I think there's a lot of potential in a new Thunderbird, if it's done right. Hopefully Ford's learned from the mistakes with the previous generation, not to disparage it. As a two-seat roadster, the 2002-2005 DEW98 Thunderbird filled a niche that no other Ford did, then or now. I seem to recall that the car received positive reviews (including Motor Trend's Car of the Year) but there were some fundamental problems with the car that prevented it from catching on (it was the poorest selling generation Thunderbird in history as a matter of fact). On the positive end, it was reasonably well built, handled smoothly, and had a nostalgic flair for those interested in that kind of thing. On the bad side, to put it bluntly, it weighed well over 3,800lbs and offered performance that was noticeably inferior to a Mustang GT but with a base price that was
at least $10,000 higher.
With a niche car like a two-seat roadster, it has to have one or more key selling points to be successful: bargain price, high performance, great fuel efficiency, or irresistible looks, if nothing else. As I mentioned already, the Thunderbird wasn't cheap and was outperformed by cars in Ford's own stable. On top of this, it had unremarkable fuel economy
and required premium gas. Finally, though its retro styling might appeal to old timers, it is was unlikely to appeal to anyone who preferred something more modern. I would certainly stop short of calling it sexy.
With a new Thunderbird, I think Ford has little choice but to challenge established high performance two-seaters like the Corvette. It doesn't have to beat them outright, but it must be competitive, something the last Thunderbird was not. Personally, I would showcase Ford's EcoBoost technology for the Thunderbird and throw in an engine true to the MKR concept: a 400+ horsepower, 400+ lb-ft of torque, twin-turbo direct-injection 3.5L DOHC V6. Keep the car light (at least lighter than the current Mustang GT) and not only will it be fast but reasonably fuel efficienct too. Get the price under $40,000 and Ford could have a bargain alternative to the Corvette. Finally, it needs to be made sure that Ford makes the car look less like this:
And more like this:
