Ford (US) Thunderbird
(1955 - 2004)
Car articles about Ford (US) Thunderbird by year
It didn't take Ford long to respond to the Chevrolet Corvette from General Motors. The Ford Thunderbird was developed within twelve months and sold much better than the Corvette, not least because of the large-volume V8 engine and the comfort on offer. A success story! This report portrays a first-generation Ford Thunderbird and describes the development history and characteristics of this bestseller. The article is supplemented by an extensive photo gallery showing all generations of the Thunderbird right up to the present day.
Ford hit the bull's eye with the Thunderbird in 1954, and the competition, especially General Motors, had to dress warmly, because the comparatively compact semi-sports car with the impressive name impressed both in terms of design and performance, thanks to its V8 power. However, like many of its siblings, the Thunderbird lost its appeal in later generations. This report is dedicated to the first years of the Ford Thunderbird and shows the car in many pictures.
American mass production technology, a car body line from Italian designers, a body made by Swiss craftsmen and a special seat mechanism characterize the Ford Coupé from Ghia-Aigle. We shed light on the mysterious history of this exotic car that hardly anyone knows.
Breaking with tradition requires courage, but is not always rewarded. While Ford failed catastrophically with the Edsel, the new direction of the Thunderbird proved to be a direct hit. The transformation from a two-seater sports car to a four-seater luxury coupé caused sales figures to skyrocket and made the second Thunderbird generation the most successful for a long time. This article tells the story of the "Square Bird" and shows it in current and historical images.
In the early sixties, only a few people were able to afford one of the super sports cars of the time. All the more reason to argue at regulars' tables about which was the faster and better. The magazine 'hobby' compared three of the most popular sports cars of the time in order to bring a little more transparency to these regulars' table discussions. Few magazines at the time approached such a comparison so neutrally and without national prejudices. Worth reading! This report reprints the old report and shows many archive pictures of the individual vehicles in addition to the illustrations printed at the time.
When the American soldiers returned from Europe at the end of the Second World War, they had only one wish: to invest the money they had saved in a car. The factories built what they could. They didn't even have to bother designing new models, as the pre-war models sold well enough. It was not until 1951 that the first thirst was quenched and sales figures fell. Detroit had to come up with something new. So they came up with something for 1961 and success returned.
As part of a traveling exhibition, a one-off called "Italy" based on the third Ford Thunderbird generation was shown in various countries and cities. In contrast to the production model, this particular Thunderbird had an elegant hatchback. The car should actually have been scrapped after its active period, but fortunately the coupé escaped this fate and has survived to this day. This vehicle report tells the story of the "Italy" and shows it in historical and current images.
The Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé from 1963 and the Ford Thunderbird from the same year are pitted against each other in a dream car comparison organized by the magazine 'hobby', which has always had a flair for unorthodox comparison drives. Can the big American keep the more compact German at bay? Who will win? This article reproduces the original wording of the comparison test at the time and is extensively illustrated with historical images.
We are already used to top-restored cars, but new cars that are 30 or more years old are something out of the ordinary. This article portrays four classic cars that are actually still new and have only covered delivery kilometers. Despite the lack of use, however, you can't just drive off in them, as the article shows.
Current market prices for Ford (US) Thunderbird
null, 193 PS, 4785 cm3
null, 301 PS, 5768 cm3
Coupe, 301 PS, 5768 cm3
null, 301 PS, 6390 cm3
null, 301 PS, 6390 cm3
null, 301 PS, 6391 cm3
null, 360 PS, 6798 cm3
null, 226 PS, 7428 cm3
null, 137 PS, 4885 cm3
Coupe, 200 PS, 4940 cm3
Coupe, 208 PS, 4601 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Ford (US) Thunderbird
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford US Thunderbird 1958 Not Sold H&H Classics The Imperial War Museum Motor Car Auction (October 12, 2016) |
Thunderbird | 1958 | Not Sold | H&H Classics The Imperial War Museum Motor Car Auction (October 12, 2016) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1962 Sold RM/Sotheby's Duomila Ruote (November 25, 2016) |
Thunderbird | 1962 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Duomila Ruote (November 25, 2016) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1965 Sold Osenat Automobiles de Collection (March 20, 2016) |
Thunderbird | 1965 | Sold | Osenat Automobiles de Collection (March 20, 2016) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1965 Not Sold Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (November 28, 2015) |
Thunderbird | 1965 | Not Sold | Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (November 28, 2015) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1960 Sold Bonhams The Paris Sale (February 5, 2015) |
Thunderbird | 1960 | Sold | Bonhams The Paris Sale (February 5, 2015) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1962 Sold Auctionata Classic Cars - US Cars Collection Online Sale (May 30, 2015) |
Thunderbird | 1962 | Sold | Auctionata Classic Cars - US Cars Collection Online Sale (May 30, 2015) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1962 Not Sold H&H Classics Donington Park (February 21, 2017) |
Thunderbird | 1962 | Not Sold | H&H Classics Donington Park (February 21, 2017) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1956 Sold Bonhams Collectors Motorcars and Automobilia (October 2, 2017) |
Thunderbird | 1956 | Sold | Bonhams Collectors Motorcars and Automobilia (October 2, 2017) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1957 Sold Aguttes Automobiles de Prestige et de Collection (March 12, 2016) |
Thunderbird | 1957 | Sold | Aguttes Automobiles de Prestige et de Collection (March 12, 2016) | |
| Ford US Thunderbird 1958 Sold Bonhams Greenwich Concours d'Elegance Auction (June 4, 2017) |
Thunderbird | 1958 | Sold | Bonhams Greenwich Concours d'Elegance Auction (June 4, 2017) |
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