Are you ready to get a Ford Thunderbird?
The Ford Thunderbird is now a distant memory. However, over its 11 generations, it helped to define Ford’s future. We’d love to see a Thunderbird model for 2020, even though the Thunderbird was briefly resurrected in 2002. TheSketchMonkey, a Photoshop master, is here to help us determine if we are ready for a Thunderbird revival.
The Thunderbird was the first Ford luxury coupe to debut in 1955. The Thunderbird was Ford’s most sporty offering in pre-mustang times, when American car makers had to agree not to race. Ford broke this ban on racecraft during their attempt to beat Ferrari at Le Mans.
The Thunderbird shifted the focus to comfort and left the Mustang’s sporty driving behind when it first debuted. Ford attempted to distinguish the Thunderbird and Mustang, allowing them both to co-exist for a while. While the Mustang raced, the Thunderbird kept the style and comfort of a personal luxury car.
After a 40-year production run, Ford’s Thunderbird was eventually scrapped in 1997. This decision was driven by the overwhelming popularity and superiority of the Mustang to the Thunderbird.
In the 2000s, the Thunderbird was resurrected as a Jaguar-based throwback coupe. It even featured the iconic rear circle windows. The platform used by the controversial 11th generation Thunderbird was the same as that of the Jaguar S-Type and Lincoln LS. Thunderbird also used Jaguar’s 3.9-liter V8 which produced 252 horsepower.
It is hard to predict if the Thunderbird nameplate will ever be revived. Thunderbird, if Ford is interested in doing this, would have been a great name for the Mustang Mach–E electric SUV.