Ford to Kill Thunderbird After 2005 Model Year

Current T-Bird Failed Only Achieved Half of Ford's Sales Projections

While Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson, played by supermodel turned superstar actress Halle Barre, made her bright coral red Thunderbird

This hot red Ford Thunderbird was driven by Bond Girl Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson, shown here arriving for a party in the last 007 thriller, Die Another Day. (Photo: Ian Britton)

look stunning against the ice-blue background of Sir Gustav Graves' (Toby Stephens) Icelandic diamond mine ice-palace-like headquarters in the last James Bond flick Die Another Day, a lack of interest from the purchasing public means the car will bow out after its 2005 model year run, with production ending in July (see related article in automotive news section for June 24, 2003: Model Year 2005 the Last Year for Ford Thunderbird).

"We promised all along that this Thunderbird would have a limited production run, and we're being true to our word," Ford Division President Steve Lyons said. "Thunderbird was a terrific image builder for the Ford brand showroom at a time when we needed it."

Ford made the announcement to employees at the Wixom Assembly Plant, situated northeast of Detroit, Thursday, putting an end to

Ford has only offered 1500 limited edition Thunderbirds this year, with a sticker price of $59,275. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

ongoing discussions that questioned whether the automaker would choose to discontinue the T-Bird after the current model year or MY 2006.

The Wixom plant will continue building Lincoln's midsize LS luxury sedan, a model which shares its general architecture and much of its componentry with the Thunderbird as well as Jaguar's X-Type. The plant also produces Lincoln's full-size Town Car, and will be the final assembly point for Ford's GT supercar, inspired by the Le Mans winning GT40 race car of the 1960s.