Chat Transcript

<Edmunds_Moderator> Hello everyone! Welcome to our Special Event Chat with Mickey D'Armi, brand manager of FORD Thunderbird and FORD Mustang. We are thrilled to have him here to answer your questions about the exciting new 2002 Thunderbird! Please submit your question(s) and he will answer as many as he can.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Mr. D'Armi thanks so much for being here! We are looking forward to hearing all about the 2002 Ford Thunderbird. Before we start with our member's questions though, let's talk about your career with Ford. Your bio states you started out 5 years ago as the official web master of Ford Motor Company's Web site. How did you your career change from web development to becoming the brand manager of not only the FORD Thunderbird, but also the FORD Mustang?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Indirectly is the short answer.

<Mickey_D'Armi> In between the two jobs I participated in the original organization of Ford into Brand management of Ford, which got me working on specific vehicle programs.

<Mickey_D'Armi> I spent the last 3 years at Ford racing, which was obviously very exciting, it's been a great transition to managing Mustang and Thunderbird.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Enthusiasts are very easy to relate to, especially someone with a performance background, and it's been great to be involved with both of the brands that elicit so much passion with the consumers.

<Mickey_D'Armi> The most interesting part about being involved with the mustang and thunderbird brands, they're both the easiest and hardest jobs to have.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Easy because I love the brands so much, they're very exciting, but very challenging because enthusiasts are so passionate and so demanding that you feel an obligation to get it right.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: The original Thunderbird sold for between $2,695 - $4,000.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Kirstie: How is the new Thunderbird expected to stack up reliability-wise?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Kirstie: I think we'll find that the Thunderbird will be extremely reliable and an exciting car to drive, as well as a unique driving experience. It is sporty but sporty in a more relaxed sense.


<Mickey_D'Armi> It's the kind of vehicle that is just downright fun to drive!

<Edmunds_Moderator> For those of you who have just joined us, Welcome to our Special Event Chat with Mickey D'Armi, brand manager of FORD Thunderbird and FORD Mustang. We are thrilled to have him here to answer your questions about the exciting new 2002 Thunderbird! Please submit your
question(s) and he will answer as many as he can.

<Edmunds_Moderator> BobMcD: How about performance: HP, speed, handling, etc. Can you give us an idea of what to expect behind the wheel?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Bob: We're not really prepared to release performance numbers, but I will say that I have driven the car on numerous occasions and have found it to be very responsive?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Plenty of performance, outstanding driving dynamics, and a really really fun car to drive, especially with the top down.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Kirstie: What do you feel gives the Thunderbird a competitive edge?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Kirstie: I think the first thing that comes to mind is the power of the Thunderbird brand, the heritage, the genuineness of the vehicle, the fact that it is very comfortable, sporty, but with a relaxed sportiness. It has a timeless styling.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It's the kind of vehicle that you love to be in, and be noticed in it.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It's just a blast to be behind the wheel!

<Edmunds_Moderator> Alan: I am planning on getting one of these new Thunderbirds. When do they go on the market and what will the sticker price be approximately?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Alan: It will go on sale next summer

<Mickey_D'Armi> Although we have not released pricing, I think you'll find pricing in a range between the mid to upper 30s.


<Edmunds_Moderator> Pierre Blais: How many 2002 Birds will be built in the first production year?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Pierre: We're looking for first production model run of between 20 and 30 thousand units.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Don: Will the convertible top have latches or will it screw into the top of the windshield as my 1991 Infiniti M30 does. I like this system very much.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Don: The convertible top will latch to the top of the windshield.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: Three 1955 Thunderbird's traveled the US this summer logging 9,000 miles to promote the introduction of the 2002 Thunderbird. 120,000 people logged onto the Ford site during the tour.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nancy Wolfe: Will the thunderbird be offered with more than one choice of transmission?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nancy: The thunderbird will come standard, with a five-speed automatic.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Donna: Do you plan on using any of your e-commerce experience to market the Thunderbird? And how will you use the power of the Internet?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Donna: We would certainly like to use any and all communication channels that we have available to interact with our Thunderbird customers and enthusiasts.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Without giving away all of the surprise, we will be using the Thunderbird website as we get closer to launch, to connect with our customers and give them information.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Jerry: What will standard features be? I want to get one with leather seats.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Jerry: Thunderbird will come standard with leather seats.

<Mickey_D'Armi> All of the vehicles will be very well equipped, there will actually be very few options.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Our research told us most of the target customers didn't want to be bothered with choosing between all kinds of different options.


<Mickey_D'Armi> They want the vehicle to be very well equipped up front, to make a few customized choices, but to get out there on the road as quickly as possible.

<Mickey_D'Armi> We think consumers will be pleasantly surprised with how well equipped the vehicle is.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Peter Tarantino: Will there be a standard engine or a choice?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Peter: there will be one power train.

<Mickey_D'Armi>The vehicle will come standard with a 3.9 liter V8 with the 5 speed automatic, again to eliminate complexity and give the customers the vehicle they want, right up front.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: Just as in 1955, the Ford Blue Oval does not appear anywhere on the exterior of the Thunderbird. The Ford oval only appears on the door scuff plate.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Richard L. Garamo: What are exterior and interior that will be available? How about trunk space? Are there any brochures available yet? What is the earliest they can be ordered?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Richard: exterior colors: there will be 5: Inspiration Yellow, Torch Red, Thunderbird Blue, Evening Black, and Whisper White.

<Mickey_D'Armi> The standard interior is black, but as an option you will be able to choose interior color accent packages to match the exterior of the vehicle
that will include seat inserts, door panels, lower instrument panel, top of the steering wheel, and shift knob.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Trunk is big enough to put two bags of golf clubs in-- almost 7 cubic feet.

<Mickey_D'Armi> The dealers should have brochures available now.

<Mickey_D'Armi> There may be a few dealers who have not received them, but most should have them by now, so you can ask your local dealer for a brochure.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Some dealers are taking orders now. Our plan is to accept orders from the dealers beginning in January.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Jerry: Yes, I am interested in purchasing via the Internet. Will I be able to place an order ahead of time? Everything I've read says they will be so popular they are a sure sell-out
<Mickey_D'Armi> Jerry: All of our vehicle sales and orders will go through Ford dealers.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Every dealer is guaranteed at least one Thunderbird (many will receive more than that, obviously).

<Mickey_D'Armi> Your best bet is to start with larger dealers and try to get on a list.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Dave: What will the rear end gearing be as far as horsepower?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Dave: We are still finalizing engine calibrations and have not released any horsepower figures as of yet.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Stay tuned for the Detroit auto show in January, when horsepower and performance numbers will be made available.

<Edmunds_Moderator> For those of you who have just joined us, Welcome to our Special Event Chat with Mickey D'Armi, brand manager of FORD Thunderbird and FORD Mustang. We are thrilled to have him here to answer your questions about the exciting new 2002 Thunderbird! Please submit your question(s) and he will answer as many as he can.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Molly Hovorka: what about the sound system?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Molly: it'll have an in-dash 6 CD changer.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It's a 360-watt Audiophile system.

<Mickey_D'Armi> it sounds GREAT, even with the top down.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: Three 1955 Thunderbird's traveled the US this summer logging 9,000 miles to promote the introduction of the 2002 Thunderbird. 120,000 people logged onto the Ford site during the tour.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nancy Wolfe: Will there be a way to test-drive the vehicle, if they're all pre-sold?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nancy: That will be up to the individual dealers, but my guess is that early on, it's going to be tough to get a test drive.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Maybe a little later when more vehicles become available, you may have better luck.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Our guess is that a lot of these vehicles already have buyers lined up.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nathan: One of my concerns would be in safety. How many airbags?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nathan: It has second-generation driver and right-front airbags.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Daisy: Where can I get all of the specifications?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Daisy: We will release the entire Thunderbird story including full model specifications in January 2001 at the Detroit Auto show. We will post all new news at www.fordvehicles.com <http://www.fordvehicles.com>.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Pierre Blais: How about tires: Size, type and road test.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Pierre: P235/50 VR17 All Season Tires will be standard on the car.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Audience: Don't miss the debut of our new Member-to-Member Chat THIS Friday, November 10th, 5-6:00pmPT (8-9:00pmET).

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nathan: Is there an official Thunderbird 2002 website yet?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nathan: We do have preliminary information at www.fordvehicles.com and as we reveal the car to the public at the Detroit auto show in January, the website will be updated with all the vehicles features, specifications and functions.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: 2 hours and 15 minutes is the total time in 2000 it took to sell 200 Neiman Marcus Edition Thunderbirds (2002 MY).

<Edmunds_Moderator> Carl: Could I command in January too if I live in Canada?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Carl: Do you mean command an order? A limited number of Thunderbirds will also be on sale in Canada and should be available in showrooms in Summer 2001 as well.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nancy Wolfe: Is the first year a smaller production run? Any idea yet of second-model year production?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nancy: Production should remain fairly steady, between 20 and 30 thousand units.
<Edmunds_Moderator> Alan: Wow I am looking at that Fun Fact...2 hrs and 15 minutes to sell 200? Do you think demand will exceed your expectations? Sort of like how the desire for the Chrysler PT Cruiser went ballistic and everyone wanted one?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Alan: I guess I'd have to say at this point; nothing would surprise me about Thunderbird!

<Mickey_D'Armi> None of us expected the tremendous interest we got for the Neiman Marcus Thunderbirds. Over 50,000 people tried to order 200 cars in the first hour alone, so if that is any indication, I would imagine that demand for Thunderbird in its first year will probably exceed supply.

<Mickey_D'Armi> The Thunderbird enthusiasts continue to amaze me with their passion for the product and for the brand.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Audience: Please take our Ford T-bird Survey at the end of the chat by clicking on the banner at the top of your chat screen.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Aea: How heavy is the removable top?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Aea: The top weighs a little over 80 lbs.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It is designed for 2 people to remove and install, but it will come standard with a rack to store the top on when its not in use, and a nice cover.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Richard L. De Garamo: I think it is great that FORD is finally coming out with a new image in body styling, rather than following the trend of other manufacturers! Was that a concerted effort on the part of FORD?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Richard: I think the beauty of the 2002 Thunderbird styling is the way that it achieved such a great balance between the heritage styling cues and modern design influences.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It would have been easy to copy the shapes of the classic Thunderbirds, but it took real art to combine elements of the heritage styling with more modern influences.

<Mickey_D'Armi> We ended up a classic design that embraces the best of the old and the best of the new.

<Mickey_D'Armi> There were a few specific cues we knew we wanted to include, like the porthole window, egg crate grill, reverse wedge styling and afterburner tail lights and I think the result is pure magic.

<Edmunds_Moderator> BobF: Do you have a rough idea on price in Canada?

<Mickey_D'Armi> BobF: No, I really don't , but I'm sure that by January, when we release pricing with a car here in the U.S. that Canadian dealers will have their pricing as well.

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: Thunderbird features afterburner tail lamps, which were modeled after jets. Designers of the 50's were enamored with them (jets).

<Edmunds_Moderator> Jerry: how simple will the hardtop be to remove and install? I've never utilized a convertible with a hard top.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Jerry: I 'd say it's fairly simple.

<Mickey_D'Armi> The installation and removal goes very smoothly with two people.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Dealers will be provided a video to instruct Thunderbird customers the easiest way to install and remove the top.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Audience: Don't miss the debut of our new Member-to-Member Chat THIS Friday, November 10th, 5-6:00pmPT (8-9:00pmET).

<Edmunds_Moderator> Mr. D'Armi, we're getting a few more questions in here about interior and exterior color options from people who have just joined us. Can you repeat those color options for our audience again please?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Evening Black, Inspiration Yellow, Thunderbird Blue, Torch Red and Whisper White.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Note: Inspiration Yellow and Thunderbird Blue will have limited delivery dates.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Daisy: I'm curious - Are those the original colors?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Those are some of the original names. When we researched the original colors they were flat compared to the way people remembered them. These colors represent how people remembered the Thunderbird colors.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Carl: Will the car include the rear seat for a young child?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Carl: There are no rear seats, but there is a storage area behind the front seats that we are calling a package shelf.
<Mickey_D'Armi> There is enough room there for small parcels or a briefcase.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Nancy Wolfe: I planning on going to the show in Detroit. Will it be there the first day of the show?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Nancy: The Thunderbirds will be ready and waiting during the entire Detroit Auto Show!

<Mickey_D'Armi> There will be a number of them that will be accessible to the public, so you can get inside and experience the look and feel of the vehicle.

<Mickey_D'Armi> We'll also have some exciting interactive displays that I think will surprise and delight Thunderbird customers.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Kirstie: I love the look of this car! Will it be on display at any other auto shows after Detroit where I can see it up close?

<Edmunds_Moderator> FUN FAQ: When researching the original colors people remembered them as bright and vivid when they were actually flat.

<Mickey_D'Armi> Kirstie: Yes, it will be going to a number of auto shows around the country.

<Mickey_D'Armi> We will hopefully be publishing a list of the auto shows where people can see the Thunderbird very soon.

<Mickey_D'Armi> It is our intent to get the vehicles in front of as many people around the country as we possibly can.

<Edmunds_Moderator> George: I would buy the car if it had a manual transmission. Why are you not offering this option?

<Mickey_D'Armi> George: Our research told us that there are a number of enthusiasts who would enjoy a manual transmission option, but the percentage of those enthusiasts was very small and the projected take rate would not justify the cost.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Richard L. De Garamo: Is the Thunderbird a mix of metal & plastic or fiberglass also?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Richard: It is a mixture of a variety of metals, as well as some composite materials

<Edmunds_Moderator> Carl: Is the speed control included with the standard equipment?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Carl: Yes speed control is standard.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Pierre Blais: where is the car made?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Pierre: the vehicle will be produced at our Wixom plant here in Michigan.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Don: Will the convertible have an automatic boot?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Don: The retractable convertible top will have a manually installed soft tonneau cover.

<Edmunds_Moderator> George: So to get a roadster with a manual, I need to buy foreign? How do I give my feedback to your researchers that there are LOTS of buyers here in the U.S. wanting to buy manual?

<Mickey_D'Armi> George: once we have launched the car, we will be conducting research with customers and prospective customers, some of which we may conduct via the web at www.fordvehicles.com <http://www.fordvehicles.com>, and if we feel that offering a manual transmission is worth revisiting, we might do that, but as of right now, our research does not bear that out.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Daisy: Will the new Thunderbird be rear-wheel drive?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Yes, the Thunderbird will be rear-wheel drive. It will share architecture with other Ford Motor Company products. Traction control will be an optional feature.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Gary Schwieterman: All pictures of the car are with either the top down or hardtop on. In your opinion, what does it look like with convertible top up?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Gary: I think the retractable convertible top looks great up, but I'm kind of partial to riding with the top down.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Audience: Please take our Ford T-bird Survey at the end of the chat by clicking on the banner at the top of your chat screen.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Thanks for all your great questions in here tonight folks! We have time for just one more this evening...

<Edmunds_Moderator> Richard L. De Garamo: What type of warranty will the Thunderbird have?

<Mickey_D'Armi> Richard: it will come with our standard Ford Motor Company vehicle warranty.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Mr. D'Armi, thank you for joining us and telling us about the all-new 2002 Ford Thunderbird! What anticipation and excitement you have brought to us in chatting about this American dream car! Again, thank you and we look forward to chatting with you again soon!

<Mickey_D'Armi> I'd like to thank everyone who joined in this evening.

<Mickey_D'Armi> More information will be forthcoming in the next few months.

<Mickey_D'Armi> I hope everyone can bear with us until the Detroit Auto show when everything will be revealed, but I can assure you that it will be worth the wait!

<Mickey_D'Armi> Good night!

<Edmunds_Moderator> Members, thank you for stopping by and joining this Special Event Chat with Mickey D'Armi, brand manager of the Ford Thunderbird and the Ford Mustang as he talked all about the new 2002 Ford Thunderbird! Thank you all! See you Friday at the debut of our new Member-to-Member Chat: Friday Freeways. Join us as we chant: "Miss the traffic: Chat instead!"
5-6:00pmPT/8-9:00pmET.

<Edmunds_Moderator> Have a good evening, and drive home safe!