Although the ninth-generation Ford Thunderbird is by no means the best-remembered, this example from 1987 has an ace up its sleeve. In the 36 years since it left the factory, it has driven just 3,000 miles (4,828 km).
Finished in a gleaming shade of Dark Shadow Blue over matching cloth upholstery, the car was first delivered to Packey Webb Ford in Wheaton, Illinois. Over the course of its life, it spent time there, in North Carolina, and finally in California, where it is now being sold.
It’s unclear what circumstances led this Ford to do almost no driving in that time, but the result is a stunningly clean car. In the last year, though, 400 miles (644 km) were put on the Thunderbird by its latest owner, who purchased the car in 2022, according to the Bring A Trailer listing.
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Powered by a 5.0-liter V8, the Thunderbird Sport makes a pretty measly 155 hp (115 kW/157 PS), but a meatier 265 lb-ft (359 Nm) of torque. Power is funneled to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission that has a pretty nifty cane-handle gear selector.
Above that, Ford saw fit to equip the Thunderbird with aluminum trim that actually looks pretty good. It also has tiny digital screens in the instrument cluster, though their cyberpunk style is pretty cool. Modern drivers will be able to listen to music on cassettes or their phones, thanks to an aftermarket Bluetooth adapter.
As you might expect, given how little driving this car has done, it presents shockingly well. The paint is in solid condition, there are no signs of rust on the undercarriage, and the cloth seats have little to no wear.
It’s a remarkable example of a not terrible remarkable car (sorry Thunderbird fans), which presents buyers with an interesting question. Do the Thunderbird name and the lack of miles make this otherwise dull car worth anything, or can those factors only do so much?
