The Ford Thunderbird (also known as the T-bird) is a passenger, sports luxury automobile produced in 1955-1997 and again in 2002-2005 in eleven generations. The Thunderbird emphasized comfort and convenience over handling and performance. It was introduced as a 2-seat convertible with rear-wheel drive and a front-mounted engine, but was later available as a 4-seat coupe and convertible, a 5-seat convertible and hardtop, and a 6-seat sedan (depending on the generation). The final version was available again as a 2-seat convertible.
The second generation Thunderbird was produced in 1958-1960, when a 4-seat variant was first available. It is the first individual model line to win the Car of the Year award. The car was powered by a 5.8-liter V8 engine with 300 hp (224 kW), mated to a 3-speed manual or aic transmission. In 1959, an optional, 7-liter version of the V8 engine with 350 hp (261 kW) was introduced. In total, around 200,000 examples were sold.
