One of the more unheralded of vehicle classes has to be the large, comfortable coupe with some respectable performance under the hood. These often get lumped into the broader category of GT cars, but really, who’s actually spending a lot of time “touring” these days? There has to be another name for simply being comfortable with every convenience available to you, and having the option to kick the accelerator to the floor and enjoy some respectable thrust. This 1995 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe fits this description to a T, and it’s listed here on craigslist in what appears to be very nice condition for just $5,250.
The Porsche 928 is often cited as the peak GT car from the era, but I would argue that it was not trying to be a soft, comfortable road car. The same goes for the BMW 6-Series of the E24 era. Both of these models are often referred to as GTs, but when equipped with a 5-speed manual, their personalities were distinctly different. In the case of the Thunderbird, you could make the same argument: throw a stick shift into a supercharged Super Coupe like this one, and the driving experience became significantly more dynamic, with a 0-60 time safely under 8 seconds.
While this one has the optional automatic, it doesn’t change what was happening under the hood. Ford equipped the Thunderbird with Roots-type Eaton supercharger, an intercooler, and other enhancements to extract 210 b.h.p. and 315 lb-ft of torque from the 3.8-liter V-6. A top speed of 140 miles per hour was noted by road test editors, and if you opted for the standard 5-speed manual, you were treated to a smooth-shifting Mazda-built assembly. The seller notes that in the case of his car, the 4R70W transmission has been rebuilt and “upgraded.”
With 105,160 miles on the clock, this is certainly on the lower side for a driver, and the interior is holding up well. I would toss those non-matching floor mats and straighten out the seat belts before photographing the interior to make it look slightly tidier. The Thunderbird was the last of an era, as the rear-wheel drive, big-body coupes were certainly aging out. The Super Coupe, or simply stated SC, is a terrific choice for a comfortable cruiser that can still kick the dust up when needed, and this one seems fairly priced. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the find.
Nice looking Super Coupe. Jeff’s write-up illustrates that these were pretty good at what they were: a big, comfortable coupe with respectable performance. I’d prefer a manual transmission, I think the spoiler detracts from the sleek styling, and I’m not sure about the pinstriping. Good ad. Not expensive.
“,but really, who’s actually spending a lot of time “touring” these days?”
^This made me laugh and might be my favorite quote I’ve ever read on Barn Finds, Jeff. I’ve often thought the same thing in regards to “GT” style vehicles. :D