IN THIS FEATURE Early days Popular personal luxury The Squarebird Projectile styling Growing again Ugly duckling Aerodynamic phase Temporary retirement New Thunderbird

The 1958 Thunderbird was instantly dubbed the "Squarebird" for its rectangular roofline and boxy dimensions. Over 30 inches longer than its predecessor and significantly heavier, it was fitted with a 300bhp 352 cubic-inch V8 and a new three-speed Cruise-o-matic auto gearbox. Built on a new unitary frame construction, the new car promised excellent cabin space. It was awarded "Car of the Year" by Motor Trend magazine for its interior packaging, but few would argue that it was pretty - design chief for the original car, Frank Hershey, had resigned after he lost the battle to keep the T-bird a two-seater. All the same, nearly 48,500 were sold in fixed-head coupe, convertible or, from 1960, 'Landau' form with sliding sunroof. Prices started from around $3,330, though $5,200 was considered an average delivery price.