by "cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
Published 02/02/2017 at 13:27
by "cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
Published 02/02/2017 at 13:27
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STARS: 7
Pictured is a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. It marks the last year that Ford made a true two-seat competitor to the Corvette. Yes, I know the early Shelby Mustangs had two seats, and I know the GT exists and is faster. But I so badly wish Ford would make a real sports car.
Ford would have you believe that a sports car would simply eat Mustang sales. But Chevrolet seems to have no problem selling Camaros alongside Corvettes. The Mustang, for as fast as they are and as cool at the GT350 is, is some 500-pounds heavier than a Corvette. Why hasn’t Ford been serious about a 2-seater?
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
02/02/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 1
That’s personal luxury
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 13:30, STARS: 0
I know. Even the Corvette pushed the limits of what was considered a sports car in 1957, but it’s really as close as Ford ever came.
"Gerry197" (Gerry197)
02/02/2017 at 13:37, STARS: 1
Which kind of sports car, the Corvette or the Miata?
Two seater sports cars are getting harder and harder to sell these days, it would have to be with an existing platform to make any possibility of production.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 13:42, STARS: 0
I’d settle for either! Yeah the time has likely passed. It’s too bad they never found the mojo in the previous 60 years.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
02/02/2017 at 13:48, STARS: 0
Yeah, I would have liked it if Ford had continued competing against the Corvette. Of all the shapes the Thunderbird has been over the years, the MN12 version appears to be the most aerodynamic. I would use that as a starting point, and make a smaller, lighter, two-seat version.
"Gerry197" (Gerry197)
02/02/2017 at 14:02, STARS: 0
They could use the Mustang platform probably, rear drive and modern, which would allow a convertible option.
They would probably have to make it compete against the Corvette due to the size of it.
"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig)
02/02/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 0
Well, the GT, while never in the same price or performance bracket, has long been the answer to the Corvette. It’s just so limited that we never see them or will be able to afford them.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 14:10, STARS: 0
The GT has never been a Corvette competitor. The GT40 was a flat-out race car, the 2005 model was $250,000 when a Z06 was $75,000 and the modern GT is well more than double the price of a Z06. The GT is a supercar, not a sports car.
"BritishLeyland™" (leylandcars)
02/02/2017 at 14:21, STARS: 1
Uh, they only got two seats so...Sports cars?
"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig)
02/02/2017 at 14:29, STARS: 0
Which is pretty much what I said. It’s not a competitor at all. It’s an answer. For people who want a two-seat Ford. “Well, we built one. Duh.”
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
02/02/2017 at 14:32, STARS: 0
I never really liked the segment that the corvette occupies. For the money, I would much rather have a 911 and daily drive it. If I am buying a car as a toy, there are much more “extreme” options for that kind of money.
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
02/02/2017 at 14:35, STARS: 0
That throwback T-Bird was rather a disappointment.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
02/02/2017 at 14:35, STARS: 0
I would love to see it, too, but I suspect that Ford (and Chrysler) decided that there wasn’t room in the market for two. It’s been 60 years since the T-Bird and Corvette headed in opposite directions. Development costs are huge for the Corvette, I’m sure, and they need to be amortized over X number of cars sold. Cut the volume in half and it’s a losing proposition. I think Ford would be accused of going cheap if they used an existing platform for such a car, so they are stuck.
"Jonee" (Jonee)
02/02/2017 at 14:49, STARS: 0
They’ve made some two seat Mustang concepts over the years.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 14:52, STARS: 0
Last one looks strikingly like an Opel GT
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 14:54, STARS: 0
Not sure the 911 and Corvette are in the same price bracket. Corvette competes on price with the 718. At least in Canada, 911's start at bout 100k and Corvettes at 60-70.
"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
02/02/2017 at 14:54, STARS: 0
I absolutely knew someone was gonna post these.
"Jonee" (Jonee)
02/02/2017 at 14:55, STARS: 0
The front quarter definitely. That’s the Mach II. Cool looking car.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
02/02/2017 at 14:57, STARS: 0
wow, I thought the base corvette was way more expensive than it was. never mind.
Corvette is kinda in a league of its own right now. I can’t think of a car from any other manufacturer that competes price wise.
"Bytemite" (bytemite)
02/02/2017 at 15:07, STARS: 0
Ford should take the Fiesta and reassemble it to drive it backwards, and give it a low, two seat coupe or roadster body. Mid engine RWD 2 seater, done. It’d be perfect and honestly not cost any more than a FiST.
"Vítor" (vitorcesar)
02/02/2017 at 15:07, STARS: 0
The F-Type is just a couple of bucks more expensive, however it lacks over 100hp to the Corvette (340 vs 455)
"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
02/02/2017 at 15:39, STARS: 0
Ford still makes real 2 door sports cars
"WiscoProud" (wiscoproud)
02/02/2017 at 15:46, STARS: 0
They used to be competitors until the 2000's, then the price of the 911s kept increasing while the Corvettes stayed relatively level. Not sure if that says Corvettes are under priced, or 911s are overpriced (that’s exactly what it says).
"NJAnon" (NJAnon)
02/02/2017 at 18:24, STARS: 0
For us oppos? yeah that would be cool. unfortunately cletus, there are more non oppos existing around us so it won’t happen anytime soon.
Also the “competition” as we used to see has kind of withered and changed.
"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
02/02/2017 at 19:24, STARS: 0
You’re more comparing Corvette to Cayman on price.
I don’t see the Corvette as a “toy”, especially in it’s current guise. It’s a very daily-able car, not any less so than a 911.
"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
02/02/2017 at 19:30, STARS: 1
Eh.
You can’t slot it in under the Mustang, the economics don’t support it. You’d end up with something that underperforms for its price, and it’d be really hard to convince buyers to take a small sports car with crippled performance when the Mustang is on the same lot.
Above the Mustang maybe, but who is your customer? That would be a tough market to compete in. The Corvette dominates sales in its bracket, and I’m not convinced that Ford really has the reputation it needs to compete there. It’d be fun to see a Ford Corvette, but I don’t really see it happening when the Mustang has as much pull as it does. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Mustang line extend further into performance with more trims, sort of like Porsche does with the 911, but I don’t think the economics would support it.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
02/02/2017 at 21:39, STARS: 1
The Thunderbird never really was much of a Corvette competitor though. Other than two seats and a non-fixed roof, there wasn’t much in common.
The original Corvette was an attempt by GM to meld America’s growing fondness for British roadsters with the custom hot rod culture that was also springing up. It was small, light, and basic. Straight six engine, snap-in plastic side curtains instead of wind-up windows, simple interior, and very few comfort & convenience features (with the exception of the standard automatic, since GM didn’t have a suitable manual). The Corvette was also, initially, a sales disappointment and GM debated on whether or not to kill it off.
Ford learned from that mistake, and chose to do a “banker’s hot rod”. In contrast to the Corvette, the Thunderbird was heavy, plush, and luxurious (and came with a V8). It was intended to be the sort of car that a respectable, middle aged man with a management job could park in the office parking lot next to the CEO or pull up to the country club in without anybody raising a disapproving eyebrow. Ford also saved money (and made the lower volume body style viable) by sharing a lot more components with their existing full-size cars, which doing a true sports roadster would have precluded.
Not surprisingly, it sold significantly better than the Corvette. Then, Ford gilded the lily by adding a back seat and sold even more of them.
With the Thunderbird, Ford created an entirely new market segment - the personal luxury coupe. It took GM until into the 1960s to properly respond.
It was the start of what would be a pattern for Ford - identifying lucrative new market niches well before anyone else and having the segment all to themselves for years while GM stumbled around for a response. The Thunderbird was followed up with game changers like the Falcon, Mustang, LTD, Bronco, and Continental Mark III, all of which hit GM where they weren’t.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
02/03/2017 at 02:08, STARS: 0
Corvette vs Cayman the vette takes the cake, I am just shocked how cheap the base vettes are. The hills of Pennsylvania have distorted my view of what you can DD.