Ford's Thunderbird Gets Axed

Forbes ^ | April 22, 2003 | Jerry Flint

[Timesink]

Backseat Driver

Ford's Thunderbird Gets Axed

Jerry Flint, 04.22.03, 7:00 AM ET



The news is out and official. Ford will kill the Thunderbird.

I've been down this road before. The original little T-bird, a two-seater, came out in 1954. It wasn't really a sports car, but it was great-looking. Sales were never much--15,000 to 18,000 a year. So the moneymen made it into a four-seater in 1958. Sales went up, all right. Ford built 87,000 in 1960, but the car never looked so good again. Eventually the Thunderbird evolved into a mediocre, bloated car that was put out its misery during the reign of Ford (nyse: F - news - people ) President Jacques Nasser.

A few years back, and with great hoopla, a new, sleek Thunderbird was unveiled on the auto show circuit. The car returned to its roots as a smaller, stylish, two-passenger convertible. The production vehicle came out late in 2001, and it turned heads wherever it went. But Ford expected sales of about 25,000 a year, and the car never met this goal.

For starters, the new Thunderbird came out a full year late. So much time had passed from the unveiling of the show car to the release of production models that the buying public had lost some its enthusiasm.

Quality was also a problem. The plastic top (for winter) scratched the body. And Ford dealers got an early reputation for ripping off customers by overcharging for the car. Although the car's exterior was beautiful, the interior was a bit of a letdown, especially for a car with a $40,000 price tag. And the T-Bird could have used a bit more pep.

Selling a $40,000 car through the Ford channel may have also hurt the Thunderbird, which was far more expensive than its high-volume predecessor. Ford dealers have been successful selling $35,000 to $45,000 trucks but have little experience selling automobiles in the near-luxury price range. If there was a marketing effort by Ford Motor, I wasn't aware of it. Naturally, sales didn't meet expectations.

Ford figured it could sell 25,000 Thunderbirds a year at $40,000 apiece, but last year it moved only 19,000 cars. In first-quarter 2003 only 4,000 were sold. The automotive press went on a deathwatch.

Automotive News, the industry's fine trade publication, just reported that Steve Lyons, head of the Ford Division, said the Thunderbird run would end after four or five years, in 2005 or 2006.

"While it may go away for a short period of time, it may reappear from time to time," Lyons told Automotive News. "When you really stand back and think about the volumes we're trying to sell that vehicle in, it is meant to be a collector's item. And it doesn't have to have a production run every year."

Collectors' item? No, you don't sell 19,000 collector's item cars in a year.

I don't doubt for a moment that someone will suggest adding two backseats to the Bird to improve sales. Heck, someone will probably suggest making it a four-door. That happened once before, too.

Instead of fixing the Bird, making it right, selling it as it should be sold, Ford will kill it.

That's just part of the story at Ford product development. General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) has a low-volume car, too. It's called the Corvette. From time to time people have tried to kill the 'Vette. But people at GM seemed to understand that to kill the 'Vette would kill the company's spirit.

Ford is killing the Taurus, too. It will let the present model run until the rent-a-car companies don't want it. The replacement will be a smaller sedan, built off a Japanese Mazda platform, to be called the "Futura."

I think that some high-powered egos are at work here. The present management at Ford didn't create the Thunderbird. And the present management didn't create the Taurus. Rather than fix the problems, they'll start fresh with cars for which today's managers can take credit. That is, if these cars succeed.

These new managers also think that the names of Ford vehicles should start with the letter F. That's why the Windstar minivan is being renamed Freestar. And a new crossover wagon will be called the Freestyle. This strategy is silly and means nothing to anyone who doesn't work on executive row at Ford headquarters.

I remember when they killed the first two-passenger Bird. I thought that the car was beautiful. A Ford executive back then said, "Beauty is a good 10-day sales report." The original Thunderbird reminded people that Ford could build a beautiful car. Ditto for the short-lived new Thunderbird.

The news about its demise is ugly indeed.

[shotgun]

So you think your buying a: Licoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, or Aston Martin..think again

The loss of the T-bird line won't be a complete failure. The new '05 Mustang will be based upon the T-Bird frame and components. The current stang is still utilizing the 1978 Fairlane/Zephyer frame.

This should be a big improvement to the stang.

www.ford.com

[Incorrigible]

See post #37

[Revolting cat!]

And she'll have fun fun fun
'Til her daddy takes the T-Bird away

[tomkat]

'course, no life is complete without one experience with george lucas - the prince of darkness ...

my first car - bought by me, and designed to cause maximum irritation to my old man  

[hopespringseternal]

As long as they're paying UAW wages, that ain't gonna happen.

Perhaps the heart of the problem. A lot of the canceled models would have been successes if you knocked $10-15k off the price.

[Richard Kimball]

if ford and gm are going to stay in the auto business then they need to offer something comparable to a toyota or honda

You're right, there. I hadn't owned anything but Chevy's for years, but last month I bought a Volkswagen turbo-diesel. I needed a small commuter car. I had a GM card with $800 credit on it and went to my Chevy dealership. The Cadaver, Malibu and Impala all suck. I still love the Corvette, but it's out of my range. The guy told me I could get a Monte Carlo with the racing package if I wanted something sporty (huh?). Taking a six cylinder, painting it black and putting #3 on it does not make it sporty. The turbo diesel is built better and averages 47 miles to the gallon. It's not super fast, but will go over 100 mph. That saves me over a thousand dollars a year in gas. I'd love to buy another GM, and I liked the Thunderbird, but as they say, the TBird was (maybe) a $25,000 car, and the dealers would NOT discount. The VW ran me 16K.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I've liked GM cars, mostly Chevrolets, since the 1950's, but my wife and I bought a 98 Explorer and other than the tires, its been a darned good vehicle. 93,000 miles and no major trouble.

[buccaneer81]

We bought a '93 T-Bird for my step-daughter last year. Great car. I've never been a Ford fan (I drive a Chevy), but this car is a good deal for the parents of a 17 year old.

[geege]

Now that's beautiful!!!!! Oh bring back the GTO

[longtermmemmory]

Thats what killed the original two seat thunderbird. You need a back seat for double dating and a back seat for getting a better view during drive-in movies.

[Petronski]

Ford makes the marauder.

Another wonderful car that is 30% overpriced. Oh, and there is that persistent rumor out there that the Marauder too has been earmarked for cancellation.

I don't understand what is wrong with the 'braintrust' over at Ford: their advertising sucks, they keep shrinking their cars, and every time they come up with a winning model, they price themselves out of the market. Sad really, except for the fact that GM is just as dumb and Chrysler's plans, while cool, are still just plans.

PS: To Ford Management, please don't name my next car the 'Frown Fictoria.'

[gridlock]

Ford Fairmont Futura - Available in the early 80's.

My sister had one. Mercifully, her boyfriend cracked it up in short order. Apparently it had a little pep to it, but the engine could easily outrun the chassis.

[longtermmemmory]

actually I am gravitating to cadilac, I test drove the STS or something like that and it was realy nice. Interior was good (cupholders well placed etc). I am too pro-american to go flimisy japanesse or be snookered into a lexus or infinity. (those two seem like such a con job of marketing)

[SAJ]

Filly.

[cyphergirl]

If you baby & take very good care of a faggoty built like a toy in a box of crackerjacks ford, it might make 100k.

Funny you should say that....

My '97 Mustang GT just flipped 100,000 today and I've never had a problem with it. I fully expect to get another 100k out of it.

[kellynla]

I don't know where you get your information but there are over two thousand unaccounted personnel. You may prefer to "write them off" but those of us who served do not and will not. I have neither the time nor the inclination to educate you but if you go to the D.O.D. Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office website you can be enlightened. www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/index.htm

[shotgun]

It's one hugh global corporate world.

[winner3000]

I hope you do get another 100K out of it. My first and last American car was a '94 Cougar (pretty much the same as a Thunderbird of the same era). Had to have the transmission changed at 65K, a new engine at 74K and the new engine died at 102K. The Ford dealer told me that the 3.8L engine had this kind of problem (of course they couldn't have told me that when I was about to change it the first time!) Never again!

Since I'm boycotting both French and German products, the only recourse for me is to buy Japanese (preferably made in the USA)

[US_MilitaryRules]

My Choice