The Ford Thunderbird is one of the most popular and most collected vehicles in the
Ford lineup. Manufactured and sold by the Ford Motor Company, the Thunderbird began production to prepare for a two seater sporty car that would be released in the 1955 model year. The Thunderbird wasn't marketed as a true sports car, instead it was a sporty personal luxury car. This description made the Thunderbird stand out to buyers and it also created a whole new market segment.
Ford added a second row of seating in 1958 which gave the Thunderbird an even wider appeal because it was more practical than the first models. As time went on the Thunderbird became more spacious and luxurious until the late seventies when Ford scaled back the vehicle because cars were getting smaller instead of bigger. Thunderbird sales were outstanding until the 1990s because bigger two door coupes just weren't as popular as they once were. Ford finally ceased prodution on the Thunderbird after the 1997 model though they have revived the model with a 2002 model and will continue it through 2005.
There have been several groupings of Thunderbirds and collectors know them as:
- The Classic Birds sold from 1955-1957
- The Square Birds sold from 1958-1960
- The Bullet Birds sold from 1961-1963
- The Flair Birds sold from 1964-1966
- The Glamor Birds sold from 1967-1971
- The Big Birds sold from 1972-1976
- The Torino Birds sold from 1977-1979
- The Box Birds sold from 1980-1982
- The Aero Birds sold from 1983-1988
- The Super Birds sold from 1989-1997
- The Retro Birds sold from 2002-2005
Though Ford discontinued the Thunderbird again in 2005, rumors suggest that they will again release Thunderbird models in the future. Since the beginning, more than 40 million Thunderbird units have been sold, making it a true success for the Ford Motor Company.
