The Ford Thunderbird was produced over the span of more than 50 years and 11 generations, with later variants being marketed as the Continental, Mercury Cougar, and Lincoln. In its nascent years of 1954 to 1957, the Ford Thunderbird was designed to rival the Chevrolet Corvette - though it was intended more as a personal luxury cruiser than its sportier adversary. Roughly 16,000 Thunderbirds were sold in its first year of production, outselling the Corvette 23-to-one.