WHAT IS IT
The 9th generation Ford Thunderbird might be one of the most significant turnarounds experienced by any nameplate in automotive history. The 8th generation was an utter turd of a car despised by everyone including Ford’s upper management. Although still based on the Fox platform, it was all new, with aero styling inspired by NASCAR and accentuated for 1987 by proper flush-mounted halogen composite headlights. The 2.3-liter Turbo Coupe was properly fast for the late Malaise Era, capable of 0-60 in just over 7 seconds. Oh, and it’s a five-speed manual too.
WHY THIS CAR HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS
This car really pops in red, and it provides a great contrast to how well-preserved all of the contrasting black trim is. The interior is nearly flawless as is the engine compartment and underside. The few miles that the car has on it (20,000) were obviously careful ones, you could subtract a zero from that and it would still be credible. How many this nice can there be left? Even the asking price doesn’t seem out-of-line for a car of this quality.
The 2.3-liter Turbo Coupe was properly fast for the late Malaise Era, capable of 0-60 in just over 7 seconds.
https://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/vehicle/det/2327/1988-ford-thunderbird
I love this combination of low production numbers, 1980s performance and a manual transmission. Great colors as well!
Some numbers for the Cars and Coffee sign this car probably already has (or is about to have): It’s one of 35,271 Turbo Coupes built in 1988, and the T-Bird faithful suggest only about 5% of production got the 5-speed. That makes sense, as I’d bet most of the demo that would want something specced this way when new would have had a hard time avoiding the smaller Mustang parked next to it.
I figure there are likely more of these out there than most of us realize. Thunderbird has always had cachet, and I’m a firm believer in “inside the showroom then, inside the showroom now.”
I’ve never seen a better ’88 Thunderbird than this, though, so it gets my vote.
I’m with you Jim, this one is spectacular. It gets my vote too. Aren’t these kind of a grownup’s SVO Mustang?
I’d say so, and in more ways than one. Gotta love that so many Ford products from this era shared the Fox platform.
Only 5% of TCs, or 5% of total TB production? I suspect the latter, as well over half of the TCs I’ve seen for sale have the manual.
I drove one again a few years ago while looking for one for a friend. Laggy and bulky, the car doesn’t really suit a manual transmission. An IRS would also have been welcome. They fixed the excessive overhang and rear suspension issues with the 1989, but made that car much larger and heavier than it should have been.
Sorry, but bright red is far from the best color on such a large coupe. I’d personally look for one in the medium blue, followed by the medium red. I tracked down a blue car for a friend a few years ago–just like the one he had in the 1980s–for about $7k. Unfortunately he later sold it for about $10k. Not quite the absolute best condition, but close.