Javillac
The 1950s were a time of great growth and evolution for the automobile industry in the United States, which was marked especially by widespread optimism among manufacturers and consumers. An example of this positivity was the Rise of “Made in USA” sports cars, with some examples such as the Nash Healey of 1950.
The economic boom caused brands to allocate part of their budget to the development of more exotic cars, as many buyers now had the money to buy a car to be used for more recreational purposes and with which you can enjoy the art of driving.
Following proposals launched on the market for this new segment by some less important manufacturers In 1953 Chevrolet made history with the launch of the Corvette, which was revolutionary for the use of fiberglass in its body and its stylized European design with American touches.
To fuel the eternal rivalry between General Motors and Ford, the oval brand immediately got to work on a competitor for the Corvette. The first prototypes saw the light of day in early 1954, and were intended to create a two-seater car with a weight close to 1.100 kilos, in addition to being equipped with a V8 engine, which gave it a clear advantage over the Chevrolet that until then had mounted inline six-cylinder engines.
FORD'S SHORTEST SPORTS CAR
Curiously, finding a name for this model was a very difficult task, for which Ford offered a suit valued at 250 dollars at the time as a prize. After more than 5.000 different suggestions, the Thunderbird proposal by Ford stylist Alden Gilberson was the winner. The thunderbird was a reference to a mythological creature of Native American tribes.; a bird with supernatural powers.
Production of the Ford Thunderbird began in September 1954 as a new model for 1955. This sports car was priced between $2.695 and $4.000 at the time. This made it quite popular, as its most basic version was cheaper than the six-cylinder Corvette, although for 1955 Chevrolet offered a V8 as extra equipment for $200 more. In comparison, In 1955, 16.155 Thunderbirds were sold compared to 700 Corvettes.
Its development was completed in a record time of just a year and a half., and was revolutionary for being one of the first cars in which the interior and bodywork were designed at the same time. The project's lead designer was Lewis Crusoe, a former GM employee, who took the Jaguar XK120 as a reference for creating the Thunderbird, although the only similarity was how the different components necessary for driving were distributed throughout the cabin.
For 1956 there were few changes to the model apart from a new 5,1 litre 215 bhp engine and a small window in the hardtop to improve visibility somewhat. Thunderbirds shared a large number of components with other Ford models to keep production more economical and the 1955 and 1956 models used the same front and rear bumpers. 1957 The model was updated with a new front and more prominent rear fins, closing production of the first generation with a total of 53.166 units.
1958: A NEW GENERATION AND A NEW SEGMENT
Although the first Ford Thunderbird was the main competitor of the Corvette Ford avoided at all costs classifying the model as a sports car., preferring instead to call it a personal car. With this emphasis on exclusivity, it is no mystery that celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley all owned a first-generation Thunderbird.
The two-seater car formula had worked very well for Ford, but for the second generation of the Thunderbird, launched in 1958, they decided to convert the model into a two-door, four-seat car, available as a convertible or coupe and now focusing more on luxury.
In this way the Personal luxury cars, a segment that was especially popular in the 1970s, and of which the Thunderbird became one of its great emblems. The second generation of the model, popularly known as “square birds", manufactured between 1958 and 1960, was a huge success with 198.191 units manufactured.
The Thunderbird continued to be a personal luxury car until the tenth generation which was manufactured until 1997. Interestingly, between 2001 and 2005 the eleventh and latest generation of the Thunderbird that recovered with a retro design the spirit of the original and the two-seater configuration, but it failed to captivate the public and thus put an end to this legendary model.
Images: Ford
