2002 Ford Thunderbird

The new Ford Thunderbird, shown here at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, was introduced in 2001 as a 2002 model, with retro styling like roof portholes, front-fender grilles and afterburner taillights to recall the Thunderbirds of the 1950s and 1960s. Based on the same chassis as the Lincoln LS and the Jaguar S-Type, the new Thunderbird was powered by a 3.9-liter, 32-valve aluminum dual overhead cam V8 engine that produced 252 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 261 foot-pounds of torque at 4,300 rpm. With a 5-speed automotive transmission with overdrive, it could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in approximately 6.8 seconds. The Thunderbird was offered with five exterior colors: Whisper White, Midnight Black, Thunderbird Blue, Torch Red and Inspiration Yellow. Standard features include a power retractable convertible top, power 4-wheel ventilated 4-channel anti-lock disc brakes, dual exhaust, 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, dual power mirrors, power windows, and door locks, Securilock™ passive anti-theft system, perimeter alarm, remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and speed control and power tilt/telescoping steering column, speed-sensitive variable intermittent wipers, automatic headlights with on/off delay, illuminated entry with theater dimming feature, NUDO® leather-trimmed seats with recliners, power 6-way driver’s seat & 2-way passenger seat, front and side-impact airbags for driver and passenger, air conditioning with dual automatic temperature control, AM/FM stereo with in-dash 6-disc CD changer, clock and Audiophile sound system, and brushed aluminum interior highlights. Available options include supplemental parking lamps, 17-inch chrome wheels, all-speed traction control, interior color accent packages, and a removable hardtop with a heated glass rear window, storage cart, and cover.

1970 Ford Thunderbird Laudau Coupe

Parked in Rainier, Oregon, during the 1999 Eagles Car Show, this 1970 Ford Thunderbird Landau Coupe represents a Thunderbird era that is often overlooked in favor of the better-known earlier models. The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in 1955 as a sporty 2-seat convertible, essentially creating the personal luxury car market segment. Over the years, the Thunderbird grew, gaining a rear seat and a fixed hardtop coupe to go with the convertible, but still maintaining its sporty image. Then the Ford Mustang was introduced in 1964, and its incredible success as a more affordable sports car forced the Thunderbird to find a new place in the market. In 1967, Ford redesigned the Thunderbird from a sporty 2+2 coupe or convertible to a large luxury hardtop coupe or a landau with either two or four doors. These were the largest and heaviest Thunderbirds yet, but with Ford's 360-horsepower 429-cubic-inch wedge-head 385 V8 engine, they were also among the fastest, allowing the Thunderbird to retain a bit of sports-car performance. Initially, this generation of Thunderbird featured a blunt nose with the headlights hidden behind a large recessed grille, but in 1970 it was redesigned as shown here, with a beak-like pointed nose and uncovered headlights. This look would only last through 1971, as the Thunderbird was redesigned for 1972, becoming even bigger and heavier, with engines more encumbered by restrictive emissions equipment. Any trace of sportiness vanished, and it would take until 1983 for the Thunderbird to begin to reclaim any semblance of a performance image again.