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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  Super Thunderbird - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By flyer0195 - December 11 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever bought. I bought it used in 1999 with 52000 miles on it. Now it has 129500 miles and has only been in the shop twice other than oil changes. Mine has the 4.6 liter V8 and at 104000 miles the air intake manifold started leaking antifreeze. This was a defect on this engine. It was made of plastic but Ford pays to replace it from a recall that came out. The new one is made of cast metal. The only other problem I encountered was a leak in the fuel line by the fuel tank and had the section of line replace. The front brakes went out at 116000 miles and I am still operating on the original rear brakes.

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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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  So much fun - I have 2 - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By forcfed - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Great car! Very fun to drive, but a little pricy to fix if you cant work on it yourself. I suggest joining a local club (like SCCoIA.org) and take advantage of group discounts and owner knowledge base.

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  what a car! - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By mortis08 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  after six years with this car i am still amazed at how fun it is to drive.it has power to spare and my average mpg is around 20 or so.i would not hesitate to recommend this car to anyone, especially people who like to drive. i bought a new suv, and was going to use my bird as a trade in but neither my wife or i could stand to part with it. yes, the thunderbird is that good of an automobile.with its combination of power, reliability, standard ammenities, and classy looks, i dont think ill ever get rid of it!

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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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  Fun, Fun, Fun... - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By SPARTAN 2 - November 15 - 2:00 am

  And well have fun, fun, fun til daddy takes the T-BIRD away, fun, fun, fun... WOW!!! What a car!!! Who cares about gas milege!!! Why the heck did they quit making them!

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  BEEN A PLEASURE - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By S454S - November 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in 1997 with 39000 miles on it. It now has over 140000 and has never failed once. The only parts to ever be repalced were the battery and MAF sensor and Alternator. I drove between Atlanta and Ft. Worth at 28 mpg or better documented.

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  The Greatest! - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By Black Bird - November 2 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! Always wanted a CLASSIC BIRD! Owned a Porsche Targa, several Mercedes, BMW, etc. over the years and this by far is my favorite car ever. It is such a nice handling car and beautiful with all the bells and whistles. I could drive it all day!

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  I love my new thunderbird - 2002 Ford Thunderbird
  By ron williams - November 2 - 2:00 am

  The car is excellent in every way!! Being a 2002, it doesnt have heated seats, but if I really needed them I can get a 2003. The car steers well, has adequate power and gets lots of looks. I was not overwhelmed by the styling at first, but a lot of people must like it, because it still attracts a lot of attention. It is a very comfortable car and a joy to own!

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  AWESOME - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
  By Speedy1 - October 30 - 2:00 am

  My dad bought this car and he just loves it. He left for a week on a business trip and I had the pleasure of driving it for that week:-) This car loves to go fast, or at least I love to go fast in it. It is amazingly quiet at 80 down the freeway, even with the top down. Great to blow the "fast and furious Honda" off the line. This car can hit 130 without much dificulty, from what I hear-) this car has a kickin sound system with great bass. Get lots of looks. This car is a BEAUTIFUL Luxury car with the ability to get-up-and-GO.