The 1958 model year design introduced a rear seat and arguably marked the expansion of a market segment that came to be known as personal luxury cars, positioned to emphasize comfort and convenience over handling and high-speed performance.

The Thunderbird entered production for model year 1955, marketed as an upscale, "sporty" two-seat convertible rather than as a sports car, per se — averting direct competition with the Chevrolet Corvette.

The completed one-off generated interest at the time, but had meager power, European looks, and a correspondingly high cost, so it never proceeded to production.

Some versions of the story claim that Walker replied by telling Crusoe, "Oh, we're working on it" ... although if anything existed at the time beyond casual dream-car sketches by members of the design staff, records of it have never come to light.

[citation needed] Walker promptly telephoned Ford's HQ in Dearborn and told designer Frank Hershey about the conversation with Crusoe.

After Henry Ford II returned from the Los Angeles Auto Show (Autorama) in 1953, he approved the final design concept to compete with the then-new Corvette.

At the time, Ernest Breech, then chairman of Ford Motor Company, was a member of the Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

[7] The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in February 1953 as a response to Chevrolet's new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before.

[8] Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954.

The most notable change was moving the spare tire to a Continental-style rear bumper to make more storage room in the trunk and a new 12-volt electrical system.

The instrument panel was heavily restyled with round gauges in a single pod, and the rear of the car was lengthened, allowing the spare tire to be positioned back in the trunk.

Along with a new, more rigid unibody construction was new styling, including quad headlights, more prominent tailfins, a bolder chrome grille, and a larger, though nonfunctional, hood scoop.

Hinting at its roots in the previous generation of Thunderbird, the new model retained a similar grille design with quad headlights and a 113.2 in (2,875 mm) wheelbase.

Though offering two of the largest displacement V8 engines ever installed in a production vehicle by Ford, the car's considerable weight combined with low power output caused by restrictive emissions technology resulted in modest performance.

Sales had a small uptick to almost 53,000 units for 1976, but increasing fuel prices and ever more stringent federal emissions standards led to a downsized vehicle the following year.

[10] Reflecting the rising demand for more fuel-efficient cars, the model year 1977 Thunderbird was shifted to the smaller 114 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase chassis shared with the 1972–76 Ford Torino and its replacement, the LTD II, which also debuted for 1977.

Though this generation was the most successful ever, with over 955,000 units produced in its three-year run,[2] ongoing fuel-efficiency and emissions concerns caused Ford to downsize the Thunderbird further for 1980.

Reflecting a further industry-wide adoption of smaller vehicle designs in the interest of improved fuel efficiency and emissions compliance, the Thunderbird was downsized again for 1980.

The combination of a low-output 115 to 122 hp (86 to 91 kW) 4.2 L (255 cu in) Windsor V8 base engine and a C5 three-speed transmission with 2.26 rear gears resulted in dismal acceleration.

Reinforcing this reality, a six-cylinder engine was made available for the first time in the Thunderbird's history in 1981, the aptly named, thoroughly anemic, 200 cu in (3.3 L) Thriftpower Six first introduced by the manufacturer in 1963.

[2] Seeking to reverse the sales slide of the 1980–1982 models and revitalize the Thunderbird's appearance, Ford executed a significant redesign for 1983.

For 1987, the Thunderbird received a significant refresh, complete with new sheet metal and a revised front fascia with aerodynamic composite headlamps.

The V6 models carried over port fuel injection from 1986, while the Turbo Coupe's turbocharged four-cylinder engine gained an intercooler, increasing output to 190 hp (142 kW) and 240 lb of torque.

[32] Featuring a 9-inch (229 mm) longer wheelbase than the previous-generation Thunderbird and a four-wheel independent suspension, the car offered better handling and ride quality.

In 1993, the 1994 model year Thunderbird received a substantial refresh, including stylistic changes inside and out and mechanical enhancements.

As with the LS V8, the Thunderbird was powered by a Jaguar DOHC 3.9 L AJ-30 V8, producing 252 hp (188 kW) and 267 lb⋅ft (362 N⋅m) of torque; the engine was paired with a Ford-designed 5R55N 5-speed automatic.

For 2003, the AJ30 became the AJ35 following the addition of variable valve timing and electronic throttle control; output increased to 280 hp (209 kW) and 286 lb⋅ft (388 N⋅m) of torque.

[33] Though the hydraulically-powered design reduced available trunk space, the metal top boot negated the need for a separate cover.

The combination of the second-generation body style and the newly available 430 CID V8 took drivers Curtis Turner, Johnny Beauchamp, "Tiger" Tom Pistone, and Cotton Owens to victory lane.

In the 1960 season, most teams returned to using the conventional full-sized Ford body style, and the T-Bird made only sporadic appearances through the rest of the 1960s, with no additional wins.