to go back & recline 3-4 more inches.

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  90s Hot Rod - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By aaronhall1980 - April 17 - 8:48 pm

  I bought this car for $3,000 and It was worth every penny! The car was in perfect working order and the leather interior was very comfortable but sporty looking at the same time. The interior set-up was very easy to get used to and the gauges were easy to read and well illuminated. The big surprize comes when you put the petal to the floor! The powerful V-8 leaves nothing more to want for the money and provides easy cruising or powerful takeoffs. An all-around sporty but comfy car.

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  rims/tires - 2004 Ford Thunderbird
  By Gene - April 11 - 11:45 am

  Ford does not stand behind product. Tires leak air as much as 15 pounds per week. Have been to 3 dealerships 6 times and they refuse to acknowledge rim problem as others and tire dealers have told me is the problem. Ford wants to glue the rims to tires and void tire warranty. Every tire leaks different amount of air, have kept daily log but they still refuse to acknowledge rim problem.

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  My Third Bird/More Fun Than The Rest - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By Lars - March 15 - 1:01 am

  Great Road Car and fun to drive. Dont see yourself coming and going either. Been totally trouble free. Its a people magnet, too!