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Return of the Thunderbird?


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I know there are many reasons for Trademarking names (mostly just so no-one else takes it!)............but if we are getting a new T-bird, it'd better not be another EV SUV!!!!

 

The recent sculpture revealed in China had many believing that was a thinly veiled view of the next gen Mustang (personally, I really hope it is, because I think it's stunning!!) That being said, that sculpture had definitely has inspiration from the early T-bird.

 

 

New Tbird 2.jpg

New Tbird 1.jpg

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The last proposed Thunderbird was a super high end 4-door "coupe" with a - ahem - unique combination of powertrains.

 

When the MachE was in its early planning and was seen as more of a next-gen CMax, this would fill the upper portion of the electric market. 

 

The name means a lot inside the glass house and I expect that it could come back in another product cycle or two. Unless current attitudes shift, they won't put the nameplate on something undeserving.

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1 hour ago, PREMiERdrum said:

The last proposed Thunderbird was a super high end 4-door "coupe" with a - ahem - unique combination of powertrains.

 

When the MachE was in its early planning and was seen as more of a next-gen CMax, this would fill the upper portion of the electric market. 

 

The name means a lot inside the glass house and I expect that it could come back in another product cycle or two. Unless current attitudes shift, they won't put the nameplate on something undeserving.

With Jim Farley now in charge of Ford, I wonder if Thunderbird project will be resurrected. I like the idea of the 4-door coupe but would likely be a 4-door slantback crossover-ish vehicle with the retro styling of most (if not all) previous generations.

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1 hour ago, pffan1990 said:

With Jim Farley now in charge of Ford, I wonder if Thunderbird project will be resurrected. I like the idea of the 4-door coupe but would likely be a 4-door slantback crossover-ish vehicle with the retro styling of most (if not all) previous generations.

 

God please no.

 

I think a thunderbird revival would be great, and going electric makes too much sense. Hopefully ford has more respect for the name than to pull another fusion whitespace or mustang mach-e type vehicle

 

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46 minutes ago, T-dubz said:

I’d like the thunderbird to be a corvette competitor.

 

That would be great. The Ford GT has almost run its course, and a replacement that competes with the Corvette would be sell many more at a much more affordable price.

The GT is great, but you just don't see them.  The Thunderbird could be a car people actually drive, and not store in a garage as an investment.

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43 minutes ago, T-dubz said:

I’d like the thunderbird to be a corvette competitor.

Yeah, Ford needs a Corvette competitor. How about a lightweight steel bodied Ford GT type vehicle turbo engined for about $75,000 base price. Build it along side the Mustang line. Ford has built a following with its Ford GT line over last 15 years. Now call it Thunderbird and make it more affordable instead of catering to the super rich only. GM proves that can be done with the mid engined super car Corvette. 

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1 hour ago, T-dubz said:

I’d like the thunderbird to be a corvette competitor.

 

There are rumors that GM is planning to expand the Corvette name into a sub-brand that includes multiple BEV models. It would be great to have Ford do the same with the Thunderbird name, and would be a nice addition to a Mustang sub-brand.

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If Ford has any sense they'll rip the Mustang badge off their electric SUV, declare it some kind of special edition, and relaunch it as a Thunderbird.   Thunderbird has always been about sporty, stylish, personal luxury and that's much more in tune with what they've delivered than calling it a Mustang.

 

But they won't.  Because Ford sucks at brand management.  They have exactly two brands that they haven't managed to destroy, "Mustang," and "F150."  There's still time to save, "Mustang" and you can make a good start at rebuilding "Thunderbird" if you do it right.

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