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Ford Thunderbird (eleventh generation)
Encyclopedia
2002 saw a new Thunderbird launched, based on the Ford DEW platform
. It was a personal luxury car
in the same vein as the nameplate's earlier iterations. Though it was initially well received by the automotive press, garnering accolades like theMotor Trend
Car of the Year
and a nomination for the North American Car of the Year
in its first year of existence, many publications regarded the Thunderbird's revival rather more frostily after a few years; it garnered a place on Car and Driver
Magazine's 2009 list of "The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History".
") styling (see Volkswagen New Beetle
, Chrysler PT Cruiser
, Plymouth/Chrysler Prowler
, MINI Cooper), using design cues from the original Ford Thunderbird (first generation)
. Available only as a convertible with a soft top and an optional removable hardtop, according to automotive writer Jerry Flint
, the new Thunderbird "turned heads wherever it went."
Forbes
magazine writer Jerry Flint attributed significant blame of the latest generation Thunderbird's demise to a lack of proper sales and marketing, writing: "Ford dealers have been successful selling $35,000-45,000 trucks but have little experience selling automobiles in the near-luxury price range. If there was a marketing effort by Ford Motor, I wasn't aware of it. Naturally, sales didn't meet expectations."
"Whisper white" and "evening black" exteriors were also available in 2002, with matching solid color interiors or the two-tone red interior. The black and red proved to be the models for the remaining years. (Beginning with 2003, the two-tone "retro" interiors were sacked with the exception of red and a limited white, in favor of all-black (or other one-color) interiors. Gone were the bright yellow and turquoise exteriors, replaced with more subdued colors: "mountain shadow grey," "desert sky blue," and coral. Exterior and interior colors added for both the 2004 and 2005 model years remained subdued and white was replaced by platinum silver.)
The Thunderbird also shares the same odometer equipment as the Lincoln LS, a system which has caused confusion amongst the buying market. The LS odometer system utilizes a six-digit display including the 1/10 mile indicator. Upon initial inspection it appears as if Ford were returning to old fashioned odometers that simply reset after 99,999.9 miles, but instead the 1/10 mile indicator disappears and becomes a fraction-less odometer reading 100,000 thus forth.
. A 2003 Concept, the Ford SuperCharged Thunderbird Concept, which was designed by Sid Ramnarace
, featured a modified Jaguar Supercharged V8. Ford ultimately decided it was not necessary, though some Thunderbird fans believe it could have saved the car, both by improving performance and hearkening back to the Thunderbird's roots. The original 55-57 Thunderbirds came with several engine upgrades and were considered high performance cars of the day. Ford made no effort to give a performance image to the new Thunderbirds, and while the V8 engine
was competitively powered (280 hp, 286 lbft), its relatively heavy weight of over 3700 lb (1,678 kg), widely spaced gears on the five-speed automatic
, and suspension that favored comfort over handling made it feel more akin to a large luxury car than a true sport coupe
.
The 2003 Thunderbird was featured in the James Bond
movie Die Another Day
. Halle Berry
's character of Jinx drove one in the movie. The mainly superficial design changes for the 007 edition Thunderbird were designed by Sid Ramnarace
, including the Coral paint color which would become the basis for the Jinx character's wardrobe. Ford issued a limited edition which was produced to commemorate the movie.
Ford DEW platform
The Ford DEW platform is Ford Motor Company's midsize rear wheel drive automobile platform. The D/E nomenclature was meant to express an intermediate size between D and E class vehicles, while the W denoted a worldwide platform...
. It was a personal luxury car
Personal luxury car
A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxury vehicle with an emphasis on image over practicality. Accenting the comfort and satisfaction of its owner and driver above all else, the personal luxury car sometimes sacrifices passenger capacity, cargo room, and fuel economy in favor of style and...
in the same vein as the nameplate's earlier iterations. Though it was initially well received by the automotive press, garnering accolades like theMotor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
Car of the Year
Motor Trend Car of the Year
The Motor Trend Car of the Year is an award given by Motor Trend magazine, an American monthly that is published since 1949.- Background :...
and a nomination for the North American Car of the Year
North American Car of the Year
The North American Car of the Year is an automobile award voted annually in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The jury consists of no more than 50 automotive journalists.-Example:-Pre-1994:-1994-1999:-2000-2009:...
in its first year of existence, many publications regarded the Thunderbird's revival rather more frostily after a few years; it garnered a place on Car and Driver
Car and Driver
Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
Magazine's 2009 list of "The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History".
Retro Styling
When the Eleventh Generation Thunderbird was released, it followed a then-recent trend for nostalgic recreations of old-fashioned (or "retroRetro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
") styling (see Volkswagen New Beetle
Volkswagen New Beetle
-Specifications:*Dimension:**Length: **Width: **Height: **Wheelbase: **Curb weight: *Max speed: 177–210 km/h *Acceleration : 6.5-13.2 sec-Body styles:-Engine choices:-Safety:...
, Chrysler PT Cruiser
Chrysler PT Cruiser
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a retro styled compact automobile launched by Chrysler as a 5-door hatchback in early 2000 and as a 2-door convertible in early 2005 ....
, Plymouth/Chrysler Prowler
Plymouth Prowler
The Plymouth Prowler, later the Chrysler Prowler, is a "retro" styled production car built in 1997 and 1999-2002. The Prowler was based on the 1993 concept car of the same name.- Design :...
, MINI Cooper), using design cues from the original Ford Thunderbird (first generation)
Ford Thunderbird (first generation)
Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale...
. Available only as a convertible with a soft top and an optional removable hardtop, according to automotive writer Jerry Flint
Jerry Flint
Jerry Flint was a senior automotive editor for Forbes Magazine, continuing as a columnist long after his official retirement in 1996....
, the new Thunderbird "turned heads wherever it went."
Sales
Ford expected sales of 25,000 units per year but, despite strong sales during its initial launch which saw dealers charging well over the manufacturer's suggested retail price, this goal was never met. The 2002 Thunderbird sold 19,085 units and sales declined each subsequent year until its cancellation.Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine writer Jerry Flint attributed significant blame of the latest generation Thunderbird's demise to a lack of proper sales and marketing, writing: "Ford dealers have been successful selling $35,000-45,000 trucks but have little experience selling automobiles in the near-luxury price range. If there was a marketing effort by Ford Motor, I wasn't aware of it. Naturally, sales didn't meet expectations."
Color
Though the retro body styling never changed, exterior and interior color packaging was changed year to year. For 2002, the car was available in bright red ("torch red"), bright yellow ("inspiration yellow"), and turquoise ("Thunderbird blue"), all reminiscent of 1950s colors. Furthermore, "retro" two-tone interiors (black and the color matching the exterior), were paired with these exterior colors."Whisper white" and "evening black" exteriors were also available in 2002, with matching solid color interiors or the two-tone red interior. The black and red proved to be the models for the remaining years. (Beginning with 2003, the two-tone "retro" interiors were sacked with the exception of red and a limited white, in favor of all-black (or other one-color) interiors. Gone were the bright yellow and turquoise exteriors, replaced with more subdued colors: "mountain shadow grey," "desert sky blue," and coral. Exterior and interior colors added for both the 2004 and 2005 model years remained subdued and white was replaced by platinum silver.)
Post 2002 sales
If Ford's tinkering with the exterior/interior packages were designed to boost sales, it didn't work, as sales continued to fall short of the company's hopes. Just 11,998 were sold in 2004. The Ford Motor Company announced in March 2005 that the Thunderbird would again be discontinued in July of that year, with 9,548 sold for 2005. Unlike previous T-birds, a 2nd row of seats were not added which might have widened its appeal, though Lincoln had the LS rather than an upscale Mark based on a Thunderbird platform.The Thunderbird also shares the same odometer equipment as the Lincoln LS, a system which has caused confusion amongst the buying market. The LS odometer system utilizes a six-digit display including the 1/10 mile indicator. Upon initial inspection it appears as if Ford were returning to old fashioned odometers that simply reset after 99,999.9 miles, but instead the 1/10 mile indicator disappears and becomes a fraction-less odometer reading 100,000 thus forth.
2003 Thunderbird
There was also talk of a performance edition from Ford's SVTSpecial Vehicle Team
Special Vehicle Team, also known as SVT, is an arm of Ford Motor Company responsible for the development of the company's highest-performance vehicles, much like Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, Chrysler's SRT division and GM's Performance Division. SVT is the successor to the SVO division.The current SVT...
. A 2003 Concept, the Ford SuperCharged Thunderbird Concept, which was designed by Sid Ramnarace
Sid Ramnarace
Sid Ramnarace is a Canadian-born designer. He has designed automobiles for Ford, furniture, jewelry, textiles, glassware, and home decor....
, featured a modified Jaguar Supercharged V8. Ford ultimately decided it was not necessary, though some Thunderbird fans believe it could have saved the car, both by improving performance and hearkening back to the Thunderbird's roots. The original 55-57 Thunderbirds came with several engine upgrades and were considered high performance cars of the day. Ford made no effort to give a performance image to the new Thunderbirds, and while the V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
was competitively powered (280 hp, 286 lbft), its relatively heavy weight of over 3700 lb (1,678 kg), widely spaced gears on the five-speed automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
, and suspension that favored comfort over handling made it feel more akin to a large luxury car than a true sport coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
.
The 2003 Thunderbird was featured in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
. Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
's character of Jinx drove one in the movie. The mainly superficial design changes for the 007 edition Thunderbird were designed by Sid Ramnarace
Sid Ramnarace
Sid Ramnarace is a Canadian-born designer. He has designed automobiles for Ford, furniture, jewelry, textiles, glassware, and home decor....
, including the Coral paint color which would become the basis for the Jinx character's wardrobe. Ford issued a limited edition which was produced to commemorate the movie.
Production Totals
| Year | Production |
| 2002 | 31,121 |
| 2003 | 14,506 |
| 2004 | 12,671 |
| 2005 | 9,220 |
| Total | 67,518 |