What happened to the Thunderbird?

[Donzigo]

I heard that Ford had planned on selling 40,000 units; but only sold 12,000, the first year. So they are dropping the line. :convertib

Is this true?

Why did it fail?

I thought it was a cool car.

I also heard that the little Chrysler PT Cruiser retro car is in trouble, too. A buddy of mine who works at a dealership says they are offering the employees there a killer deal to buy one.

Then, we have the retro Cobra, possibly the Ford 49 might be coming, and that Chevy Truck thing that just came out for about cost 40K.

[Marlin275]

one word - underpowered !
going to bring out a Lincoln Mark X
on the same Jag, Bird, Mustang platform
more money, more money. . .

problem with retro is how does Detroit update a 48 ford?
49?

[boxy]

If the basic design of the boat hasn't changed in 40 years is it really retro ??

Wouldn't bringing back a 28 Sportsman, without any updated styling would be more retro ?

Not stirring the pot this time, I'm actually interested.

[Ranman]

I don't know what the real story about the T-bird is, but I can tell you it's a lot of coin for a little car. It is essentially a 2 seat Lincoln LS convertable that will run you $42K. I feel these are really niche cars, so they may be hit-or-miss. For the sake of the 2005 Mustang (and my FoMoCo stock), I hope Poodle is wrong though.

[Donzigo]

Honest, Boxy, you're killing me .......I'm holding my belly with laughter. Are you going to get the Donzi Replica thing started on this post, too?

Don't we already have that discussion started on Merc vs Volvo thread?...........OTFL

Think cars, man..............this thread is about cars...............

[Ed Donnelly]

It seems Ford has great ideas, then really screw up.
T-Bird underpowered
Harley pick up,2000 best sales
2001 2002 King cab, sales dropped
2003 Supercharged, choice of colours, sales dropped more.
2004 not available in a F150, only F 250 or 350, will likely be the last year..Ed

[MOP]

Chrysler PT Cruisers scare me, I was at a buddies body shop and saw one that was hit downtown during the morning rush. Feel it was hit at not to high speed, looking at how it folded being hit from the side it had real WoW factor, looked like a crushed Bud can.

[boxy]

Think cars, man..............this thread is about cars...............

Cars, I haven't owned a car in 10 years, we've been a 2 truck family for awhile, the last car I owned was an AWD turbo Eagle Talon (mitsi eclipse in the US)
I do know that the Big 3 are making nothing in the family guy car size that is remotely interesting to me, retro or otherwise....
Now the SRT-4 is another story, but not a lot of room for rugrats.

[Donzigo]

Boxy,

I've owned SUVs for ten years too. makes more sense to me.

(Iwas just teasing you about sticking to cars)

[boxy]

Boxy,

I was just teasing you about sticking to cars.

I know.... :D

[harbormaster]

It also doesn't help when the car dealers sell the car for at least over 5k over retail. The manufacturers put up with it and then can't understand why sales go flat.

[Craig]

My Dad had a 55(+-) T-bird back when he was young (and they were new).

The story he tells is that he bought it for around 2K or 2.5K(?) and then, when he decided to sell it (several years later, I guess), he sold it for what he paid for it.

BACK THEN, he says he remembered feeling like he really made out like a bandit on the sale...

...now ?? :mad:

Poor Dad - he used to tell that story a lot. :)

[BUIZILLA]

My fa-in-law (85?) has a new turquoise hardtop. I barely fit in it. It's definately underpowered *to me*, for a sporty example it is supposed to represent. I drove it two blocks, and came right back home. He paid 37k. Now, if it had the twin cam 4.6 and a 5 speed :convertib

J :shades:

[Last Tango]

My opinion is not shared by the sales force at the car dealerships. Time after time car companies come out with a limited run car like the Ford Thunderbird and the new Pontiac GTO and the sales force at the dealerships does the same stupid thing over and over and over. They jack the price up $5-10k over list because the car is "rare and collectable" (yeah, and it ain't even on the showroom floor, yet) and then the cars sit... and dies. Designers and Marketing can't figure out why. Great ideas, great follow-through, but lackluster sales (the T-Bird was never meant for the young and restless, it was designed for the country club set - the GTO for the young and restless, not the old GTO crowd from the 60's). The New Beetle and the PT Cruiser were wildly popular at first. They both lacked total versatility in the (dare I say it? - shades of Merc vs Volvo thread!) perception of the market. Cute little econo transportation. That group moves very quickly onto the next thought.
GTO would be great. But, I refuse to pay over list - period. I'll wait until they are offered with 0% financing to move them off the lot. GTO won't tow my Classic 18. It COULD, but GM won't set up the automatic transmission for that even though it COULD, and the warranty is immediately voided if you do it yourself.