Ford Thunderbird (first generation)

This article is about the first generation of the Ford Thunderbird automobile. For general Thunderbird information, see Ford Thunderbird.
Ford Thunderbird
1957 Ford Thunderbird
Overview
ManufacturerFord Motor Company
ProductionSeptember 1954–November 1957
Model years1955–1957
Assembly
Body and chassis
ClassPersonal luxury car, Sports car
Body style2-door convertible/roadster
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive
ChassisBody-on-frame
Powertrain
Engine292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-block V8
312 cu in (5.1 L) Y-block V8
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase102 in (2,591 mm)
Length
  • 175.3 in (4,453 mm) (1955[2])
  • 185.2 in (4,704 mm) (1956[3]
  • 181.4 in (4,608 mm) (1957[4])
Width70.3 in (1,786 mm)[1]
Chronology
PredecessorFord Vega
SuccessorFord Thunderbird (second generation)

The first generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a two-seat convertible produced by Ford for the 1955 to the 1957 model years, the first 2-seat Ford since 1938. It was developed in response to the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, which showed the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette in turn was developed in response to the popularity of European sports cars among Americans.[5]

Dubbed a "a personal car of distinction" by Ford,[6][7][8] this appellation was also used by the motoring press at the time.[9] The car built upon the heritage of the bespoke roadsters of the 1930s, yet was constructed largely of existing components, marking the first step toward the evolution of the personal luxury car as a mass market segment in the United States.[10][7] While light weight for its era and fitted with a standard V8 engine, the Thunderbird focused more on driver comfort than speed, and was not a direct rival to either the Corvette or European sports cars.[11] The Thunderbird proved more suited to the American market than the Corvette, with sales of 16,155, versus 674 Corvettes in 1955.[12] This remained the only two-seat convertible Thunderbird until the eleventh-generation was unveiled in 2002. The design of this generation of the Ford Thunderbird was the direct inspiration for the German Auto Union 1000 Sp.[13]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Flory Jr. 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Directory Index: Ford_Thunderbird/1955_Ford_Thunderbird/1955_Thunderbird_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  3. ^ "Directory Index: Ford_Thunderbird/1956_Ford_Thunderbird/1956_Ford_Thunderbird_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  4. ^ "Directory Index: Ford_Thunderbird/1957_Ford_Thunderbird/1957_Ford_Thunderbird_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  5. ^ Leffingwell, Randy; Newhardt, David (2005). Mustang. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7603-2183-6. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  6. ^ "1955 Ford Thunderbird - A personal car of distinction". AutomotiveMileposts.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "1958 Ford Thunderbird: Personal Luxury 101". AutomotiveMileposts.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  8. ^ "The 1955-1960 Ford Thunderbird Automobiles". Farber and Associates. 2009. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  9. ^ Wiron, Walt (December 1954). "1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD ROAD TEST". Motor Trend Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  10. ^ Jim Koscs (May 23, 2016). "OTHER PERSPECTIVES: WHAT IS A THUNDERBIRD?". AutomotiveMileposts.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  11. ^ Jedlinka, Dan. "1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbird". Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  12. ^ Rala, James (February 24, 2011). "Ford Thunderbird (two-seater), 1955-57 car review". Weekly Driver. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  13. ^ Tegler, Jan (November 7, 2004). "1960 Auto Union 1000 SP: The Baby Thunderbird". Autoweek. Hearst Digital Media. Retrieved July 21, 2018.