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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T-Bird - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
By tolatro - April 9 - 2:00 amThis a great vehicle which captures a hint of the past with all of todays technology. The ride and handling is superb and the build quality is excellent. This vehicle clearly outpaces it competition by a significant margin. The select shift option is quite worthwhile if only as a second choice behind a standard transmission. The instrument panel should have been complemented with a full analog guage package. Overall it is a 10.
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Wasted $3000 - 1992 Ford Thunderbird
By Joan1805 - April 8 - 2:00 amI drove it for 1.5 years. Now it is dead. - transmission ($1000?) - antifreeze gets into engine and exhaust($1000?) - catalytic converter broke and makes an awful noise (buzz), ($260?) - starter was replaced ($90) - alternator was replaced ($300?) - battery was replaced - blinker lights are burnt. - interior: ceiling is decomposing and dropping something black onto seats, door handle has come off, power windows dont open, cracks on the dash board from the sun, all plastic parts are barely hanging, glove compartment is not closing or locking anymore. -exterior: paint came off on the roof. I am amazed. The car seemed to be so good when I bought it. :(
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My Second Chance - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
By Gary Clark - April 7 - 2:00 amI purchased one of the first all Thunderbird Blue models on the road back in February of 2002, and have loved the car ever since. It is the perfect combination of comfortable road car and sporty performance car. And that body . . . . Now that Ive owned the car for a year and driven it just over 3,000 miles, I know that love at first sight has become a love that will last forever. I never thought Id get a second chance to by a new Thunderbird with the style and class of the originals, but there you are.
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Love This Car - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
By V8 t bird - April 2 - 2:00 amI love this car.I have owned this car sence 1997 with 47000 miles on it.I have the 5.0 V8 and Enjoy driving this car tremindously. Small problems here and there, until recantly nothing major. The heater core and transmisson just went and I like the car enough to put $2000 into it.
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Big Mustang - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
By Rollin - March 31 - 2:00 amI have had good experience with my 1996 T-bird. Overall very reliable car, no unscheduled maintenance so far. Traction control with snow tires on all 4 wheels is a must for snowy climate (I use Blizzaks). Handling is very good for a relatively large car and performance is too with the 4.6 V8. 4- wheel disc brakes are an improvement over disc/drum on my 1995 T-bird.
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Great car for long trips - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
By Knights - March 27 - 2:00 amI bought my Thunderbird to replace my 1990 Cougar. The Cougar had the same motor and the only major problem was head gaskets (watch the 3.8L engine once it gets over 200,000km). The only problem so far with the Thunderbird is it idles rough. I have yet to resolve this problem (Im trying to start with the simple things first). Other than that its nice having the full power of the 3.8L again. Theres never a problem passing people on the highway.
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The King is Dead! - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
By Cherisaruss - March 17 - 2:00 amThis has been the most amazing car we have ever owned! Sad to say, the head just blew and we decided to replace it.....at 316,000+ miles. Six months ago, we had to replace the tranny...*sigh*. Aside from that, the only other problem was that the evil yellow light of death came on at about 150,000 miles, and never went off. We just bought a 97 Cougar with 47,000 miles, and the inside is similar but I doubt it will replace the T-bird in our hearts *sniffle.* WHY did Ford discontinue this car???
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Midsize Mustang - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
By rollin59 - March 17 - 2:00 amNice car, like a mid-size Mustang. Big enough to carry passengers, small enough to be easy to drive.
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A VERY GOOD CAR FOR $1500 BUCKS!! - 1992 Ford Thunderbird
By 1992LX - March 13 - 2:00 am1500 Bucks & only 98000 miles, the car has ok acceleration for a 3.8L(232ci) V6. Handling excellence, interior is excellent. Its just a good car.
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Bluebird - 2003 Ford Thunderbird
By Rodney Goforth - March 1 - 2:00 amAbsolutely the most fun vehicle we have ever owned. Retro styling with 03 sophistication and power. The Corvette stays in the garage most of the time.
