Test Drive Notes: 2002 Ford Thunderbird
This is a swan to ugly duckling to swan story. Make that a fat, ugly duckling. You can almost imagine how the new Thunderbird got started. Two guys were standing around in the Ford design studio when one of them said, "Hey, why does everybody hate the way American cars look? To make the 2002 Thunderbird, Ford started with the chassis of the Lincoln LS. That's a pretty nice small- to mid-sized, four-door sedan. So the Thunderbird is not a small car - and not a cheap car either. It's only got two seats, but it's long, and as wide and heavy, as today's two seaters go. And that gives it a pretty decent ride as well as seat room for wide, 2002-style American butts. It's designed for looks and relative comfort. If you're looking for anything else, look elsewhere. In fact, if you're not in love with the way this car looks, don't even bother. Automotively speaking, there's nothing spectacular about this car, no engineering marvels, no handling tricks, no engine you can't get elsewhere. But for those who love the looks, Ford has delivered an exotic looking two-seat convertible, with all the modern benefits of 2002 technology and reliability.
2002 Ford Thunderbird - One Year Test Verdict - Motor Trend
With so many bland copycat machines crowding driveways and freeways alike, it's refreshing to see an automotive giant like Ford prioritize design and heritage as much as it did with the 2002 Thunderbird.
Ford Thunderbird: Information From Answers.com
Ford marketing research showed that Thunderbird sales were inhibited by its being a two-seater, this making it impractical as a first car for families. Therefore, the second generation, introduced for the 1958 model year, added a second row of seats. A new assembly plant at Wixom, Michigan was constructed to build the Thunderbird and Lincolns. Various delays conspired to have production start only on December 20 1957, much later than the normal September start; the 1956 Thunderbird was thus built for three extra months. From the 1967 model year, Thunderbirds were much larger, and some fans of the classic Thunderbird consider 1966 to be the last year of interest. The convertible model was discontinued in this year, and 1967 also saw the introduction of a four-door model (with rear suicide doors), as pictured.
MAC'S Antique Auto Parts - Ford Thunderbirds - 1958-66 s
For 1958 Ford abandoned the small two-seat "sporty" car, feeling it had reached its maximum sales level. They believed that a larger 4 seat Thunderbird would increase sales. Almost 1,000 pounds heavier and a foot and a half longer it was dubbed a "personal" luxury car. Although 1958 was a down year for car sales, the new design Birds were one of only two cars to post a sales increase. The most dramatic of these was a creating a mechanism that allowed the convertible top to fold into the trunk. Via a reverse opening deck lid the top, when down, disappeared, giving the car a clean, smooth design. The first console was installed in between the two front buckets seats. The newly designed 352 V-8 with 300 horsepower became the standard engine as did a new 3-speed automatic that Ford called the Cruise-O-Matic.
Ford Thunderbird - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ford Thunderbird is a car manufactured in the USA by the Ford Motor Company. It entered production for the 1955 model year as a two-seater sporty car; unlike the superficially similar (and slightly earlier) Chevrolet Corvette, the Thunderbird was never sold as a full-blown sports car. Ford described it as a personal luxury car, a description which named a new market segment. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats for greater practicality. Succeeding generations became larger and more luxurious, until the line was downsized in 1977 and again in 1980. Sales were good until the 1990s, when large 2-door coupes became unpopular; production ceased after 1997. Three men are generally credited with creating the original Thunderbird: Lewis D. Crusoe, a millionaire lured out of retirement by Henry Ford II to improve the Ford range; George Walker, chief stylist and a Ford vice-president; and Frank Hershey, a Ford designer. Crusoe and Walker met in France in October 1951. For the 1956 model, Ford made some changes. To give more trunk space, the spare wheel was mounted outside, Continental-style; the exhausts were moved to the ends of the bumper. Air vents were added behind the front wheels to improve cabin ventilation. To improve rear-quarter visibility with the removable hardtop in place, "porthole" windows were added to it.
Ford's Thunderbird Gets Axed - Forbes.com
A few years back, and with great hoopla, a new, sleek Thunderbird was unveiled on the auto show circuit. The car returned to its roots as a smaller, stylish, two-passenger convertible. The production vehicle came out late in 2001, and it turned heads wherever it went. Quality was also a problem. The plastic top (for winter) scratched the body. And Ford dealers got an early reputation for ripping off customers by overcharging for the car. Although the car's exterior was beautiful, the interior was a bit of a letdown, especially for a car with a $40,000 price tag. That's just part of the story at Ford product development. General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) has a low-volume car, too. It's called the Corvette. From time to time people have tried to kill the 'Vette.
We are not an official site of ford. We are just adepts of ford religion. We own ford cars, we drive ford cars, we want to read about ford cars and finally we want to tell you what news we found about our cars. All trademarks you can find on this site are belong to their respective owners. ford is trademark of Ford Motor Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. You can find official ford information at official web site.
© Copyright 2005. Info About Ford