1985 Ford Thunderbird Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The 1985 Ford Thunderbird was offered in a special 30th Anniversary Edition, with distinctive blue paint, jazzy racing stripes, and the 5.0 liter Windsor V-8 engine. This special 'Aero Bird' was a much more fitting inheritor of the T-Bird mystique than some of its disappointing 'Box Bird' predecessors of the early 1980s!

Regular trim offerings for the '85 Thunderbird included the Heritage, FILA, Elan, and Turbo Coupe. The interior of the 1985 Thunderbird saw a pretty significant redesign, while the exterior got a few tweaks here and there, including yet another new look for the front grille and rear taillights.

Under the hood, the '85 Ford Thunderbird shipped off the line with the 3.8 liter Essex V-6, clocking at 110 horsepower; an upgrade to the 5.0 liter Windsor V8 brought 140 horsepower. As for the Turbo Coupe's turbocharged 4-cylinder, a reengineering brought that all the way up to a 155-horsepower output.

The mid-eighties 'Aero Birds' had finally found that sweet spot in the automotive market of the day. With the look and feel of a European-style sport performance car, the comfort and options range of a luxury vehicle, and the fuel efficiency of a family sedan, the 1985 Ford Thunderbird was an easy sell. You'll still find some of these beauties on the streets today: their low-to-the-ground styling and solid construction make them favorites with the tuner and low-rider crowd.