No brand has a place in automotive history like Ford. Not only did they essentially start the whole industry in America, but they also have some of the most iconic models in history and continue to lead the latest trends in the industry. While we all love innovations in terms of new capabilities, technology, and even entirely new models, I think we can all agree that some models in history simply can’t be matched or re-created today. If you take a gander at a used Ford for sale, you’ll see a wide range of vehicles ranging from vintage to modern, capturing distinctly different eras in automotive history. You may notice that the retired models from years past offer a certain allure that even the freshest, newest models do not. Sometimes the future lies in the past, and there are some models that I want back. While technology is objectively more advanced and engineering has come a long way, some historic models captured something truly special, regardless of performance specs or technology. These models hearken back to key moments in automotive history, whether due to nostalgic value or unique design features. Let’s take a look at some iconic discontinued Ford models that we all want back.
Thunderbird
Imagine that it’s February 20th, 1954. You’re in Detroit at the first auto show held in the city since World War II, and you see for the very first time a Ford vehicle with a sporty, modern edge. You don’t yet know that this car will become an acclaimed classic, maintaining its popularity even 70 years later, but you know that you’ve never seen anything like it before, so you ask a Ford representative what it’s called, and he says, “Thunderbird.”
As one of history’s most iconic and recognizable nameplates, we must thank Ford for choosing that name. Struggling to find a name for their new sports car, one of the options thrown around was “Beaver.” This is open to debate, but I don’t know if the Ford Beaver would have landed as significant a place in history as the Ford Thunderbird. We’ll never know, so let’s be thankful that things turned out as they did.
The Ford Thunderbird is perhaps a classic like no other. It’s hard to think of a long-retired nameplate as iconic and beloved today as this iconic sports car. While the idea was born of Ford’s desire to offer a true sports car, the Thunderbird’s emphasis was on comfort and convenience. When making its debut at the aforementioned Detroit auto show, the price point was between $2,695 and $4,000. If only new sports cars were priced that way today, we’d probably all own one. However, the average household income in 1954 was $2,300, more than a year’s salary for most people, so relatively speaking, that was not much different from today.
The Thunderbird (often nicknamed the T-Bird) evolved and only grew in popularity until production officially ceased in the 1990s, but that’s a good, long run of almost 40 years. No doubt, this iconic sports car captured style like no other vehicle can and will always have a special place in history, and we’d love to have it back.
Taurus
Perhaps the Taurus called my name for this list simply because I love jelly beans, but anyone who knows anything about the Taurus knows there’s a reason it was a fan-favorite in its day. Upon its release in 1985, the Taurus was cutting-edge in the automotive industry for offering a new kind of vehicle shape. While many cars offered a traditional boxy shape up to that point, the Taurus offered a brand-new, performance-oriented aerodynamic shape that riveted car enthusiasts with its innovative design. This shape earned the Taurus its beloved nickname of “Jelly Bean.”
Upon the release of the Taurus, drivers were pleased to find that the car lived up to its exciting shape. It became a hit to the degree that the 1991 second-generation Tauruja became Ford’s best-selling vehicle at that time. By today’s standards, the Taurus doesn’t look like the type of vehicle you’d expect to rip out the top specs on the race track. One could argue that it looks more like a dated sedan. You may be surprised to know that in 1998, the Taurus became the first four-door sedan approved by NASCAR. I can’t speak to the entire process of becoming approved by NASCAR, but I know that it’s not easy, especially seeing as 1998 was the first time a four-door sedan was approved.
The Taurus shook the world with amazing performance capability in a newly-designed model. Nothing will ever quite be able to deliver that same novelty again. While the Taurus was officially retired from the US in 2019, it continues to be produced as a fan-favorite in the Middle East. Perhaps this should give us hope that someday we could have the Taurus back in the US.
GT40
The Ford GT is still going strong today. However, there’s nothing like the original GT40 designed in reaction to Ford and Ferrari ceasing their collaboration on a racing vehicle. With the collaboration in 1963, Ford rushed to have something complete for the 1964 Le Mans race. Ford got the GT40 done in time, and it could deliver impressively high speeds. However, there were some aerodynamic issues, making it hard to control at high speeds, and endurance issues, causing all three of Ford’s entered vehicles to tap out 12 hours into the required 24 hours of racing.
Ford used this initial failure as a learning moment, so they returned and were determined to get it right. They sure did get it right, as the 1966 race concluded with Ford dethroning Ferrari as the victor of Le Mans, with the new and improved GT40 winning the race. Furthermore, the GT40 continued to win for four consecutive years through 1969. Most people think of Ferrari as the highest and best in racing vehicles, but if Ford could beat Ferrari in 1966, think of how much they could do with the GT40 today.
Thankfully, we don’t have to imagine too much as Ford continues to develop exciting GT racing vehicles today. If Ford released a vintage GT40, they wouldn’t be available for long. We’d all like to get behind the wheel of this four-time Le Mans champion.
Looking Back
Sometimes a vehicle is more than just a machine for transportation. Sometimes a vehicle offers something truly unique and captures an era. Throughout automotive history, many models have come and gone, forgotten by most, and nobody would look at them and think, “Those were the days.” Some vehicles instantly transport you to a bygone era, capturing a significant moment in history and serving as a catalyst for nostalgia, education, and reflection. As a consistent leader in the US market, Ford has produced many of those heavy hitters. While we’ve touched on a few here today, Ford has plenty of other models that could be considered timeless and models we would certainly want back. Even the three we’ve looked at today take us back to a different moment in history, showing us how far the industry has come and how great it used to be. We may never get these vehicles back, but it is worth looking back to see what’s come before to give us an idea of what may come in the future.
