Cult Cars: Ford Thunderbird

It all started in Paris more than fifty years ago. The ThunderbirdFord ThunderbirdUnited States of America, 1954 > 200511 series
35 versions
105 photos
1 video
has included classic two-seaters, cherished roadsters, convertibles and four-door models, as well as exciting hardtops and sedans, more than 4 million of them. It featured the "square" look, the "projectile" look, the jet aircraft look and the luxury look. But the voyage wasn't always easy and this american classic came near to extinction but it was its uniqueness, its individuality and its innovations that secured it a place within the golden pages of automotive history.

After a visit to the Grand Palais in Paris in 1951, Ford executives Lewis D. Crusoe and George Walker knew they needed a sportier car and so for the next few months engineers worked on this new model.

When it was decided that the car was ready for launch there was still one thing missing, a name. A large amount of names were suggested, it has been said that almost 5,000 names were considered, like Beaver, Detroiter, El Tigre or Coronado. But Crusoe wasn't satisfied with any of them and even offered a new $250 suit to anyone who would surprise him with the right name. That person was a young Ford stylist named Aiden Giberson that among other names suggested the name Thunderbird. The name Thunderbird comes from the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico and according to Native American legends it was a divine helper of man.

And so the first two-seater ThunderbirdFord ThunderbirdUnited States of America, 1954 > present1 photo
made its public debut on February 20, 1954, at Detroit's first post-war auto show. In spite of collecting great reviews amongst specialists and clients, the flight of the original two-seater wouldn't last for long as it was quickly substituted by a regular four-seater variantFord ThunderbirdUnited States of America, 1958 > present3 photos
due to the reality of customer demand.

The years went by and the Thunderbird kept evolving, from that classic two-seater to the square bird and from the projectile styling to the bolder look from the 70's. And in the 80's if you were having trouble selecting your Christmas's gifts the department store Neiman Marcus offered "His and hers" Thunderbirds on its catalog.

Following a temporary absence from the market, the model was brought back to life in 2001 for the 2002 model yearFord Thunderbird Gen.11United States of America, 2002 > 20052 versions
5 photos
. The new T-bird was clearly inspired by the first generation and was reminiscent of the old glamour of vintage cars.

In 2004 Ford celebrated 50 years of the Thunderbird and 50 years of standing for american values and style which helped the model to become one of the most popular cars from the brand with nearly 1.2 million units sold.

This car was the reflection of the all-american way, practical, enjoyable yet stylish and unique. It captivated the hearts of car lovers and will surely remain in the books of American Automotive History. One thing is for sure, we don't know what the future holds for the Thunderbird. Maybe Ford will bring it back again some day. Who knows!