Latest Cars Reviews Blog: Today In History: The Ford Thunderbird Takes Flight

Today In History: The Ford Thunderbird Takes Flight

On August 20, 1962, the first Ford Thunderbird was produced. Designed to serve as a prototype, the Ford Thunderbird was Ford’s rapid-fire response to the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. When it finally rolled into the commercial market in 1955, the Ford Thunderbird quickly outsold the Corvette. With a 292 V8 193-hp engine, the T-bird was unlike anything Ford had ever produced before. The early T-birds were all fiberglass hard-top convertibles with a few canvas-tops being offered in ‘56 models. After it became apparent that Ford had stumbled upon a guaranteed formula for success, engineers began to tinker with the design. Ultimately, the Ford Thunderbird lasted for 12 successful generations and sold approximately 4.2 million units. Although Ford officially pulled the plug on T-bird production in 1997, limited edition ”Retro Birds” were produced from 2002-2005. So celebrated was the brief comeback, the 2003 Thunderbird earned a coveted spot in the James Bond film “Die Another Day.”