Since the Thunderbird was the sportiest model in Ford's lineup during the 50's, it found its way onto the racetracks of the USA.

In comparison with European models it didn't handle as well, but it was able to take advantage of available tuning parts such as the McCulloch compressor to ensure an eye-popping performance. The T-bird was able to soar from 0 to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds.