The shocks are gas-pressurized, but a heavy-duty-suspension option provides a firmer ride and upgrades the load-carrying capability. The turbo also will be an option in the Mustang and Capri.Īs for the standard T-bird itself, the ride and handling are smooth as befits the successor car to a historic automotive tradition.
1980 THUNDERBIRD REAR FULL
and full boost is reached at 2,100 r.p.m. The T-bird turbo, which won't reach the road till April or May, sprints from zero to 60 in 8.9 seconds, faster than the Porsche 924 turbo. With the 5-liter V-8 and automatic overdrive, the figure is 10.9 seconds. Nickol, chief engineer for power train and chassis at Ford, says that, equipped with the standard 3.8-liter V-6 and 3-speed automatic transmission, the Thunderbird/Cougar spring from zero to 60 mph in 13.9 seconds. One Ford engineer describes the T-bird as an ''honest car.'' Having driven the Thunderbird-Cougar and Tempo-Topaz at the Ford proving ground in Dearborn, Mich., a few weeks ago, I can attest that the cars dom perform for the driver. Too, he looks for higher corporate interest in the Cougar because he expects it to have a higher resale value than the Thunderbird. Telnack sees the squared-off-back-window Cougar, a distinct departure from the Thunderbird, as appealing to the older car buyer, while the T-bird will find space in the driveway of the young adult. Jack Telnack, head of Ford's North American design team, acknowledged a cool reception by Ford dealers and consumers to early showings of the car although by early December more than 13,500 advance T-bird orders had been received by the factory. If they succeed, the company is ahead of the pack in the ''new-look department'' for the rest of the 1980s. If the cars fail to grab the car buyer, Ford's future designs could be jeopardized. Too, the new cars will give more identity to Ford products at a time when so many new cars look alike.Įven so, Ford executives are walking on eggs as the release dates approach. ''The Thunderbird's dramatic new styling, distinctive and beautifully functional, will solidify our lead in the application of aerodynamics to car design,'' says Louis E. 40 in 1983 - a 22 percent reduction, or a CAFE benefit of more than 1 m.p.g. The carmaker's overall drag rating has plunged from 0.51 in 1977 to 0. ''This will result in a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) benefit of more than 2 1/2 miles per gallon, derived solely from aerodynamics,'' says a Ford engineer. Petersen and his design staff believe they will.įord's objective is to achieve an overall drag rating of 0.33 by 1990 for a total reduction of 35 percent compared with 1982 models. In May Ford will introduce its all-new Tempo and Mercury Topaz, successors to the aging Fairmont and Zephyr, both of which have front drive and a curvy design.īut will the public buy them? Ford president Donald E.
The new T-bird will sell for $9,197, up more than $700 over the final 1982 price the Mercury Cougar pricetag is $9,521. 17.Ī dramatic departure from the slab-sided, boxy style of the last 10 years, the front-drive T-bird, sporting a low front end and gently curved fenders, will set Ford's styling trend for the mid-80's and beyond - and maybe for other car manufacturers as well. Will the aerodynamic Ford Thunder-bird, all new for 1983, really performm for Ford Motor Company? Both the T-bird and its companion, the notchback Mercury Cougar, are due to hit the road Feb.
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