ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #90 – August 11, 2010, 10:57:50 AM

Good luck...maybe something exciting like this will happen some day but if you follow what the new car makers are up to these days, it's building a car based on what the Chinese buyers want. That's a HUGE market.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #91 – August 11, 2010, 08:21:41 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;331407

...and a repopped 80's TC REALLY ain't gonna happen...

I agree but the overall design of the car would be fair game. Round tail lights, solid nose, ecoboost-like motor, similar body lines, etc could still work but the chassis would be completely different and it would likely never be optioned nearly as well as a Mustang in terms of drivetrain/suspension/brakes/etc.

While the early Mustang and 94+ have similarities, no tbird, other than the retro of the early 2000's, has gone back to its origins and I think this is what would cause the tbird name to just be plastered on some random new vehicle at some point in the future. Every generation of tbird has had almost nothing in it from the last and why would this change now?

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #92 – August 11, 2010, 08:29:05 PM

Quote from: Seek;331529

While the early Mustang and 94+ have similarities, no tbird, other than the retro of the early 2000's, has gone back to its origins and I think this is what would cause the tbird name to just be plastered on some random new vehicle at some point in the future. Every generation of tbird has had almost nothing in it from the last and why would this change now?

Agreed

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #93 – August 11, 2010, 11:24:06 PM

Just take the new 'Stang add the ecoboost v6, add all the extras you can, make it top of the line, and call it a Mustang Turbo Coupe!

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #94 – August 11, 2010, 11:32:43 PM

Quote from: T-BirdX3;331555

Just take the new 'Stang add the ecoboost v6, add all the extras you can, make it top of the line, and call it a Mustang Turbo Coupe!

Yeah big problem there buddy, "MUSTANG".

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #95 – August 11, 2010, 11:50:23 PM

Whats the big problem? Today's Mustang is our Thunderbird's. The '80's Mustangs were just lightweight cans, nothing fancy.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #96 – August 11, 2010, 11:58:54 PM

Quote from: T-BirdX3;331559

The '80's Mustangs were just lightweight cans, nothing fancy.

That they were - hideous, small things. At least they're popular for who knows what reason and it gets us aftermarket parts.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #97 – August 12, 2010, 12:06:26 AM

Quote from: Seek;331560

That they were - hideous, small things. At least they're popular for who knows what reason and it gets us aftermarket parts.

I think because they are fun to drive compared to what had been being built for years prior, and they were relatively cheap.

At least that's why I bought mine in 86

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #98 – August 12, 2010, 12:50:32 AM

Quote from: hypostang;331562

I think because they are fun to drive compared to what had been being built for years prior, and they were relatively cheap.

At least that's why I bought mine in 86

Errr - I get why they were bought back then, compared to the late 70's/early 80's, but people still have a fascination with them today. Many aren't even that light. I know we're biased here but I don't understand why people loved them back then over the Thunderbirds, other than name, price and the fact that they pretty much always left the factory with better parts all around. If the 80's Thunderbirds were named a Mustang and got the same Mustang parts/cost less, I'm willing to bet they'd be the popular fox vehicles of today. Perhaps a smaller version but the fox Mustangs were not much prettier than the prior years (imo of course).

I can't compare the Cougars as they go against what most people are used to in the looks of a car.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #99 – August 12, 2010, 03:52:26 AM

Quote from: Seek;331529

While the early Mustang and 94+ have similarities, no tbird, other than the retro of the early 2000's, has gone back to its origins and I think this is what would cause the tbird name to just be plastered on some random new vehicle at some point in the future. Every generation of tbird has had almost nothing in it from the last and why would this change now?

I disagree...

The thing about the several generations of four seat Tbirds is that Ford has always used some specific Tbird design cues which define the identity of a Tbird which have been used consistantly for many different years while always showcasing the newest design body and greenhouse forms that Ford wanted to present at the time. Often these design updates bled over into the styling of lesser Ford models.

Some of the most consistant design elements were the use of eggcrate grilles, thick blind "C" pillars and full width taillamps either with and without the dropped center design. Alternately, separated dual pod taillamps were used. Then there is the consistant placement of the Bird emblems on "C" pillars and taillamps.

If you look at the 1958-66 models they all featured brows over the headlamps with the hood flowing down between them. This was resurrected in 1987 as part of the new aero flush headlamps and nose panel design. This basic design carried through in evolution all the way to the 1997 model. The 1987-88 models featured triple round taillamp details to mimick the 1960 taillamp design, as well as the thick cross hatched grille bars on the base, LX and Sport models. When the 1989 models came out they resurrected the full width dropped center taillamps last used on the 1977-78 Tbird which in theme originated with many of the 1960's models.

The 2002-05 Tbirds of course brought back a revised theme of the original 1955-56 models. The round taillamps were also used on 1961-63 models.

Even the classic Mustangs from 1965-73 were changed with updates while preserving some key design cues. The Mustang gave way to the Mustang II then was replaced 5 model years later with the boxy Fox Mustang which had absolutely nothing to do with the look of classic Mustangs. There was even a point come the 1983 model year that there was no pony emblem to be found. Compared to the Mustang, the Tbirds had very consistant themes. Even the boxy 1980-82 Tbird still had key identifying Tbird specific design cues that originated from past models.

Later model consistancy of Mustang and Tbird designs happened because they ran production for so many years on the same bodies and platforms without a lot of updates. This was unheard of in the 1950's through much of the 1970's. 1994-2003 Mustangs finally resurrected classic Mustang design cues to make them look like Mustangs again. Meanwhile the Tbird always incorporated key classic design cues that originated with the 1958 model until the last four seat Bird in 1997.

I remember many years ago I wanted the slab sided 1989-97 Tbirds to jump to the more voluptious shapes of the Mark VIII. I had done photo chops to the nose represent an evolution of the 1997 Tbird grille and nose theme. I also smoothed off the Mark VIII rear deck hump and made a set of dropped center taillamps complete with bird emblems.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #100 – August 12, 2010, 03:59:00 AM

Quote from: Seek;331560

That they were - hideous, small things. At least they're popular for who knows what reason and it gets us aftermarket parts.

They were updated Pintos...

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #101 – August 12, 2010, 08:16:11 PM

idk, i love my 83 stang, its not like u see many four eye stangs anymore. id take it over the 88 camaro in my driveway anyday.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #102 – August 13, 2010, 12:57:52 AM

Quote from: 84TBirdTurbo42;331636

idk, i love my 83 stang, its not like u see many four eye stangs anymore. id take it over the 88 camaro in my driveway anyday.

Well I have a soft spot for the right ones... 88 Camaro.. puke!

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #103 – August 13, 2010, 07:52:12 PM

i know right, its my step dads. no power but yet they badged it a iroc? i thought that was supposed to be the king S*** of camaros back then. but this has been my point all along. my 83 mustang is a tin can compared to my 84 bird. but that was the 80s. now my moms 09 mustang is nicer then my bird. so theres no need for a thunderbird now a days. dont get me wrong, id love a bird. but i just dont see the need. let alone a turbo coupe.

ford and the new turbocoupe

Reply #104 – August 14, 2010, 12:22:28 AM

Quote from: 84TBirdTurbo42;331766

i know right, its my step dads. no power but yet they badged it a iroc? i thought that was supposed to be the king S*** of camaros back then. but this has been my point all along. my 83 mustang is a tin can compared to my 84 bird. but that was the 80s. now my moms 09 mustang is nicer then my bird. so theres no need for a thunderbird now a days. dont get me wrong, id love a bird. but i just dont see the need. let alone a turbo coupe.

Back in the 1980's no one seriously would have believed that we would return to horsepower wars like we have today. Before the 1982 Mustang GT came out we were subjected to asphyxiated V8's that only had around 120-130 HP.

It's so hard to sit by and see that there is no longer Thunderbird. I often wonder if people think it is a failure because it is no longer made which is not really the case.

The package of a Mustang and Tbird is so much alike that the only thing that would be different is Tbird specific styling and emblems and more than likely would be a premium price way above the Mustang. The people who bought Thunderbirds in the past bought them because they were affordable personal luxury cars when that was the hottest market for cars. The last generation just appeased to classic 55-57 enthusiasts and collectors.

Sales since the last four seat Tbirds have migrated to sedans and SUV's. There is no sense for Ford to take a risk it cannot afford by offering a Tbird just for the sake of it existing. Ford has more important things to focus on right now rather than offering a low production car that the average person will not be able to afford only to appease a few enthusiasts who will likely only be able to aquire one after it has depreciated as used. Anything Ford makes now has to guarantee profitability.

Some cars like the Lincoln LS have gained more popularity as a used car because they can be had at an obtainable price.

The Thunderbird nameplate has an identity crisis right now because it is so uncertain as to what kind of car to revive. It would need to exist as a car that will sell in good numbers. As it is now, fully loaded Mustangs are approaching the price point of the last generation Tbirds.