The 1958 Thunderbird was only 52.5 inches tall, nearly 9 inches shorter than an average American sedan the Thunderbird had only 5.8 inches of ground clearance.
The intent was to allow the maximum interior space in a relatively small exterior package. The four-seat Thunderbird was designed with unibody construction, eschewing a separate chassis. However, the losing proposal, styled by Elwood Engel, would gain its own place in Ford Motor Company history: after minor revisions, it would become the 1961 Lincoln Continental. The design was one of two proposals, styled primarily by Joe Oros, who later worked on the 1964 Ford Mustang. The design was driven entirely by the styling department and approved before the engineering was considered. The new Thunderbird had a distinct new styling theme. Mercury also saw the introduction of a flagship hardtop coupe with a similar approach to luxury called the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser with a longer wheelbase and two inches more for width dimensions, then updated to the 1958 Mercury Park Lane. The listed retail price was US$3,408 for the base price ($32,881 in 2021 dollars ). As a response, Ford executives decided to add a rear seat to the Thunderbird. The Studebaker Speedster and the Chrysler 300C shared many appearances with the Thunderbird, while offering a rear seat. Market research suggested sales of the Thunderbird were limited by its two-seat configuration, making it unsuitable for families. Īlong with the 1958 Lincolns, the 1958 Thunderbird was the first Ford Motor Company vehicle designed with unibody construction.Īlthough the 1955-1957 Ford Thunderbird had proved successful (in comparison to the Chevrolet Corvette), Ford executives-particularly Robert McNamara-still felt its overall sales volume had room to improve. Sales totalled 198,191 over three model years, approximately four times that of the earlier two seat model. In response to Ford-conducted surveys two major changes were made to attract potential buyers: two rear seats were added and the level of luxury and features of a full-sized car were incorporated into a mid-size platform.Īs a result, sales soared and the new model dramatically expanded the personal luxury car market, winning the Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1958. The second generation Ford Thunderbird (also called Square Bird ) was produced by Ford for the 1958 to 1960 model years as a successor to the popular 1955–1957 two-seater.
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