- The Ford Thunderbird Supercharged concept will be auctioned off next month without reserve.
- It debuted at the 2003 LA Auto Show and has a supercharged 3.9-liter V8 engine with 390 hp.
- Despite its historical significance, the current owner spent around $45,000 retrofitting it for “improved street use.”
If the Ford Thunderbird Italien show car was a little too old for your liking, perhaps the Thunderbird Supercharged concept will be right up your alley. It debuted at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show and will go under the hammer at Broad Arrow’s Chattanooga Auction next month.
Originally intended to preview a potential new addition to the Thunderbird lineup, the concept has a supercharged 3.9-liter V8 engine with 390 hp (291 kW / 395 PS) and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque. At the time, Ford said this transformed the T-Bird from a “grand touring car into a performance-minded sports roadster.”
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Besides being far more powerful than the standard model, the concept sports a unique front fascia and a ventilated power dome hood. They’re joined by new front fenders and a special rear bumper that has exhaust tips mounted on either side of the license plate recess.
Designers and engineers also lowered the suspension and gave the concept a bespoke set of 18-inch wheels. The taillights are also unique to the model, which sports an eye-catching Machine Silver paint job.
Broad Arrow Auctions
Ford’s original press release provided limited details about the chamois-tinted leather interior, but it noted the car has polished and brushed chrome accents as well as painted Machine Silver flourishes. We can also see Supercharged badging as well as 385 miles (620 km) on the odometer.
While concepts are rare and should never be messed with, the listing says the current owner “invested significantly in enhancing the concept’s practicality and streetability.” They reportedly spent around $45,000 to transform it from a “pure show concept into a more functional vehicle suitable for road use.” That’s tragic and it will be interesting to see if the move caused the value to plummet.
Speaking of value, the roadster is being offered without reserve and is expected to fetch between $40,000 and $60,000. While that price range seems in line with the $57,750 it commanded back in 2014, let’s not forget that, accounting for inflation, that figure today is closer to $78,000.
