The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in October 1954 for the 1955 model year as a two-seat roadster. It is considered a collector's item, retaining its value very well for cars of its age. Its engine and powertrain have been considered mediocre and disappointing as well as too similar to the LS. The styling has been praised for its elegance and beauty, while its interior has been criticized for its extensive use of plastic. Retrospective reviews of the eleventh-generation Thunderbird tend to be mixed. No further generations of the Thunderbird have been produced, and with Ford ending production of all passenger cars in North America aside from the Mustang in 2020 due to increased sales in SUVs, will likely not be revived in its traditional form in the foreseeable future. Despite this auspicious introduction, it struggled in sales after its first year and Ford discontinued production in 2005 after introducing several concept cars to improve it, including the Lincoln MK9.

The production model debuted two years later to critical acclaim, winning the Motor Trend Car of the Year award for 2002. Part of a retro-styling boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the eleventh-generation Thunderbird's concept was introduced by Ford in 1999 to replace the tenth-generation Thunderbird that had been discontinued in 1997. It borrowed its mechanics heavily from the Lincoln LS, being built on the Ford DEW platform with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and powered by a 3.9-liter (240 cubic inch) V8 engine with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Designed to evoke the first-generation Thunderbird that had been made from 1955 to 1957, the eleventh-generation Thunderbird came with a removable hardtop with prominent circular glazing, a power folding top, and a vinyl tonneau cover. The eleventh generation of the Ford Thunderbird (internally codenamed M205 ) is a two-seat convertible manufactured and marketed by Ford from 2001 until 2005 for model years 2002 through 2005.

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