Ford Thunderbird (eighth generation)
The eighth generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury coupe that was manufactured and marketed by Ford for the 1980 to 1982 model years. Introduced to commemorate the 25th year of the model line, the eighth generation was substantially downsized, transitioning further into the mid-size segment. For a second generation, the Thunderbird was the Ford counterpart of the Mercury Cougar XR7; while the Cougar again served as the mid-size Mercury line, the Thunderbird was offered solely as a two-door personal luxury coupe.
While better-handling and more fuel-efficient than its Torino-based predecessor, the eighth-generation Thunderbird was poorly received by critics and buyers, leading to a collapse in sales. In response, the 1983 ninth-generation Thunderbird received an extensive redesign of the exterior, as Ford sought to remarket the model line.
The eighth-generation Thunderbird was assembled by Ford at Atlanta Assembly, Lorain Assembly, and Chicago Assembly; the former two facilities are now closed.
Model background
During the late 1970s, fuel economy became an important design factor of American vehicles. For 1977, Ford repackaged the Thunderbird, shifting it from the counterpart of the Lincoln Mark series to the intermediate Ford Torino chassis. As a counterpart of the Mercury Cougar XR7, the 1977 Thunderbird remained in the personal luxury segment, competing against the Chrysler Cordoba and quartet of GM A-body coupes.The Torino-based Thunderbird proved successful, selling over 955,000 vehicles in only three years. By 1979, the model line had become obsolete in comparison to both its competitors and other Ford vehicles. For 1978, General Motors downsized its midsize A-body line ; the redesign was well-received, with the Oldsmobile Cutlass becoming the best-selling car in the United States in 1978 and 1979. For 1979, Ford downsized its full-size LTD sedans; though 8 inches shorter than the Thunderbird, the 1979 LTD offered larger interior dimensions.
For the 1980 model year, Ford shifted the Thunderbird from the intermediate segment to the mid-size segment, becoming the first generation of the Thunderbird to truly undergo downsizing. Closely matching the redesigned GM A-body coupes in its exterior footprint, the 1980 Ford Thunderbird was based on an extended-wheelbase version of the Ford Fox platform.
Design overview
The first generation of the model line to undergo downsizing, the 1980 Thunderbird shed in length, in width, and in wheelbase from its 1979 predecessor; depending on powertrain, the Thunderbird was up to lighter.Serving as one of the most extensively downsized model ranges in the American automotive industry, from 1976 to 1980, the Thunderbird shed of length, of width, and of wheelbase; in total, the Thunderbird lost nearly of curb weight.
In comparison to the 1958–1960 generation, the 1980 Thunderbird is approximately five inches shorter in length and four inches shorter in wheelbase.
Chassis
The eighth-generation Ford Thunderbird is a long-wheelbase variant of the rear-wheel drive Ford Fox platform; stretched to 108.4 inches, it shares its chassis with the Mercury Cougar XR7, and the Lincoln Continental and the Continental/Lincoln Mark VII. The adoption of the Fox architecture marked the return to unibody construction for the Thunderbird.Shared with the Fairmont and Mustang, the Thunderbird had MacPherson strut front suspension and a four-link live rear axle with coil springs on all four wheels; both front and rear axles were equipped with stabilizer bars. As an option, the Thunderbird was offered with heavy-duty "handling" suspension, a limited-slip rear-axle, and aluminum wheels equipped with Michelin TRX tires. For the first time, the Thunderbird was equipped with rack and pinion steering. As with the Fairmont/Granada, the Thunderbird was equipped with front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Powertrain
Sharing its powertrain with the Panther chassis, the standard engine for the eighth-generation Thunderbird was a 4.2 L V8, with a 5.0 L V8 offered as an option. Both engines were paired with the 4-speed AOD overdrive automatic transmission. For 1982, the 4.9 L engine was withdrawn, with the 4.2 L engine becoming the sole V8 offering.Late in the 1980 model year, the Thunderbird was offered with a six-cylinder engine for the first time. Technically considered a delete option, Ford introduced an 3.3 L inline-6, paired with a 3-speed automatic; for 1982, the 3.3 L engine became standard. Slotted between the inline-6 and the 4.2 L V8, for 1982, Ford introduced a 3.8L V6, rated at. In various forms, the V6 powered the Thunderbird until its 1997 withdrawal.
Body
In contrast to the Mercury Cougar, which was also offered in notchback sedan and station wagon body styles, the eighth-generation Thunderbird was produced solely as a two-door coupe. In what would be a disastrous design decision, many design elements from the 1977–1979 Thunderbird were directly adapted onto the body of the 1980 Thunderbird, including its hidden headlights, rectangular radiator grille, taillights and opera windows. While well accepted on the previous generation, many design features did not transition well onto the far smaller 1980 Thunderbird.During its production, the exterior of the eighth-generation Thunderbird saw few changes. Dependent on trim, several rooflines were offered for the Thunderbird; a full or partial vinyl roof was fitted to all examples. For 1981, a simulated convertible top was introduced. The Thunderbird marked the Ford debut of the Keyless Entry System, a 5-button door-mounted keypad allowing access to the vehicle. In different forms, it remains a feature on Ford and Lincoln vehicles today.
As a consequence of its downsizing, the seating capacity of the 1980 Thunderbird was reduced from six to four. Dependent on trim, several seating configurations were offered for the Thunderbird, with Recaro bucket seats offered as an option. Although the Thunderbird was one of the few cars to offer functional vent windows in the 1980s, along with power windows. Alongside standard analog instrument panel, as an option, a digital instrument cluster offered a speedometer and fuel gauge; in 1982, a trip computer was added to the latter system.
Trim
Each year of its production, the eighth-generation was offered in three trim levels; the Thunderbird served as the base trim, slotted below the Town Landau and Heritage. For 1980, the commemorative Silver Anniversary Edition was the top-level trim, repackaged as the Heritage for 1981–1982.Each trim level of the Thunderbird was distinguished by its own roofline. The standard Thunderbird was given the largest windows between the B-pillar; for 1981, a simulated convertible top became an option. For 1980, the Town Landau was styled with a recessed opera window, then sharing the roofline of the Heritage for 1981–1982. The Silver Anniversary Edition, Heritage, and 1981–1982 Town Landau have B-pillar opera windows in the style of the 1977–1979 Thunderbird.
Silver Anniversary Edition
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Thunderbird, Ford offered a commemorative "Silver Anniversary Edition" for the 1980 model year. Offered as a cosmetic option package as the top-level trim, the Silver Anniversary Edition consisted of an exclusive color scheme, with silver/gray velour. Offered only with the 4.9 L V8 and AOD transmission, the Silver Anniversary Edition included every feature offered on the Thunderbird, adding a "frenched" rear window, rosewood interior trim, commemorative badging, and an integrated garage door opener.Motorsport
For the 1981 season, two major changes were adapted by NASCAR for its Winston Cup racing series. Coinciding with downsizing of passenger automobiles, NASCAR reduced the wheelbase of Winston Cup cars from 115 to 110 inches. To ensure chassis consistency, NASCAR abandoned its previous practice of three-year model eligibility, requiring teams to adapt to current-production vehicles.For the 1981 NASCAR season, the eighth-generation Thunderbird made its debut. While the Buick Regal was the most successful design of the season, the Thunderbird finished with the second-highest win total. For 1982, the Thunderbird was less successful, winning only a single race.