It took Ford 45 years to get the Thunderbird back to its original form as a sporty two-seater, and it may be nearly that long before it strays from that concept again.
“We have pretty much agreed within the company that for the foreseeable future the basic sheet metal won’t change,” Thunderbird brand manager Mickey D’Armi said. “Every year we will do something different to keep it collectible, keep it fresh, but we aren’t looking to restyle the vehicle.”
Thunderbird debuted in 1955 as a two-seater, but by 1958 it had become a larger, more luxurious four-passenger car.
By 1967, the lineup grew to include a sedan with “suicide doors” hinged at the front and rear roof pillars. From the early 1970s until production stopped in 1997, the car changed size and shape several times, vacillating between sport and luxury.
The only constants over the years were the Thunderbird name, rear-wheel-drive and availability of a V-8 engine.
While the Thunderbird was regularly changing size, shape and market position, the Chevrolet Corvette, in contrast, remained true to its roots as a two-seat sports car. Corvette, introduced two years earlier than the Ford roadster, is the longest-running model offered by a domestic manufacturer. D’Armi says replacing the two-seat Thunderbird with a four-seater in 1958 was a business decision that boosted sales, but the car’s original intent was forgotten over time.
“It’s hard to say any of those decisions were wrong. There were some directional changes that didn’t relate to where the car should have gone,” he said.
Now, however, Thunderbird’s heritage, particularly the 1955-57 models, will play a key role in the car’s future.
“The Thunderbird heritage is a responsibility that we take very seriously. It’s a responsibility we have to the people who kept the brand alive all these years,” D’Armi said, referring to owners and members of Thunderbird clubs. “We don’t want to let these people down. They knew what Thunderbird was supposed to be even when we didn’t.”
The brand team considered three design approaches for the 2002 model. One was to go fully retro and re-create the 1955-57 model. Another was to take a new, modern approach that would not necessarily resemble the original. The third–and the one agreed upon–was a blend of the two, adding modern flair to a heritage design.
“They had to decide what the Thunderbird was supposed to be. Our designers thought that retro was just a cop-out, that it was only making a withdrawal on the brand equity and no deposits. To make a complete departure from the heritage would have been a mistake,” D’Armi said.
“That generation [1955-57] is truest to what Thunderbird represents. They decided we’re not only going to look backward, we’re going to put a modern flair on top of the heritage.”
Most of the designers were too young to remember the original, so the team acquired a white 1957 Thunderbird for them to drive and hand-wash to “feel the metal and find out what was uniquely Thunderbird,” D’Armi said.
One result was the discovery of a subtle crease in the trunk lid of the 1957 model, a feature on the 2002 version. Another nod to the past is that the spread-wing bird emblems and Thunderbird script are nearly identical to the originals.
Preliminary ideas
Early styling sketches show that designers explored ideas such as a massive grille with horizontal bars instead of an egg-crate design, and a crisper, more aggressive look that reflects Ford’s new-edge styling on cars such as the Focus, with sharp creases and well-defined edges instead of soft curves.
In the end, designers came up with a shape and profile like that on the original but more rounded with no fins on the rear fenders.
“Fins don’t mean Thunderbird; fins mean the 1950s,” he said, explaining why they were rejected. “When I talk to customers, they really don’t see this car as retro. They recognize it as unmistakably a Thunderbird, but it’s very modern looking.
“Some of the elements need to be there–the porthole windows, the hood scoop, the egg-crate grille, the reverse-wedge shape,” he said, referring to a slope that has the hood higher than the trunk. “They’re part of the Thunderbird’s DNA.”
Looking ahead
Ford’s plan to stick with this design for several years leaves room for frequent tweaks and evolutionary changes, D’Armi said.
An example is the Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept Ford showed this year with headrests integrated into a tonneau cover, a car that could easily be built. Ford used the same approach to transform the 1962 Thunderbird convertible from four to two seats.
Appearance items sure to change are paint colors, wheel designs and interior materials and colors. Ford showed a Thunderbird Custom concept this summer with brushed-aluminum interior trim as a possibility.
Thunderbird is offered in red, black, white, yellow and blue–all similar to the five colors offered in 1955. D’Armi says after this year, yellow and blue are “gone forever,” to be replaced by new colors.
A supercharger for Thunderbird’s 3.9-liter, 252-horsepower V-8 engine is likely. About 200 of the 1957 models were supercharged, and those are among the most collectible.
“We are looking at any number of things to keep the excitement going, and the history is there for a supercharger,” D’Armi said.
How about a Continental kit, replicating the rear-mounted spare tire used in 1956?
“I can’t recall it being considered,” he said. “It probably would look cluttered, like an add-on, maybe because of the smoother, more flowing lines.”
However, he expects aftermarket suppliers to create Continental kits and other accessories, and there may be Thunderbird fashion accessories.
Fashion designers have approached Ford about producing jewelry, sunglasses and clothing “inspired by the Thunderbird design,” D’Armi said. Ford is looking into sponsoring a fashion show next spring.
Excitement over the Thunderbird has boosted interest in old models, according to Jay Grams, a member of the family that owns Volo Auto Museum, which sells collectible cars.
“Around the time of the [Chicago] auto show, we had three original Thunderbirds at the museum, and we sold them all within a few weeks,” Grams said. “People saw the new one at the auto show and came out to look at the ones we had.”
Prices for 1955 models have risen to about $30,000 “for a real good one” from $25,000 two years ago, Grams said, and 1957 models go for about $35,000.
Supply, demand
The 2002 Thunderbird starts at $35,495, including the $530 destination charge, but high demand and short supply have prompted some dealers and early buyers looking for a quick profit to ask $15,000 over sticker price.
How long dealers will be able to demand such premiums remains to be seen, but Ford says it can build 25,000 Thunderbirds annually, D’Armi says, enough to “keep people who want the car satisfied without flooding market.”
He cites the Volkswagen Beetle and Chrysler PT Cruiser as examples of hot items that cooled after manufacturers increases production volume. Chrysler has been offering $500 in free accessories as an incentive on the PT Cruiser, and Beetle sales were down 19 percent this year through September.
“We have never had any cry from management that because we’ve got a real hit here, let’s crank up production,” D’Armi said.
