A sibling of the Continental Mark IV,[3] this generation of the Thunderbird was the largest ever produced; weighing in at over 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), they are also the heaviest coupes ever produced by Ford (aside from its Mark IV sibling car).

Exterior wise, many components were common with the Continental Mark IV, with the primary differences being the front and rear body panels.

The controversial prominent “beak” introduced for the 1970 model year was toned down while the sequential turn signals seen since 1965 were deleted for cost saving reasons.

To accommodate the larger 5 mph bumpers mandated for all 1973 automobiles, the front was restyled with an egg crate grille, topped by a spring-loaded hood ornament, flanked by the quad headlight in individual nacelles.

Power windows ($129), vinyl roof ($141), manual air conditioning ($436), and tinted glass ($51), were also made standard during the model year.

Some new options included AM/FM 8-track tape player ($311), remote control right hand outside mirror ($26), and an anti-theft system ($79).

While the 429 V8 was replaced by the more powerful 460 V8 sourced from Lincoln-Mercury, it now required the use of unleaded gasoline; a low-fuel warning light was added to the dashboard.

The gas filler door was moved from behind the license plate to the driver's side rear panel.

[1] Little changed for 1975 save new luxury groups and more items added to the standard equipment list.

Some items returning to the option list included, AM/FM stereo, front cornering lights, and tinted glass.