Production models arrived in mid-2001 for model year 2002, more than two years after the concept. Ford introduced a concept prototype for the eleventh-generation Thunderbird at the 1999 North American International Auto Show on January 3, 1999, 45 years after the debut of the original. The 1997 introduction of the Volkswagen New Beetle sparked a renaissance of retro-styling in American automakers. The Thunderbird was produced in ten consecutive generations until it was discontinued after the 1997 model year. The 1955 Thunderbird had advanced technology for its time, including such features as power seats and a padded dashboard. Originally designed to compete with European sports cars and the Chevrolet Corvette, it marked the first time that Ford make sold two distinct model lines at the same time. The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in October 1954 for the 1955 model year as a two-seat roadster. Critics attributed the lackluster sales to poor marketing.
The eleventh generation reach a production of just under 70,000 over four model years. After studying alternatives, including the closely related Lincoln MK9 concept, Ford declined to introduce subsequent generations of the Thunderbird. Despite this, the eleventh-generation Thunderbird never achieved its sales projections and was discontinued after 2005. The production model debuted two years later, winning the Motor Trend Car of the Year award for 2002. Part of a retro-styling trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the concept was introduced by Ford in 1999. Sharing mechanicals with the Lincoln LS and using Ford's DEW platform, it has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a 3.9-liter (240-cubic-inch) V8 engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. It followed a five-year hiatus of the Thunderbird after the 1997 discontinuation of its tenth generation.Įvoking the exterior styling of the earliest Thunderbirds, the eleventh generation features a removable hardtop with a prominent porthole window, power folding fabric top, and vinyl tonneau cover. The eleventh generation of the Ford Thunderbird (internally codenamed M205 ) is a two-seat convertible manufactured and marketed by Ford from 2001 to 2005 for model years 2002 through 2005.
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