Filed under: Convertibles
Makin' Thunderbirds no more
Ford announced today that the 2005 model year will be the last for the current generation of Thunderbird and there will be no replacement. Production of the retro convertible will end at Ford's Wixom Assembly Plant in July. Ford really gave up on the Thunderbird. Not only did we have to wait two years from concept to pre-production to production, but no real improvements were made to help the 'Bird live out it's life correctly. The T-Bird needed a real horsepower injection by the second year, but the rumors were killed and Ford made sure the Thunderbird would not live on too long. We feel sorry for the people that paid thousands of dollars over sticker when the doomed convertible debuted in 2002. Only 55,000 T-birds have been sold since then.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RetroIsBoring 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Good riddance. Retro is boring, except when they make a real effort to make the car desirable. Not the case here. It fit into the boring category.
Moving along ... next?
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SGV 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Ford had no choice. With the a very well put together new Mustang Convertible in the dealers with 20 HP more, a much better looking retro design and two more seats, the Thunderbird was going to be an even harder case to make at the dealership...bye bye birdie. I really liked you though.
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rob rudorf 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
when that car was first shown in detroit as a pre-production vehicle, it got rave reviews in the press but, the people that i saw looking at it were not impressed. I don't know a single soul that said, "wow". i think the "retro" look can and is being pulled of successfully, ie; Mini and Mustang, and not so successfully, ie: PT cruiser and the HHR.
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Blake 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Yeah the PT was soooo unsuccessful nobody bought it and it COMPLETELY didn't win any awards. Oh...wait....
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met 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
sorry for the guys who bought them?
they'll get loads of money a few years from now especially because there won't be any more of them. Put in a new engine if you want more power...
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motech 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
all they needed to do was add an automatic retractable hardtop
with that cool lil circle side window, and some classier interior touch ups, and the car would have been gold.
im not one for almost exact remakes of a classic (ie mustang - wheres the originality ?)
but the t bird could have been much more.
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eyad 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
good lord the PT cruiser & Thunderbird were/are ugly...
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rob rudorf 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Blake are you suggesting the PT cruiser, after the first 2 months of eupohoria, was a success? Enormous rebates would suggest otherwise. Remember the Renault LeCar won awards too.
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KT 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
It was always supposed to be a limited run vehicle. Not to say, that if it sold many, many units they would've changed their minds! If you ever drove one you would not thought it lacked power. It has the same V8 the LS has and plenty of quickness, smoothly. They are still doing very well at auction with lower mile hardtops doing high $20's or the ones with the 2-tone interior and chrome wheels in the low $30's (03-04 models). Dealers who buy them are generally marking them up 5-6k and selling them quickly.
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Joe 10:31PM (12/18/2005)
Many RetroBird owners like myself are also glad the plug is being pulled. I enjoy driving a car I don't meet at every stoplight and at a total production number under 70k they will remain rare as attrition from accidents and insurance claims takes place. I am quite satisfied with the performance and love the cars looks. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ford plans to sell over 100k Mustangs this year alone: So much for exclusitivity.
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