2017 Ford Thunderbird Price

The Thunderbird is actually the original personal luxury car, a type of car which was no longer successful back in the late ‘90s. Most manufacturers decided to discontinue these types of cars, but some decided to keep on going. It seems that this was the right move, especially since cars like the BMW 6 Series or the Mercedes S-Class Coupe now sell better than ever. In fact, more and more manufacturers are trying to join their ranks, but it is proving to be quite difficult. In order for a personal luxury car to be successful it has to bear a well-known name which not many possess. However, Ford actually owns the original, the Thunderbird. Because of that rumors started about a new 2017 Ford Thunderbird. So far these have been nothing but rumors but we all know Ford is rather unpredictable, especially with the announcement of the Bronco.

2017 Ford Thunderbird Price and Release Date

Rumors suggest at least a concept for the car will be released by the end of the year while a production version might come after 2024. The price could be north of $45,000 which would make it one of the more affordable cars in its class. The older models of the Thunderbird were rear wheel drive and we do hope this will hold true for their successor. However, Ford doesn’t actually have a suitable rear wheel drive platform, especially when most of their high-end offerings, such as Lincoln, are front wheel drive. The Mustang would be the only candidate to offer its platform to the 2017 Ford Thunderbird. This has been done in the past but it was not as successful as Ford hope, so it is unlikely for them to repeat the same mistake.

Design

At this point, most suggest the 2017 Ford Thunderbird is going to be based on a rear wheel drive platform. On top of that, it seems that people think it will share design cues with Ford’s other new models. While this would make sense from a corporate standpoint, it wouldn’t make for a very impressive car. 

 

Instead, it would make a lot more sense for Ford to base the design of the Thunderbird on the third or fourth generation of the car. This would create a modern classic but not in a sense it has been done with the 11th generation. Instead, Ford could take inspiration from manufacturers like Nissan who managed to put out really impressive looking concepts in the past few years. The car will definitely have just two doors and it should be similarly sized to a Taurus. It will likely be lower, so the overall proportions could be quite aggressive.

Inside the Cabin of 2017 Ford Thunderbird 

Considering the 2017 Ford Thunderbird will be a personal luxury car, it is safe to assume it will offer all Ford’s best technologies. The car is likely going to come with leather upholstery, aluminum and wood inserts, a rather minimalist design as well as plenty of space for the two front passengers with a sizable amount of room for the two rear passengers as well.

Under the Hood

Many people hope for a V8-powered two-door Ford luxury coupe. However, this is highly unlikely, especially since Ford is currently moving to turbocharged power. Instead, the Ford Thunderbird 2017 is more than likely going to be powered by their new generation 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 gas engine. This was first seen on the new F-150 and it is rather impressive. The engine is currently known to make 400 horsepower and up to 480 lb-ft of torque which is a lot of power for the size. However, the output is not really suited for a coupe. Instead, Ford may tweak the 3.5 liter V6 to provide more power but less torque in order to match some of its rivals. A less powerful engine, likely a 2.7 liter EcoBoost, is also a real possibility.

 That could be capable of around 320 horsepower and over 350 lb-ft of torque which is more than enough for the base powertrain. Being a personal luxury car, all versions of the Thunderbird will likely sport Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission with all of them being rear wheel drive. If the vehicle proves successful, Ford may also release an all wheel drive model which is usually requested by northern states. Before buying, get a full MOT checklist with this guide from CarVeto. Get an idea of how much a Ford Thunderbird will be to maintain in the coming 12-months of driving. With each check, you can look at car history like import status, mileages, outstanding finance, and full engine specifications.