Ford Thunderbird MKVIII Photos, engines & full specs

Ford introduced the eighth generation of the Thunderbird for the 1980 model year, and while it was still a personal luxury coupe, it was far from the glorious model of the '60s.

During the late '70s, the CAFE agreement forced car manufacturers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles, and Ford decided to shrink the Thunderbird. Furthermore, that scale-down process didn't just affect the vehicle's length, which was smaller by 10% than its predecessor, but the engine lineup as well. The eighth generation of this nameplate was the first to sport a six-cylinder engine. These modifications drastically affected sales, and Ford could barely sell more than 280,000 units of it between 1980 and 1982, while its predecessor reached that number in its worst year, 1979. The eighth generation of the Thunderbird relied on a stretched version of the Fox platform used by the Mercury Cougar.

The car's front abounded in wedged shapes, with a massive grille in the middle that resembled the T-Bird's seventh generation. Ford also installed retractable covers for the twin double headlights of the car. A set of parking lights and blinkers flanked them on the front fenders. The bumper was partly body-colored, part chromed, and looked upscale, trying to fit into the "luxury" part of the coupe designation. While the vehicle's overall shape did fit the design trends of those times, it wasn't something special like its predecessors.

For the eighth generation of the T-Bird, Ford tried to copy and use some of the design lines of the seventh generation of the vehicle, but it ended up resembling the Fairmont. As a result, the car featured opera windows (into the C-pillars, behind the doors). Its slightly flared wheel arches on both axles and the trims that adorned the doors made the car easy to recognize. In addition, at the back, the taillights followed the same pattern as usual for the Thunderbird, with taller outer lamps connected via a red stripe.

Inside, Ford tried to provide a more luxurious vehicle with high-tech features for that era, such as the LED speedometer and fuel gauge. The front seats featured bolstered areas, while the seats in the back were adequate for children due to limited legroom. Customers could order the car with a cruise control system that could be activated via buttons on the steering wheel, which was uncommon in 1980.

Ford made the Thunderbird to fit into the corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE) agreement. The base engine for the coupe was a 4,2-liter V8, while a 5.0-liter powerplant was available. In addition, the automaker sold the car with a 3.3-liter inline-six or a 3.8-liter V6. By 1982, the 5.0-liter V8 was withdrawn from the market. All the power went to the rear wheels via a three- or four-speed automatic.