1957 Ford Thunderbird
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Dubbed a 'a personal car of distinction' by Ford, this title was also used by the motoring press at the time. The car built upon the heritage of the bespoke roadsters of the 1930s, yet was constructed of existing components, marking the first step toward the evolution of the personal luxury car as a mass market segment in the United States. While light weight for its era and fitted with a standard V8 engine, the Thunderbird focused more on driver comfort than speed, and was not a direct rival to either the Corvette or European sports cars. The Thunderbird proved more suited to the American market than the Corvette, with sales of 16,155, versus 674 Corvettes in 1955. For the 1957 model year, the front bumper was reshaped, the grille and tailfins were made larger, and larger taillights were fitted. A new option was 'Dial-o-Matic' 4-way power seats that would move rearward when the ignition was turned off to allow easier exit and entry. Engine-turned aluminum trim lines the dashboard face and door panels, and equipment includes a floor-mounted shifter, air...