FORD · FORD THUNDERBIRD · Cars

FORD THUNDERBIRD Rare

As of 2026 Q1, 346 FORD THUNDERBIRDs remain registered in the UK — a genuinely rare sight on today's roads. Numbers are at their highest recorded level since the model first appeared in our data in 2014 Q3. Unusually, the numbers are actually rising — up 15 (4.5%) over the past year, as imports and barn-finds rejoin the register faster than cars leave it.

FORD THUNDERBIRD car — UK survivor photo — Photo: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA / CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Surviving in the UK · 2026 Q1

346

252 licensed94 SORN

▲ 15 (+4.5%) yr/yr

Peak: 346 in 2026 Q1 · first seen 2014 Q3

Survivors over time

How rare is it?

Rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (346 in the latest data).

Rarer than 47% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.

Fuel breakdown

Of the 346 on the road today

Petrol 100%Diesel 0%

Trend

Numbers are broadly stable — no clear decline to project. Often a sign of a cherished, well-preserved model.

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About the THUNDERBIRD

The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001. Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the T-Bird, the model was introduced as a two-seat convertible, subsequently offered variously in a host of body styles including as a four-seat hardtop coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five-passenger pillared coupe, before returning in its final generation, again as a two-seat convertible...

Source: Wikipedia, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FORD THUNDERBIRD — questions & answers

How many FORD THUNDERBIRD are left in the UK?

As of 2026 Q1, 346 FORD THUNDERBIRD were still registered in the UK — 252 licensed and on the road, plus 94 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.

Is the FORD THUNDERBIRD rare?

The FORD THUNDERBIRD is rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (346), making it rarer than 47% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.

Is the FORD THUNDERBIRD increasing or decreasing?

Over the last year the number of FORD THUNDERBIRD on UK roads rose by 15 (4.5%).

What fuel do most FORD THUNDERBIRD use?

Most FORD THUNDERBIRD run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.

When did the FORD THUNDERBIRD peak?

The FORD THUNDERBIRD peaked at 346 registered in 2026 Q1, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.