Thunderbirds Are Go!

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The late 90s and early 2000s was a hotbed for automotive nostalgic design in new cars. We had the Mini, the Beetle, PT Cruiser, Mustang, Fiat 500 and many more. But one that maybe didn’t catch on was the Ford Thunderbird. They got the exterior look right but didn’t nail the interior, which was kind of bland, grey and plastic. The engine was a V8 Jaguar unit and the performance was OK at best. But they are rare and maybe just a bit cooler today than they were on release. Read on...

This Thunderbird was the eleventh generation of the model, but was made to resemble the very first generation, a move brought on by the success of the new Beetle launched in 1997. As with so many great American models, the first generation was iconic, the second and third a bit less so, but still pretty cool, then a downward spiral of dull 2 door sedans. That was until the eleventh generation that was launched in 2001.

This new model went all the way back to 1954 for its inspiration and the result was a pretty appealing rendition of the original T-Bird, as long as you didn’t look inside. The interior was a sea of plastic and leather with switchgear from more mundane models. The 3.9L V8 was out of a Jag and performance was hardly sporty.

Despite its good looks, some good reviews and a small role in a James Bond movie, the Thunderbird didn’t sell too well and was killed off in 2005 having sold just 68000 units. Today it looks quite fresh, even if the interior is less than inspiring, and it’s pretty rare, especially in NZ.

This car is a 2002 model and has been in NZ since 2017. It has travelled just 23000 miles and is ready for a new owner. The auction estimate is $29000 - $33000 More details here.