The last-generation Ford Thunderbird debuted during a time when a lot of folks were keen to stash them away with the hopes of one day selling those vehicles for a tidy profit, which has long been the case with unique, special, or rare vehicles. The very last Ford Thunderbird is indeed a unique machine with decidedly retro-modern styling, and luckily for fans of that model, there are loads of them out there with scant few miles on the clock, ripe for the taking. The latest example is this – a 2005 Ford Thunderbird with a rather low 25k miles on the odometer.
Up for auction at Bring a Trailer, this 2005 Ford Thunderbird is a nice example of its breed, and it’s finished in a color that we don’t often see – Bronze. That hue is contrasted by a power-operated Sand soft top, along with 17-inch seven-spoke wheels wrapped with newer Ironman tires, plus all of the features present on the last-gen T-Bird including lots of emblems and badging proudly showing off its famous nameplate.
Inside the cabin, one will find tidy heated and power-adjustable seats covered in Light Sand leather upholstery, plus amenities including dual-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, and an AM/FM stereo with an in-dash CD changer. Power comes from the naturally-aspirated Ford 3.9L DOHC V8 that was originally rated to produce 280 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.
This is just one of many nice, low-mile, last-generation Ford Thunderbird models we’ve seen pop up at auction as of late, a list that also includes a 2002 model with just 20 miles on the clock, as well as a 2003 model finished in Evening Black that was also previously a one-owner car. These stashed-away collectibles haven’t quite gained in value the way those original owners may have hoped, but at least it means those who covet one have plenty of nice examples to choose from now.
Comment
Junk then, junk now the 2002-2008 time period was one of the lowest for FoMoCo. I know I lived through it as a shop foreman at a Ford dealership. Ford was lost. Both in their products, engineering and direction. It was depressing to see vehicle after vehicle come in with issues that couldn’t be resolved. Would you buy another Ford after owning a Freestar, Expedition or Thunderbird with a host of intrinsic issues? No and people did not. Ford is once again on the edge of a cliff with everything going to $hit. Can they find their way ? I hope so. We are the USA ! We can do it.