The thread about "building your dream car" got me thinking about a thread that could have some potential.

I call it "The Phoenix Project" and the purpose of the exercise is to take a marque that is dead or dying and try to revitalize it for this modern day. These could be icons that have long faded into history, or models that are stumbling along and a mere shell of what they once were.

Your job is to design a new <insert model> for today's marketplace.

Think about it from an real world perspective. Which parts would you pull from the parts bin? What would be bespoke? What would it's competitors be? What would it's goal be? Heck, what might it look like?

Some things to consider (just to name a few):

Layout
Curb Weight
Engine
Transmission
Brakes
Chassis
Interior
Competitors
Price


First model is coming up in a bit...

 

The first model: Ford Thunderbird

The poor Ford Thunderbird. What started out as a legitimate competitor for the Corvette has had a much more confusing lineage than its fiberglass competitor. Starting out at a 2 seat sports car, it mutated into a 2+2 GT and then was represented as a shoddy luxury GT cruiser.

With Ford back on track, the (hypothetical) powers that be have decided that it is time to reintroduce this model.

So, you have been designed to lay out the general concept for the next Ford Thunderbird. Where will you take it? Lux? Legit Vette competitor? Green sports car?

Have at it!

 

Thunderbird wouldn't be a bad project. Big problem with the last one was lack of power. Could put it on a shortened Mustang platform and use the Mustang driveline. Interior by Lincoln and you've got a start. Maybe an IRS to soften up the ride a little, but it depends on the price point you want to hit. What do you figure, high 40s to low 50s? Would need to put all the stuff in it, heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel, great infotainment set-up, etc. Needs to look special, sophisticated high performance. Would be a true GT, something you could drive across country and be comfortable.

 

Ok, here is my proposal for the next Thunderbird

Layout: nothing too fancy, I don't want to rock the boat too much with this model, so I am going to keep it basic- front mid-engine, RWD

Engine: Ecoboost V-6 from the SHO with power boosted to 400/400


Transmission: 6-speed from the Mustang, 6-speed auto from the SHO

Brakes: Brembos from the Mustang BOSS

Wheels:


Interior: Ford MyTouch standard, lightweight buckets, sunroof, targa and convertibler configurations

Curb weight: 3300 lbs

Price: $45,000

Competitors: Corvette, Cayman, Z4, TT-S

 

The thunderbird will be hard to resurrect. It's a big 2 seater coupe, meant for cruising, but of course has some sport injected into it. It as a styling success when it was introduced and was considered to be a cool car. The fundamental problem Ford will run into now is that people (or at least enough people) cannot appreciate a good design without the reassurance of marketing, i.e. brand name. It won't have back seats, it won't be faster than, and won't necessarily be cooler looking or more comfortable than a mustang. The only types of two seat cars that will sell must have some kind of dedicated purpose like a truck or sportscar, and if it's going to be large, then it better have back seats.
So then you style it, no matter how good the design, it will always polarize critics, so it will have limited appeal, not to mention short lived appeal.
So the only thing that comes to mind that's like this is the XLR and the SL without the back seats. I don't know what platform they would use, a modified mustang platform would work, but it would need IRS for a more compliant ride. Definitely will need a powerful motor to make it legit. But the styling is probably the most important thing.

 

Yummy. How about a Pantera with a hotted up Ford Coyote motor (like the Boss but with more displacement)? Probably have to steal the transxle from a vette. I like the over-the-top Group 4 racer appearance (wing, we need more wing!) but even the stock clean lines work for me. I suppose you could say the recent Ford GT came close to this concept, but with a blown motor.

 

Supra, NSX, S2000

On another note, a modern GNX would be pretty cool, buick pretty much has access to everything it would need more or less, and a luxury coupe out of their stable is due.

 

Honda Prelude

Something more reminiscent of the BB2 platform than the BB6 (looked way too girly).

SH-AWD but modified to either something like the 4matic but FWD based, or a way to switch between normal FWD and AWD. Reason being to meet increasing EPA/CAFE standards. Something close to the EcoBoost v6 (something green and mean, NOT like the cr-fail) that can rev to 7500-8k, Curb weight at ~2900-3200lbs, a 2+2 w/ doors a la RX8, I'd modify the rear though definitely that was the only downside to the BB2. Definitely keep the elongated front end and low profile. Infact the front could remain relatively unchanged (except of course with 2011 styling cues). S's tranny/shifter for the 6MT, Some sort of DSG/PDK setup for a Auto/Paddle. The S brakes would be plenty; or a brembo package upgrade on an Si model.

The BB2 Prelude was one of my favorite 'normal' cars from the 90's

 

Miata + K24 = who wants to play?

 

This is probably beating a dead horse, but I would really like to see Nissan release a new 240SX under the Silvia name.

It would be a competitor to the FT86/ FR-S, to compete in the affordable FR market. It would be interesting to see them use the Juke's engine in a car that weighs in at about 2800 lbs while utilizing a RWD layout. There could be a higher end model that utilizes Ray's Engineering wheels (like the 370Z) and Nismo parts.

Nissan appears to be trying to appeal to the younger generation of car buyers with the Juke's marketing and design. A Silvia with a Scion-ish/Juke interior would be a good addition to their line up; especially considering the SE-R is not selling that well.