In 1956, the car Ford created to take on the Chevy Corvette was made ready for true battle. A 312-ci V-8 was added as an option to the 1956 Ford Thunderbird, capable of achieving 215 horsepower. The standard engine remained a 292-ci V-8 rated at 193 horsepower.

Ford produced 15,631 Thunderbirds for 1956, down slightly from the 16,155 produced in 1955. A popular car to restore due to its clean lines and interior creature comforts, the 1956 models remain in great demand. It went from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds in 1956, and with the proper car can still achieve these numbers today.