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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  Good Investment - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By Bev - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 95 t-bird used for $3000. It had 113k on it then. I travel 42 miles one way to work, 84 total per day. I have a family of 5. It has been dependable and really has the kick when you need it. It handles like a dream. I have put some hard miles on it, and she still does not hesitate. I have more than got my moneys worth out of this car, and will feel like a part of the family is gone when I trade her in. This car was the best investment I had ever made. The only flaw that I found was the seat, if ever moved, was very hard to get back right and would make my back ache a little, but nothing that could not be overlooked by the fun of the drive.

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  1993 Thunderbird Supercoupe 41000Miles - 1993 Ford Thunderbird
  By DigitalChaos - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Recently purchased this car from a private party with 41000 miles. It was garage kept and stored winters up until this year. It is in excellent condition, and everything works as new. Loaded except for leather seats and power moonroof. Supercharger produces full boost, and because 3.8L SC engine does not use aluminum heads like the None SC 3.8, they have not and will not blow. The cars performance & comfort is amazing, & for something this old, it is truly a modern feeling car.

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  Lovin my Bird - 1996 Ford Thunderbird
  By TBird Lover - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I love my Thunderbird. In fact, hubby and I love them so much we have two! Weve had 4 Thunderbirds since 1995 and theyve all been red. I love the snappy performance of the V-8. The gas mileage in town isnt great but on the highway, we consistently get 25-28 mpg (drove a Focus rental car on vacation and only got 29-30 mpg). The one bad thing about my TBird is that its not a "winter" car. Rear-wheel-drive, coupled with the powerful V-8 engine, makes for a disasterous combination in Iowa.

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  I love my T-bird - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By cobra - March 27 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used in late 2000, it had 84k on it then and now has 112k. The 4.6L is a great motor, good power and milage concidering its a V8. I like the handling, my has the traction control and it is my daily driver, even in the Winter. We do get snow in Wisconsin, I added 4 Dunlop snows and I can go where ever I want. Only thing it needs is cup holders. I wish Ford was still making them.

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  dependable and fast, very fast - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By Tom b - March 27 - 2:00 am

  My friend bought a 95 super coupe about a year ago. he has not had any problems with it at all. Ive tried racing him with my V-8 302 mercury cougar xr7 and he blows me out of the water. To bad he doesnt want to swap.

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  Bad paint,transmissiom,brakes - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By papajoe - March 27 - 2:00 am

  I had the car for 4 weeks ,the trans. started acting funny.It cost me 600 dollars to get it fixed.The paint on the hood,top,and trunk is very baddly faided.The car need to be repainted.Small things inside the car breaks.The shifter handle broke.200 dollars to fix.Screws just break of the plactic.The brakes make funny sounds,but stop good.Over all the car so far has been a good car.

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  WONDERFUL THUNDERBIRD, EXCEPT TRANS. - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By JOE SACK - March 24 - 2:00 am

  LOVE THE CAR BUT HAVE WORRIED ABOUT TRANSMISSION SINCE 60000 MILES. FORD DEALER SAYS IT IS FINE. MANY REPORTS ON INTERNET ABOUT TRANSMISSION DEFECTS. I JUST CHANGE FLUID EVERY 30000 MILES AND IT IS STILL GOING AT 107000. NOT GETTING ANY WORSE.

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  My T-Bird - 1997 Ford Thunderbird
  By Bradley Gilliam - March 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for a couple of years now and it has been really cool. It is great because it is a fast car but the insurance prices are still reasonable. It is a lazer red ninety-seven T-bird. Right now it has 72000 miles on it and drives just like it if it were brand new.

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  Great Car - 1995 Ford Thunderbird
  By DK - March 21 - 2:00 am

  The car has been pretty much flawless.I had to replace the torque converter at 50,000, it felt like you driving over a cattle guard when it shifted. The car now has 105,000 miles on it and still starts perfectly,and uses no oil and has no oil leaks.

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  AWESOME CAR - 1994 Ford Thunderbird
  By Dado - March 21 - 2:00 am

  THIS CAR IS DAMN AWESOME ! ! !