Ford Thunderbird
-- Racerchick Review
by Racerchick Annie
Coulthard
 Over
a summer weekend in June last year I drove
an amazing little package - the new Ford
Thunderbird. I picked up the yellow
prototype with black interior - instantly
loving that color combination, as it's my
favorite. But I was not alone in liking it;
the car was definitely a head-turner
wherever it went. People flagged me down
just to talk about the little gem. And the
look was even more like astonishment when a
pregnant lady nearing her eighth month
hopped out with ease, popped the hood and
started schmoozing with techno-speak!
From our home
in Saline, my husband, Alan and I drove it
to the Bridgewater Bank Tavern for a light
lunch and then took to touring the
southeastern Michigan by-ways with the wind
in our hair! I did the driving, because my
husband is not an eligible driver (He is not
a Ford Motor Company employee). We drove the
winding roads from Bridgewater to Tecumseh,
then shot across to Monroe, up through the
Downriver Area and then back to the Ann
Arbor Area. Everywhere we went, people
honked and waved, almost treating us like
Royalty (Alan's English).
The
Thunderbird is very easy to drive. Hidden
under a weight-adding, cosmetic shield lies
a 255 hp 3.9L V-8 engine, borrowed from the
Lincoln LS. The 3.9L engine is responsive
and the chassis is nimble, although a little
cushy - certainly not at a class leading
level, but this is a cruiser not a racer. It
handled every maneuver with ease. Being a
Racerchick and used to driving a 400 hp
Mustang; I found the car a little weak, it
could have used some extras under the hood.
I was additionally disappointed that the
T-Bird is only offered with an Automatic
Transmission. I'm sure I would have gotten
into trouble ripping through the gears and
doing proper heel/toe downshifts. Maybe it's
a good thing that there is only an Automatic
available?
While the
T-bird was in my possession, the top was not
up (even through slight rain-showers);
although we did test it for ease of
operation. It is very easy and a person on
his/her own can complete the task easily!
From the time I picked it up, until the time
I returned it, I put over 500 miles on it.
We didn't sleep much that weekend - we were
on the open road.
Overall, it
is an excellent package. The right amount of
get-up-an-go in a stylish little number. The
fun factor is high on this one. Thank you
for the wonderful reincarnation. Get yours
before it's gone. |
