A clean interior
The interior is mostly like that of the prototype shown at auto shows. Our test cars had the two-tone designs that brought us back to the fifties. The rest is a little like the interior of the LS with silver round gauges that had a green needle indicator. These are not always easy to read in the sun, though. Dual zone A/C is included as is the six-disk CD system. As far as the trunk is concerned, it is not very big but will easily accept two golf bags. All new T-Birds are convertibles with a very easy to operate top. As an option, Ford offers a rigid roof with the legendary portholes.
Clearly a cruiser
The new T-Bird was not intended to be a sports car. And the customers to whom it is intended did not want it to be so neither. In many cases, I think that T-Bird buyers will be somewhat older people who might have wanted a Mercedes roadster but could not or did not want to afford one. I drove the T-Bird for quite a few miles, top down in the Western part of Montreal, partly on the freeway, partly in the suburbs, partly on a quiet country road along the Saint-Lawrence river and I could imagine myself driving this fine automobile to the South in fall or winter. Cruising at a reasonable speed along the highway is the best way to discover the Thunderbird. Its raked windshield diverts the wind (but I wished Ford had installed a windscreen behind the seats to stop the wind whirling back in when the side windows are raised) and there is only outside road noise bothering the quiet ride of the car (the car is very quiet when the top is closed). Seats are comfortable but not as supportive as a sports car should be. But then, remember, the Thunderbird is NOT a sports car. ABS braking, traction control and the numerous airbags all remind us that lots of safety equipment was added to this already classic roadster. The V8 has sufficient power for great acceleration (0 to 100 km/h can be done in less than 8 seconds) and more even for passing speed. But the mere size and weight of the car remind you again that it is NOT a sports car. Road handling is great and mostly comfortable. But the car is not a racer, remember that.
The interior is mostly like that of the prototype shown at auto shows. Our test cars had the two-tone designs that brought us back to the fifties. The rest is a little like the interior of the LS with silver round gauges that had a green needle indicator. These are not always easy to read in the sun, though. Dual zone A/C is included as is the six-disk CD system. As far as the trunk is concerned, it is not very big but will easily accept two golf bags. All new T-Birds are convertibles with a very easy to operate top. As an option, Ford offers a rigid roof with the legendary portholes.
Clearly a cruiser
The new T-Bird was not intended to be a sports car. And the customers to whom it is intended did not want it to be so neither. In many cases, I think that T-Bird buyers will be somewhat older people who might have wanted a Mercedes roadster but could not or did not want to afford one. I drove the T-Bird for quite a few miles, top down in the Western part of Montreal, partly on the freeway, partly in the suburbs, partly on a quiet country road along the Saint-Lawrence river and I could imagine myself driving this fine automobile to the South in fall or winter. Cruising at a reasonable speed along the highway is the best way to discover the Thunderbird. Its raked windshield diverts the wind (but I wished Ford had installed a windscreen behind the seats to stop the wind whirling back in when the side windows are raised) and there is only outside road noise bothering the quiet ride of the car (the car is very quiet when the top is closed). Seats are comfortable but not as supportive as a sports car should be. But then, remember, the Thunderbird is NOT a sports car. ABS braking, traction control and the numerous airbags all remind us that lots of safety equipment was added to this already classic roadster. The V8 has sufficient power for great acceleration (0 to 100 km/h can be done in less than 8 seconds) and more even for passing speed. But the mere size and weight of the car remind you again that it is NOT a sports car. Road handling is great and mostly comfortable. But the car is not a racer, remember that.