The 4.9 L V8 (5.0 L by Ford) made its return for 1983, coupled with the first (and only) four-cylinder Thunderbird. The ninth-generation of the Thunderbird is derived from the Ford Fox platform, as with 1980 Thunderbird (though with a shorter wheelbase). As a central theme of the design, the ninth-generation Thunderbird marks the introduction of highly aerodynamic body design to Ford vehicles in North America (reducing its drag coefficient from 0.50 to 0.35), followed by similarly designed model lines, including the 1984 Ford Mustang SVO, 1984 Ford Tempo, 1986 Ford Aerostar, and 1986 Ford Taurus. While remaining a personal luxury coupe (to minimize overlap with the Ford Mustang), the redesign of the Thunderbird marked a transition of the model range, emphasizing performance and handling over outright luxury and comfort content.
In response to the sales downturn of the 1980–1982 Thunderbird, the Thunderbird underwent an extensive model revision for the 1983 model year. Shifting yourself was allowed only on the Super Coupe from 1989 to 1995.The ninth generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury coupe that was manufactured and marketed by Ford for the 1983 to 1988 model years. Transmissions were mostly automatic and included two versions of the four-speed AOD and a five-speed manual from Mazda.
Later, the 4.9-liter Windsor V8 was available (’91-’93), as well as the 4.6-liter Modular V8 (’94-’97). Less overhang, more performance.įour different engines were on offer depending on the year, and at base was a 3.8-liter Essex V6 in naturally aspirated and supercharged variants (for the Super Coupe). The new MN12 cars were sleeker and more rounded than the Aero Bird, and though they were shorter overall, had a nine-inch growth in wheelbase over the outgoing model. He’d designed the ninth generation T-bird and Cougar as well. Ford aimed high and wanted the edge in handling and performance over the front-drive offerings from GM.įor the new cars’ design, Ford relied once more on the VP of design at Ford from 1980 to 1997, Jack Telnack. They were the only domestic rear-drive cars with that feature outside the Corvette. To that end, the MN12 coupes (and later the FN Lincoln Mark VIII) were given an independent rear suspension amongst their other technical upgrades. Ford started development of the new platform in 1984, when it made an internal declaration that the next Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar be sophisticated enough to compete with European marques like BMW. An all-new 10th-generation debuted for the model year 1989, on the exciting new MN12 platform. But by the late Eighties, the ninth-gen was looking a little aged, and Ford saw it was time to step away from the Fox platform with regards to personal luxury.
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