This was the longest body yet for the T-Bird. With a more squared appearance than its predecessor, the Gen 4’s interior returned to its roots as a “personal luxury vehicle.” Gracefully bowing out of sports car contention and offering that spot to its sister car, the new Ford Mustang, the Thunderbird’s newest interpretation focused on providing consumers something special: flair. Initially, its only offering was a monstrous 6.4 L V8 herding a stampede of between 300-340 horsepower. The Gen 3 brought the boom under the hood too. With a more streamlined, rounded appearance of a bullet slicing through the air, the Generation 3 shot off the assembly line into near-record-breaking sales. Shot Through the Heart: Gen 3 - The Bullets - ‘61 - ‘63ġ961 proved to be a banner year for the newly redesigned T-Bird.
America responded.įord proudly accepted the honor of becoming the first individual car to win the prestigious Motor Trend “Car of the Year” award.ĭuring its three-year run, the sales for the Second Gen T-Bird totaled over 197,000 units.Īlso of note, in ‘59, the Thunderbird made its appearance on the NASCAR circuit. It was also more square by design, and it held onto the public’s need for luxury by delivering in a package wrapped in chrome. Its body was larger to accommodate the room necessary to house the second-row seating. Under the hood, the standard V8 options bosted either 300 or an astonishing 350 hp in either a 3-speed manual or automatic version. Its big back row and roomy font bucket seats delivered the posh interior people wanted. This model promised a luxurious ride with a sporty engine. The Second Generation of the T-Bird offered both. America was over the two-seater, and they wanted more in terms of room than performance. Despite its instant public appeal, Thunderbird sales waned in the coming years.
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