1. Overview
2. Gallery
   • Photo Gallery (18)
   • 360° View
   • Video
   • Web Videos (57)
3. Trims and Specs
   • Select a Trim (4)
4. More Resources
   • Related News (0)
   • Other Expert Reviews (14)
   • Consumer Opinions (271)
   • Car Tweets
   • Q&A (0)
5. Next Steps
   • Get Ford Insurance Quotes
   • Get Ford Financing Quotes
   • Check Local Classifieds
   • Find a local dealer

     Select State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Select City
     

     See all Ford dealers

April 3, 2008 http://www.thecarconnection.com/fullreview/ford_thunderbird_2002

  Marty Padgett
Executive EditorMarty Padgett

sponsored by Cadillac

 

TCC 2002 Buyer's Guide: Ford by Bob Plunkett (10/4/2001)
Ford To Build "Living Legends" by TCC Team (8/20/2001)
2002 Ford Thunderbird by TCC Team (5/28/2001)
You review the 2002 Thunderbird

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — No matter what the calendar insists, it’s still summer here, out beyond the flashy, thousand-bulb sailfish sign that endorses the Florida Panhandle’s “90 Miles of Scenic Beach Drive!” Palms wave casual southern hellos in 80-degree breezes, the beach still sparkles like the billion shattered crystals it actually is, and well-seasoned patrons wander them in search of the one photon of light their leathery skin has yet to absorb.

Those more mature folks are the first to recognize the ’02 Thunderbird, the modern-day reincarnation of the 1950s classic that inspired Beach Boys songs and as a result, probably a whole generation of fast women.

“I’ve been online and picked mine out already,” says one fiftyish woman with a sharp gleam in her eye, as she hooks my arm and marches me over to give a personal tour of the car. “My husband can have his truck.”

Sign of old times

Even in the October off-season, the new T-Bird draws awed, approving glances, from Navy men and women in dress whites and full-time retirees alike. It grabs as much attention as when the Pensacola-based Blue Angels streak by overhead in delta formation. No doubt it’s because it’s an inspired design — but it might also be a reassuring symbol of an ephemeral, utopian America gone missing in a place where all four military bases are on high alert.

It’s a celebrity occurrence, a uniquely American happening, when the Thunderbird passes, no matter who’s at the wheel. It’s the perfect car to cruise this beach, since its artic-white body and turquoise accents perfectly mimic the confectioners'-sugar beach and jeweled blue-green Gulf of Mexico. And for sure, the unchallenging flat, straight roads put the Thunderbird in its best light.

The new T-Bird, in case you haven’t read the hype, is essentially a rebodied, shortened Lincoln LS sedan, sharing its suspension bits and its 252-hp, 3.9-liter V-8 engine.

Somehow the transformation from sports sedan to roadster creates a silhouette unmistakably Thunderbird; its classic low-deck proportions are spot-on, and even minus the signature “continental” tire kit, there’s no confusing the shape as anything but a reinvention of the Fifties T-Bird.

The high-tech powertrain, though, blurts out its true age like a bad fake I.D. at a liquor store. The 32-valve V-8 and five-speed automatic are a happy couple, whirring and chuckling with petroleum-based glee as you press the gas pedal, downshifting and upshifting in concert without a hint of treason. Though it’s not particularly quick — it weighs 3775 pounds, 3863 pounds with the optional hardtop — the T-Bird’s powertrain fancies itself a rippling personal trainer, growling and egging you on for one last push.

As for handling, the radical surgery has some predictable side effects. Missing some 7.3 inches in length and a whole roof structure, the Thunderbird is wigglier than, say, the rock-solid Benz CLK430 cabrio. And as a result, the suspension tuning has to be softer; the Thunderbird doesn’t mind going swiftly and it tracks beautifully on truck-ribbed Interstates, but hustling it around too quickly upsets its demeanor and makes it a little queasy. Attaching the optional hardtop removes some of the shake and rattle, but not much of the roll.

Tighter quarters than corners

Fixing the roof over the cockpit, on top of the standard power-operated top, also creates a surprisingly quiet control room. Inside the hardtopped, thickly-insulated cockpit, tall drivers will rub their heads but will be inspired to sing along in the relative silence.

Removing the hardtop is a two-man affair — and those two should be strapping. The 88-lb top is too unwieldly to be tackled alone. Just flip the rear levers, unscrew the top from the windshield header with the special T-bar tool, and you and a worked-out friend can remove it and stow it in a wheeled cart that otherwise hides in the trunk. The trunk itself, by the way, might fit a golf bag or two but is otherwise pretty shallow.

The soft top beneath the rigid one is power-operated. It lifts quickly and is secured by a single loop handle that flips the latches into place. With the windows down, a normal conversation volume is easy; the low cockpit and trunk and the tall, sloping windshield smooth the airflow and manage it remarkably.

While the hardtop has perfect 1950s-inspired porthole windows, the interior itself is more of a mishmash of Lincoln LS modernity, 1970s-inspired gauges just a bit too large for the display, and rib-stitched seats and door panels. Some of the details give away the T-Bird’s anachronistic heritage. The plastic door panel ribs are hard and unattractive; the seats are reasonably comfortable but the seatbelts cut across our necks. A Chrysler-like seat, with built-in belts, would be a superior solution. The steering wheel –mounted audio controls work flawlessly, but the radio itself is awash in matte black plastic buttons without a hint of retro charm. More work is needed here.

In almost all other respects, the new Thunderbird plays its heritage card neatly, to maximum benefit. A Benz SLK convertible may offer similar performance and a retractable hardtop, but it can’t remind us of sunnier, saner times.

2002 Ford Thunderbird
Base Price Range: $35,495, $37,995 with removable hardtop
Engine: 3.9-liter V-8, 252 hp
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 107.2 inches
Length: 186.3 inches
Width: 72.0 inches
Height: 52.1 inches
Curb Weight: 3775 lb; 3863 lb with removable hardtop in place
EPA (city/hwy): 17/23 mpg
Safety equipment: Anti-lock brakes, dual front and side airbags, emergency trunk release
Major standard features: one-touch convertible top, CD audio system, power windows, power door locks
Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles

sponsored by CadillacNew Cadillac sponsorshipEnlarge Photo   TCC 2002 Buyer's Guide: Ford by Bob Plunkett (10/4/2001)Ford To Build "Living Legends" by TCC Team (8/20/2001)2002 Ford Thunderbird by TCC Team (5/28/2001) You review the 2002 Thunderbird PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — No matter what the calendar insists, it’s still summer here, out beyond the flashy, thousand-bulb sailfish sign that endorses the Florida Panhandle’s “90 Miles of Scenic Beach Drive!” Palms wave casual southern hellos in 80-degree breezes, the beach still sparkles like the billion shattered crystals it actually is, and well-seasoned patrons wander them in search of the one photon of light their leathery skin has yet to absorb. forumThose more mature folks are the first to recognize the ’02 Thunderbird, the modern-day reincarnation of the 1950s classic that inspired Beach Boys songs and as a result, probably a whole generation of fast women. “I’ve been online and picked mine out already,” says one fiftyish woman with a sharp gleam in her eye, as she hooks my arm and marches me over to give a personal tour of the car. “My husband can have his truck.” Sign of old times Even in the October off-season, the new T-Bird draws awed, approving glances, from Navy men and women in dress whites and full-time retirees alike. It grabs as much attention as when the Pensacola-based Blue Angels streak by overhead in delta formation. No doubt it’s because it’s an inspired design — but it might also be a reassuring symbol of an ephemeral, utopian America gone missing in a place where all four military bases are on high alert. It’s a celebrity occurrence, a uniquely American happening, when the Thunderbird passes, no matter who’s at the wheel. It’s the perfect car to cruise this beach, since its artic-white body and turquoise accents perfectly mimic the confectioners'-sugar beach and jeweled blue-green Gulf of Mexico. And for sure, the unchallenging flat, straight roads put the Thunderbird in its best light. The new T-Bird, in case you haven’t read the hype, is essentially a rebodied, shortened Lincoln LS sedan, sharing its suspension bits and its 252-hp, 3.9-liter V-8 engine. Somehow the transformation from sports sedan to roadster creates a silhouette unmistakably Thunderbird; its classic low-deck proportions are spot-on, and even minus the signature “continental” tire kit, there’s no confusing the shape as anything but a reinvention of the Fifties T-Bird. The high-tech powertrain, though, blurts out its true age like a bad fake I.D. at a liquor store. The 32-valve V-8 and five-speed automatic are a happy couple, whirring and chuckling with petroleum-based glee as you press the gas pedal, downshifting and upshifting in concert without a hint of treason. Though it’s not particularly quick — it weighs 3775 pounds, 3863 pounds with the optional hardtop — the T-Bird’s powertrain fancies itself a rippling personal trainer, growling and egging you on for one last push. As for handling, the radical surgery has some predictable side effects. Missing some 7.3 inches in length and a whole roof structure, the Thunderbird is wigglier than, say, the rock-solid Benz CLK430 cabrio. And as a result, the suspension tuning has to be softer; the Thunderbird doesn’t mind going swiftly and it tracks beautifully on truck-ribbed Interstates, but hustling it around too quickly upsets its demeanor and makes it a little queasy. Attaching the optional hardtop removes some of the shake and rattle, but not much of the roll. Tighter quarters than corners Fixing the roof over the cockpit, on top of the standard power-operated top, also creates a surprisingly quiet control room. Inside the hardtopped, thickly-insulated cockpit, tall drivers will rub their heads but will be inspired to sing along in the relative silence. Removing the hardtop is a two-man affair — and those two should be strapping. The 88-lb top is too unwieldly to be tackled alone. Just flip the rear levers, unscrew the top from the windshield header with the special T-bar tool, and you and a worked-out friend can remove it and stow it in a wheeled cart that otherwise hides in the trunk. The trunk itself, by the way, might fit a golf bag or two but is otherwise pretty shallow. The soft top beneath the rigid one is power-operated. It lifts quickly and is secured by a single loop handle that flips the latches into place. With the windows down, a normal conversation volume is easy; the low cockpit and trunk and the tall, sloping windshield smooth the airflow and manage it remarkably. While the hardtop has perfect 1950s-inspired porthole windows, the interior itself is more of a mishmash of Lincoln LS modernity, 1970s-inspired gauges just a bit too large for the display, and rib-stitched seats and door panels. Some of the details give away the T-Bird’s anachronistic heritage. The plastic door panel ribs are hard and unattractive; the seats are reasonably comfortable but the seatbelts cut across our necks. A Chrysler-like seat, with built-in belts, would be a superior solution. The steering wheel –mounted audio controls work flawlessly, but the radio itself is awash in matte black plastic buttons without a hint of retro charm. More work is needed here. In almost all other respects, the new Thunderbird plays its heritage card neatly, to maximum benefit. A Benz SLK convertible may offer similar performance and a retractable hardtop, but it can’t remind us of sunnier, saner times. 2002 Ford Thunderbird Base Price Range: $35,495, $37,995 with removable hardtopEngine: 3.9-liter V-8, 252 hpTransmission: Five-speed automaticWheelbase: 107.2 inchesLength: 186.3 inchesWidth: 72.0 inchesHeight: 52.1 inchesCurb Weight: 3775 lb; 3863 lb with removable hardtop in placeEPA (city/hwy): 17/23 mpgSafety equipment: Anti-lock brakes, dual front and side airbags, emergency trunk releaseMajor standard features: one-touch convertible top, CD audio system, power windows, power door locksWarranty: Three years/36,000 miles sponsored by Cadillac TCC 2002 Buyer's Guide: Ford by Bob Plunkett (10/4/2001) Ford To Build "Living Legends" by TCC Team (8/20/2001) 2002 Ford Thunderbird by TCC Team (5/28/2001) You review the 2002 Thunderbird PENSACOLA BEACH, ...