Ford Thunderbird: The Glamorous Alternative To The Chevrolet Corvette

Originally designed to challenge Chevrolet’s Corvette sports car, few would have imagined that the Thunderbird would become such a success. But the reality is that George Walker and Louis D. Crusoe have created a truly unique car that stood out thanks to its distinctive design, sporty look and performance. As a “true Ford sports car”, the Thunderbird could reach over 100 miles per hour and had respectable performance for the day. According to a Motor Trend test of the time, the 1955 Thunderbird ran from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 11.5 seconds. Another cool aspect is that the two-seater feature was rare for an American car of the time, allowing Ford to excel in its niche, becoming a market leader.

Every aspect of this car is well-thought-out. Even selecting the name “Thunderbird” was a lengthy process, which has its own funny anecdotes. According to a story posted on Ford’s webpage, while the company was approaching the finish line with the Thunderbird, they still didn’t have a name for their new car. Interestingly enough, after going through 5,000 different name ideas, including the hilarious Beaver, and the Detroiter, Runabout, El Tigre, Coronado, and Savile, they still couldn’t find one that worked with the vehicle. At that point, the team was so desperate that Crusoe offered a $250 suit to the person who could come up with a name that fitted the car they had. Luckily, Ford stylist Alden Giberson saved the day when he suggested the name Thunderbird.

The 1955 Ford Thunderbird Showed What It Means To Merge Luxury And Performance

From the get-go, Ford intended to show to the world that they can build a sports car, so performance was prioritized. But these were also the days of the economic boom of the 1950s in America. A period of prosperity, when the most powerful middle-class was built, so consumers started having a taste for luxury and conspicuous consumption; thus, Ford had to focus on the interior as well, making it appealing to buyers that expected more from a personal grand tourer.

According to today’s outlandish standards, the interior would be considered rather minimalist as it had only some elements that stood out, like the 150 mph speedometer, which was not available on other Ford models. However, the simple lines and a moderate restriction in design was typical for that period. Luxury lovers could still rejoice because high-end materials were used.

The 1955 Ford Thunderbird Features A Powerful V8 Engine

As a sports car, the 1955 Thunderbird required an engine that impressed, so Ford used the 4-barrel 292-cu.in Y-block V8 engine that was combined with either the 3-speed overdrive manual transmission or the Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission. Output was rated at 193 horsepower.

The 1955 Ford Thunderbird Had Several Modern Features

While modern-day consumers expect the weirdest and most technologically advanced features and gadgets on their cars, back in the 1950s, buyers were happy to get a fast, comfortable and chic Thunderbird.

And that’s exactly what Ford delivered, but they also added additional safety features and a cool instrument cluster. Over the years, the Thunderbird continued to improve and Ford added more engine options and features, including Dial-O-Matic power seats.