MotorWeek | Retro Review: '89 Ford Thunderbird SC and Mercury Cougar XR 7

[@chrisylink]

Me and my brother drove the cougar version of this car. With the factory body kit and 5 speed manual. About 10 years ago I found a thunderbird sc and picked it up. My cousin still has it to this day. The best car I have ever owned lots of great memories with these beasts!

[@mikeyveloster7615]

210hp and 315tq were strong ratings back in 1989, it was common for cars to have 100hp and 120tq back then

[@marcushurt]

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with the SC. It was my first experience with a forced induction engine. So much fun surprising the 5.0 mustangs of the mid 80's

[@quintfl]

I've had an 86 Mustang GT, a 2000 Mustang GT, an 89 Town Car, a 91 Crown Vic and a 97 Cougar with a V8. The Cougar is by the far the best driving one. It fits like a glove.

[@temper.temper]

The crown Victoria drives more comfortable

[@ricorob100]

I wasn't much of a Ford fan, but the Tbird SC was a hot looking car back then, and especially in red, or black.

[@Davido50]

Ford is #1 . Drive one!

[@celticsdude]

That was when Ford was the bomb!!!!

[@my95buick]

Still is

[@24theMoney]

IRS back in 1989...just awesome.

[@therealjayseh]

I remember my friend Adam's dad worked at a Ford dealership and always had the nice demonstration cars. (Demos) He brought one of these home and I was amazed.

[@daveromanyshyn1170]

Always loved these cars, and they still look good years later. I used to prefer Cougar, but T-bird SC has aged better, imo.

[@aquateen77723]

I always liked the Thunderbird styling. My parents had one when I was kid. The digital gauges were pretty cool. Thanks for uploading these retro episodes, Motorweek!

[@rodneyfoust9842]

Many years ago now, I had an 89 black on black 5speed SuperCoupe, I loved that car. Got a company car and foolishly sold it. I've missed that car since. That car was soooo much fun to drive and was a real beauty. I have a couple photos of that mighty 'bird that I keep in my office, and enjoy reliving my moments in one of the most beautiful cars I have ever owned. Long live the Thunderbird, long live the SuperCoupe

[@ericfresh]

I'm a big fan of the Super Coupe. My neighbor got one in black around 91 and I drooled.

[@orangejjay]

"More reliable than turbos." Hell yeah. As usual MotorWeek was pumping out that Big3 Flavor-Aid for all to drink.

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

This T-Bird reminds me of the 89 LX my grandparents had, which in turn started my passion for Ford cars of any era except the 70s and early 80s. My FAV T-Bird of this era is the SC. My FAV T-Bird period however is the original 55-57 Birds, which as we know is an icon of America’s golden age of the automobile.

[@dallisb1047]

I wish my 92 had been an SC. But I love it anyway. It was just a good car.

[@jonathangreen6177]

These were status symbols of the 90's for sure. To drive one or to be seen in one meant you were or knew a very cool person 😎

[@Long-nd8bq]

I drove a black on black leather 92 SC 5-speed with a moonroof to high school in the late 90's. Worked since I was 14 and paid for it myself. I still own it to this day and I just bought an 89 White SC automatic this past Friday. This is now my 5th SC but I still have my 1st one.

[@alexgg7499]

This thing handles better than a mustang

[@hashslingingslasher4215]

We had a 95 Cougar and I loved it. But it got vandalized. RIP mercury cougar. 1995-2012

[@jp7489]

ford needs to bring back the t- bird!!!!!

[@JarOfRats]

...And, 2 years later, Ford stops making ALL cars except the Mustang

[@josephsalas3997]

They’ll bring the t-bird name back, but as a crossover...

[@75aces97]

They did, and it flopped. I miss the coupe with a usable backseat, especially if it also has rear drive, big engine, and manual transmission, but it's an extinct segment. The only 2 door cars left are sports cars. Pretty soon sedans will be gone too.

[@Perry2186]

@@75aces97 when they brought back the Thunderbird they did it in the wrong fashion it is a tiny little Cruiser with Jaguar stuff Ford needs to make the Thunderbird as the size of the Dodge Charger and give the engine option of a 3.5 EcoBoost and maybe even the 6.2L from the Super Duty

[@75aces97]

@@Perry2186 Ford probably went about it wrong, yes. When they brought back the T-Bird, it had only been gone a few years, and Ford apparently thought the version people wanted brought back was the original 50's boulevardier, rather than the personal luxury coupe it had been since 1960. Still, a sporty coupe with usable seating for 4 and a lusty engine probably wouldn't have sold well either. It would have flopped, but people would have missed it, as opposed to the retro convertible that nobody cared about. The T-Bird, Cougar, and Lincoln Mark all got discontinued for a reason. It was an essential car category in the 70s, but by 2000, affluent childless professionals were no longer buying them, and switched to boring, no-character crossovers.

[@cj4ebay]

I had a 90 35th SC up until 2 years ago. So much fun

[@zestydude87]

Im hooked on these retro reviews! Thanks MotorWeek.

[@smacdiesel]

My parents bought a new one in 89, what a great car it was, no problems. I was amazed at the dash design and digital displays.

[@patrickmichael3384]

Sounds like the same T-Bird LX my grandparents had. Same year, same digital instrument display; which I also enjoyed seeing whenever I rode in that car with them.

[@paulausherman727]

I still have my 89XR7 supercharged It's still in really nice Shape been garaged

[@robertorolfo]

People don't realize how well this car handled back then. Look up the skidpad numbers and you realize it would laugh at any American sports cars, and even had the edge on Porsches from that period. Amazingly neutral handling made it an absolute dream.

[@Wiggy74]

The '89 SC is so bad-ass looking!!! A friend of mine had a midnight blue one with an aftermarket ground effect kit on it back in '93. TSW rims and a custom (expensive!) audio system made it one hell of a car....and I'm not a Ford guy at all!

[@seththomas9105]

My wife had a 97 brand new, 4.6 and all the goodies from Ford. What a great car. Wish she still had it.

[@timothywhite8766]

I can't remember the last time I saw either one of these cars on the street!

[@Kingsoupturbo]

Great review! very interesting on the suspension design how they designed out drop throttle oversteer without going crazy on the understeer. Standard american engines that are usually underrated and heavy in torque, 210hp but 315tq! I bet it pulled hard at that my torque

[@robertorolfo]

It pulled (pulls) like a beast. 5th gear is fantastic on the highway for just cruising along at low revs, with tons of power for overtaking without having to downshift.

[@TheBikemaster94]

The 2000 chrysler minivan with the 3.3 made 150hp 200tq just like the v6 does in this car, good for comfortable cruising but definetely not a race car . This car also weighs about the same as the minivan @3800 pounds, but the RWD and lower center of gravity make it a bit sportier. The V8 and S/C models are probably worth the extra money over the base editions.

[@Turshin]

Thank you soooo much you guys found it.

[@Motorweek]

No sweat

[@ClaytonYatescarenthusiast]

Love the videos. Just can't figure out why they did certain things, like push the buttons 10 times to show viewers how they work. I was dying in laughter.

[@smacdiesel]

I was too! So funny.

[@therealjayseh]

Someone testing didn't know how to drive. They were 0-60 mph in 6 seconds with the manual 5 speeds. 300 lb ft of torque with a manual transmission.

[@rickaysen1326]

I had a 1990 identical to the one in this review. Drove it from New Jersey to California and back without any issues. Once it hit 100,000 miles, the head gaskets blew and I spent a summer in my driveway pulling the engine to replace broken motor mounts, a worn clutch, rings, bearings and it never ran right again. It was a blast to drive when new and got a lot of compliments at the time, but ever since, I've never worked on my own cars again.

[@justletmeuseit]

The essex block is notorious for head gasket problems... too bad ford never figured that one out because the bottom end is really stout. The cologne V6 basically is what it is, you can add forged internals for a small fortune if you want.. but that doesn't mean it'll hold together with a super/turbo charger.

[@clarkewein1615]

Despite having relatively high ground clearance, it surprisingly has minimal body roll. Nice!

[@jdonns2221]

Not a Ford guy, but would love to have the supercharged t bird today.

[@Davido50]

I only know Ford guys. F150!

[@kdh6588]

Miss my white 1989 Mercury Cougar XR-7 with 3.8L SC 5 spd.

[@RichardinNC1]

I had a '90 TBird SC in Titanium Silver, a unique color. Very nice car and fast for its time. The V6 really growled above 4k RPM. I did have engine electronics issues and traded the car 2 years later.

[@adamtrombino106]

I remember seeing those twins everywhere! Now, it's pretty rare.....they rusted like crazy!

[@robertorolfo]

Not if they were well looked after

[@adamtrombino106]

The quarter windows leaked into the rockers and in frt of the rear wheels, causing them to rot out. My co-worker had a 91 SC and it just rusted out from underneath her. My g/f also had 1 in her college days, a base model, and it did the same thing.. They all do, and living in the rust belt certainly didn't help. Also, once the 3.8's head gasket problems were solved, they ran forever, and the 5.0's were bullet proof.

[@robertorolfo]

Well, I have an '89 that has spent its entire life on Long Island (snow and salt in the winter, lots of salty ocean air in the summer). Never had a hint of rust until about 2011 or 2012, and that was after I started letting it sit for long periods. Even now, it only has a few tiny spots.

[@chriscornelius2518]

These were everywhere, but I haven't seen one in years.

[@trentryan27]

I have a 93 Cougar, I'm currently in need of a parts car for restoration

[@JSFGuy]

Looks like nobody comments from other comments from years ago.

[@1983jblack]

I had a '95 Thunderbird V8 with all options. It ran rough due to the O2 sensors but once I got that fixed, it ran like a scalded dog. Paint was faded like all Fords from the '90s. I miss it

[@Hudbudd]

I have a 97 cougar 4.6 and the 97 mark viii. I absolutely love these cars and could never think about getting rid of them

[@bryanmchugh1307]

back in the day I nkew a guy with a black and silver SC. That thing was TERRIFYING. It was a 5 speed.

[@wingsley]

Imagine a new-generation car like this, with Ford's latest 2.7-liter turbo V6 (335 hp). Ford's MN12 cars may have been too heavy, but they were the best, spot-on execution of a modern rebirth of the 1960's mid-size muscle coupes. Maybe not as powerful or obnoxious, but way more refined, practical and easier on gas mileage. To this day, I have never ridden in an MN12. Would love to do that someday.

[@ShaunChaudoin]

My 90 XR7 with a 5spd is still the favorite car I've ever owned and I still wished I had it! Loved that car! Could beat a mustang 5.0 any day!

[@WeaponBD]

The Ford Thunderbird Turbo coupe and SC my all time favorite ford's. Now these are hard to find and one's I do find are in need of a lot of structural repairs as well the engines are done. Always wanted a TC or SC as a kid because my first car was an 97 Bird.

[@HomeWrecknKneeKnockr]

I used to be my best friend's designated driver in highschool w/his T-Bird just like this. It's a "Living Room" on wheels haha!!

[@DrCharlesMontague]

My parents had one with the 3.8 N/A V6 they bought new, and it went through head gaskets and had irritating power steering noise its entire life. It also would do this cool thing where it would wait until we were on long trips to start doing weird stuff and basically ruin trips. We later had one with the 4.6, and it was a nicer experience, although it had bad ball joints at 90k miles 😣.

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

Reminds me of the '89 T-Bird my late grandparents (who got me into Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and vans when I was a child) had.

[@bradwooldidge6979]

I’ve had a 1989 and a 1992 supercoupe. First one was a 5 speed, and the second one was an automatic. The automatic is the only way to go. The five speed had the heaviest clutch that I’ve ever experienced. I loved both cars however!

[@Rubberduck-tx2bh]

I had an '89 midnight blue SC 5 speed. No memories of a heavy clutch. Just a crap-ton of throw-you-back-in-your-seat acceleration. The ultimate sleeper car. People didn't realize how fast it was until they were staring at your taillights.

[@stratfordbaby]

The new shape is reminiscent of the BMW 6-series.... WHAT??? IS HE FING BLIND???

[@e-boy2252]

They're probably so much fun to drive especially with the manual

[@DriftTaxi]

I remember my team bought a Supercoupe to build for drifting back in 2006, we did a few test runs at Long Island Raceway, the headgasket blew up and the project got abandoned. I've since continuously wondered what would have happened if we kept going with that project. Oh well, I still have managed to gather a lot of racing and drifting experience (as evident in my videos) but that one car still sticks with me in a "What could have been" fashion.

[@robertorolfo]

I'm sure it would have been great, as it lights up the tires with incredible ease. Driving in the rain was a blast, but the snow was another story...

[@bradwooldidge6979]

The supercoupes had a lot of head gasket issues.

[@JarOfRats]

@@bradwooldidge6979 ALL Ford's 3.8s from that era had head gasket issues.

[@rigof.5307]

Hey Ford Mo. BRING BACK THE MIGHTY THUNDERBIRD!!!!!!! 😭 Had a tan 86, a black 87, a blue 92 and a green 97, man! lovely, sporty and comfy beautiful machines! true personal luxury! 😎

[@althunder4269]

The restyled later ones with the V8 were pretty good cars.

[@ahope4u2]

My son had a ‘93 Tbird with the HO 302 and all the options....sweet, sweet car.....poor mans ‘Vette......

[@sussybaka3833]

I have a 90 s.c. drove it for years,up on blocks now waiting for money to rebuild engine ,car is covered, love that car one day I will restore it.

[@davidmulligan42]

I put 138k miles on my '94 T-Bird SC. That was a great car!

[@ATGAllTymedaG]

i have owned a 95 T-Bird with a 4.6 for a little over a year now. i plan on modding it its quick but quiet compared to other v8 fords and chevys ive owned in the past

[@davidvalenzuela4529]

Here's a MotorWeek Retro Review of the 1989 Ford Thunderbird SC and Mercury Cougar XR-7 from 1988.

[@thebagnechannel3183]

It’s still a pretty car, but I’m glad modern tires don’t screech like that anymore. It’s like nails down a chalkboard.

[@TEAMIMPORTKILLER]

I miss my t-bird sc It was a great and fun car

[@gustavoayala7176]

I am a proud owner of a 97 thunderbird LX with the 4.6L v8. My Tbird turns heads almost anywere I go.

[@josephthornton4206]

I owned a 96 black Cougar XR7 with the 4.6. Comfort of a luxury car with the power of a Mustang GT of that era

[@ThunderXplod]

Tuve un SC 93'auto,y fue una.maravilla d super coupe! Pero ahora con mi SC 94' manual, es otro nivel y mucha más diversión!

[@MiguelGonzalez-oo9gn]

eVo Diez Luego me lo vendes :p

[@michaellyons3643]

This is when Ford made cars and you looked forward to car shopping but that is all gone now.

[@MrVernonSmall]

When I worked for Lincoln-Mercury, I ordered a brand new 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7, and had a ground effects kit installed, oh man, what a car. I was very happy with it, later sold it to buy a my ordered 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. I did not like the 1989 Cougar, it looked like a giant 2dr. Pontiac Grand Am, look at the roof line and rear quarter glass and you can see it, 1988, 89 90 Pontiac Grand Am 2dr.

[@josemontano7767]

That sliver T-bird looks sweet

[@jorgendahl5024]

Had the super coupe and got pulled over by state patrol just because the trooper wanted to have a look at it up close.

[@82ghall]

I bought a new 1989 in march of 90 great car and very good mpg had it 20 years till lightning hit a tree and caused a big limb to crush it like a pancake

[@bln3576]

Still got my 84 Bird. 5.0. 3000 pounds 18,000 miles

[@MrDreamcastx]

I miss the T-bird

[@kirbyswarp]

I own an automatic V6 Mustang with the same motor (with 10 more HP-150hp/215lb/ft) and it gets to 60 in the high 8's, low 9's.I think the credit can go to less weight and the different transmission.

[@uncleeddie5813]

Most underrated car. Ever. 🤐

[@raymondsumpter3972]

The 89 SHO would blow this card out of the water.

[@jeremyb4493]

Sho was quite a bit lighter too. But I'd prefer the SHO also

[@TimJoseph08031990]

When I was a senior in high school, I rode in the back of the Thunderbird, driven by one of my high school friends.

[@zachg9065]

1:58. No Passenger side Mirror?

[@GT6SuzukaTimeTrials]

Prefer the Taurus SHO. Got a review of that?

[@robertorolfo]

But the T-bird blows it away in every way. It was bigger, but still handled better, still went faster, and still looked better. Interior was nicer, more comfortable and spacious. Really, there is no comparison.

[@mrdaykurutakuchannel]

robertorolfo plus it's an FR. Translation: it can drift.

[@DrBeef216]

My second car was a 94' Super Coupe auto. It had good torque, but contrary to what some fanboys might claim, it wasn't quite up to snuff compared to the Mustang GTs of the day(my 98' was definitely quicker at any speed). It handled great for such a large coupe though. The interior was great too, similar to the SN-95 Mustangs. I also think they still look slick as fuck when new/clean/mint, even if a bit dated these days. I still think it should've had a V8. Unless you're going to go full-bore with a turbo, like the GNX, it sort of falls short. Had the S/C been a V-8, a supercharged 5.0 or something, it'd probably be the coolest Ford vehicle of the last 45 years.

[@Turshin]

Was your 98 Mustang a stick or automatic. Cause my 89 sc automatic will outrun 98 automatic gt Mustang. Did 150mph in my first 89. The tach was still rising so it wanted to go even faster but I got out of it cause the wipers were flapping so hard it looked as if they were about tear off lol. Top speed was the name of the game with the sc. A mustang couldn't hold a candle to on the freeway it would just walk away. Now from a dig the mustang would have it.

[@christibbs4239]

Super coupe wasn't available in 94....89 and 90 only....,in 94 you either got a 3.8 or a 4.6

[@TheCanadianCyclist]

those were the days...

[@smithraymond09029]

I've never heard of a V6 needing a balance shaft.

[@kevinbrower233]

It was a 90° V6 like GM's 3800. 90° V6s are naturally unbalanced.

[@pl5624]

I'd be happy with a base model if they had come with 5 speed manuals...

[@isaacgomez-everythingrevie6955]

A nice 5 ltr ford smallblock would have nicely fit under that hood too. Oh well.

[@WorldwideWyatt]

Those Thunderbirds were great cars at the time.

[@ericouellette5293]

Had a uncle that had one. Remember riding in it thinking dam this thing is fast. He traded in a 78 Vette for it.

[@DPG2203]

I yet have my 1993 SC in original condition.

[@HotRod8625]

What?

[@moec9016]

Great car but 3.8 v6 engine was prone to blow the head gasket around 100k miles... Mine went at 110k

[@Skyhawk1987Turbo]

Only problem with the 3.8 motor was head gasket issues from what I've read, other wise these are great cars

[@mitchlu]

You heard right, my friend. I had the plain-Jane '89 with the 3.8. She was a beauty, but the head gasket went and so did the car (thanks Car Cash).

[@mr.suplex927]

True, I helped serviced a few in those engines.

[@kirbyswarp]

mitchlu RIP What was the mileage?

[@mitchlu]

kirbyswarp 140k, car cash gave me $700 with bad motor

[@AlexanderPounds]

Ride Control: Firm or Auto?

[@brantisonfire]

After finding out that the Thunderbird had IRS, I wonder why they never adapted it to fit the Mustang? I know cost is a big reason for sticking with the solid axle for so long but it seems like it would have been a smart move.

[@Long-nd8bq]

They did in 99 with the Cobra and ran it through the end of the new edge SN-95 Cobra's in 2004.

[@SolamenteVees]

"Let's see how fast we can break the prototype..." 4:54

[@robertnussberger2028]

It's when you have that uncontrollable urge to press a function button on a machine repeatedly than it should all because you want to know what would happen, even if it breaks or shortens the lifespan of that machine.

[@thetreblerebel]

Nobody talks about a Supercharged V6 TBird. I would think this thing would haul ass like a striped cheetah

[@Porsche996driver]

This Thunderbird was really a stunner when it came out. They really did copy the 6-series B-pillar design. A milestone car.

[@ScaryGhost1]

Don't see too many of these anymore, sometimes I'll see a base model all ratted out but not in the last month or so. I wonder if these will ever be classics?

[@peshealy]

I've never owned a worse car. It is the leading reason I would not give Ford another penny of my money.

[@Turshin]

Paul Shealy ive owned six mn12's and loved all of them

[@peshealy]

turshin I don't think I've ever had as many problems on all the other cars I've ever owned in my entire life and I'm 55 and have owned GMs and MGs. The harmonic balancer came off while driving down the interstate, a myriad of suspension problems that apparently couldn't be fixed. But like my MG when it was running good (which wasn't often), it was a nice car.

[@Turshin]

Paul Shealy the harmonic balancer was a weak point on these cars, so was the front end suspension, and to get the abs fixed these days on the earlier cars that used the electric hydraulic unit costs like 600 bucks. Yes they had their faults but these days with the aftermarket you can replace all the bad engineering ford did

[@benjafovi1cr328]

is there a review of the Yugo?

[@DanTheMailman330]

To bad they never adapted the Taurus SHO V6 to a rwd platform like the tbird or mustang with a t-5 manual transmission...

[@RedLP5000S]

1987/88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe is the best T-bird in Ford's history.

[@roninkraut6873]

They should have put the SHO engine in the T-Bird

[@de-fault_de-fault]

Go for the SC and you get not only a supercharger, but also a right-side mirror!

[@dragonbutt]

+Mike Jiran And an easy to lunch five speed :D

[@Tool0GT92]

I had a 93 lx tbird drive train was garbage, sold it got an 87 turbo coupe 5 speed with 175k and drove the piss out of it for a few years, a way better car.

[@83malibuwagon]

I just bought a 1990 Cougar SC and to be honest the only reason I bought is because it was a 5 speed. LOL I hate autos