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2002 Ford Thunderbird

The 2002 Ford Thunderbird led Ford's charge of revitalizing consumer interest in cars by offering autos that not only meet their transportation needs, but also stir their emotions.

Thunderbird expresses a bold and confident feeling of freedom, delivered in the form of a dramatically designed, two-seat, rear-wheel-drive, V-8-powered, convertible – a modern throwback to another optimistic American era.

'Seldom in automotive history has a car created as much emotional attachment as the Ford Thunderbird,' says J Mays, Ford Motor Company vice president of Design. 'The car spans generations and in many ways chronicles a part of American history itself. The new Thunderbird is designed to point to the future and, at the same time, recapture the magic of an American icon.'

The boldness and confidence of Thunderbird are embraced in its design. From its egg-crate grille to rounded tail lamps, Thunderbird is dressed with the obvious visual cues that tie it to the classic cars of the past, but with a decidedly modern interpretation.

Thunderbird comes standard as a convertible, with a power-retracting cloth top and an optional hard top with classic porthole windows. The two-place interior reflects the exterior design by celebrating the car's romantic heritage and combining bold style with the comfort and convenience today's customers demand.

Thunderbird is in a class by itself as a 107.2-inch wheelbase rear-wheel drive roadster with a smooth,

strong-pulling 3.9-liter V-8 engine. Ride and handling are specially tuned to match the vehicle's elegantly sporting design, and structural braces beneath the car enhance the chassis rigidity, giving the roadster world-class driving dynamics.

Designed to evoke emotion

When Ford decided to revive the Thunderbird nameplate, designers went to work studying the original cars of the 1950s, which reflected the era's great optimism.

The designers of the modern Thunderbird took great care to borrow classic styling cues, but to never lose the modern look. This 'heritage' design approach features, among other details, the two-seat configuration, elegant hood scoop, chevrons, round headlamps, egg-crate grille and porthole windows. In all, the entire package pays homage to the past and celebrates 21st century materials, technology and design language.

The 2002 Thunderbird is a production version of the Thunderbird concept that stole the spotlight on the auto show circuit in 1999 and 2000.

Driving is more than a great design

Although the design evokes memories of a simpler time, it won't take 50 yards of driving in a new 2002 Thunderbird to transport one back to the future. The new Thunderbird uses the latest engineering technologies to help instill confidence in the driver.

It's a well-balanced, rear-wheel drive car that utilizes a rigid, computer-engineered chassis and a fine-tuned four-wheel independent suspension system employing lightweight materials to help reduce unsprung weight and improve response.

The rack-and-pinion steering gear is a variable-assist design, providing lower turning efforts at parking speeds and higher-level road feel at highway speeds.

Thunderbird comes standard with 17-inch cast aluminum wheels and all-season tires. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) are standard and employ electronic brake force distribution (EBD). The brake rotors are vented for optimal performance and endurance and calipers are dual piston-type for quick response and evenly distributed pressure.

An optional all-speed traction control system helps ensure driver confidence in adverse road conditions. The system provides excellent start-up on slippery surfaces and can help improve cornering stability.

Modern Powerplant

Ford Thunderbirds is equipped with a smooth-turning, all-aluminum 3.9-liter DOHC V-8. The engine produces an estimated 252 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and peak torque of 267 ft. lbs. at 4,300 rpm and uses a new generation powertrain electronic controller (PTEC).

The engine was designed along with a specially engineered close-ratio, five-speed automatic transmission that provides performance and efficiency along with minimal levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

Source - Ford Media
The Ford Thunderbird was named Motor Trend's 2002 Car of the Year from the largest group of contenders ever to compete - 27 cars. In identifying the winner, factors including design, engineering, quality, interior, special features, fun, everyday livability, safety, performance and value were evaluated. The new Thunderbird is the first automobile designed by the CAD system. CAD refers to computer-aided engineering and computer-aided manufacturing. The use of all-computer modeling allowed for very early prototypes that were virtually identical to the production. This Thunderbird was the first 2002 model sold to the public and has the 15th serial number.

The 2002 Thunderbird is a production version of the Thunderbird concept car that stole the spotlight at auto shows in 1999 and 2000.

Although the design evokes memories of a simpler time, it won't take 50 yards of driving in a new 2002 Thunderbird to transport one back to the future. The new Thunderbird uses the latest engineering technologies to instill confidence in the driver.

It's a well-balanced, rear-wheel drive car that utilizes a rigid, computer-engineered chassis and a fine-tuned four-wheel independent suspension system employing lightweight materials to reduce unsprung weight and improve response.

The rack-and-pinion steering gear is a variable-assist design, providing lower turning efforts at parking speeds and higher-level road feel at highway speeds.

Thunderbird comes standard with 17-inch cast aluminum wheels and all-season tires.

Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) are standard and employ electronic brake force distribution (EBD). The brake rotors are vented for optimal performance and endurance and calipers are dual piston-type for quick response and evenly distributed pressure.

An optional all-speed traction control system helps ensure driver confidence in adverse road conditions. The system provides excellent start-up on slippery surfaces and improves cornering stability.

2002 Ford Thunderbird photo
Roadster
Chassis #: 1FAHP60A82Y126689
View info and history
As pushrods have gone the way of the poodle skirt, all 2002 Thunderbirds will be equipped with a smooth-operating, all-aluminum 3.9-liter DOHC V-8. The engine produces an estimated 252 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and peak torque of 267 ft. lbs. at 4,300 rpm and uses a new generation powertrain electronic controller (PTEC).

The engine was designed along with a specially engineered close-ratio, five-speed automatic transmission that provides performance and efficiency along with minimal levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

Source - Ford

Related Reading : Ford Thunderbird History

The Ford Thunderbird is an American automotive icon first introduced in 1955. During the early 1950s, military men were returning from fighting in World War II. In Europe, the style of the vehicle was very different from the Detroit American car. The graceful but sporty MG, Triumphs, and Jaguars, to name a few, had found their way into the hearts of many of these American soldiers. In the U.S.,....
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2002 Ford Thunderbird Vehicle Profiles

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

2002 Thunderbird
$42,000-$500,000
2002 Ford Thunderbird Price Range: $35,500 - $42,000

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 2002 Ford Models
$12,930 - $18,230
$17,825 - $28,790
$19,380 - $23,645

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