Jumping on the "Retro Look" bandwagon, started by Volkswagen with the new Beetle, Ford used the new Jaguar S-Type/Lincoln LS rear-wheel drive platform to make a modern interpretation of the classic '57 Thunderbird sports car. Complete with a "porthole" rear window, the '99 version succeeds in capturing the look of the original, while also looking like a modern luxury coupe/convertible.
The car was seen at most of the major motorshows of 1999, and as it proved to be popular with both the motoring press and public alike, Ford is now putting the new T-Bird into production.
This model is by Maisto, and as such is priced at the lower end of the 1:18th scale market. The interior is reasonably well detailed and the finish of the bodywork is ok. Criticisms include the lights, which look very plasticky (a common problem with Maisto models) and the hardtop, which is supposed to be removable, but which does not appear to come off easily. After trying for a while, I decided to leave well enough alone for fear of breaking it. The wheels are fairly crude and seem to be a bit wonky on my model! It is a cheap model however, and does capture the look of the real car quite well.
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