Thunderbird: The American Dream Car Returns; Cross-Country Tour Rekindles The Excitement

22 May 2000

    DEARBORN, Mich., May 22 The legendary Ford Thunderbird
returns, as Ford confirms it will begin building the 2002-model production car
beginning next year.  Meanwhile, this summer, Americans in major cities across
the country have a chance to win one of three 1950s-era classic Thunderbirds
as part of a special tour designed to build on the excitement of the car that
has become a national icon.
    Beginning Memorial Day weekend on May 27, three mid-1950s-era white, two-
seat roadsters will begin a tour driving through the streets of 144 cities and
towns as part of Ford's "American Dream Car Tour."  The tour kicks off in
Southern California, South Florida and the greater New York Area.  It
continues through Aug. 20.
    People spotting one of the classic white cars sporting the American Dream
Car Tour logo can enter a sweepstakes and could win one of three vintage cars.
Launched in 1955, few of these classic Thunderbird cars remain, and some are
valued as high as $60,000 by classic car buffs.
    To register, observers can log on to the web at http://www.fordvehicles.com or
write to: Dream Car, Box 1955, Young America, Minnesota, 55594, providing
information on the day, city and approximate location they saw the car.  The
sweepstakes winners will be announced in October.
    Dealers are not yet taking orders for the new 2002 Thunderbird.  However,
the American Dream Car Tour is the first step in Ford's marketing efforts for
the new car.  Other efforts will follow, including the debut of a special
limited-edition model at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in
August.
    The new 2002 Thunderbird will closely resemble the concept introduced last
year at auto shows across the country.
    The car is designed as a modern interpretation of the 1955 original,
featuring many design cues from the past, including the signature "porthole"
windows and removable hardtop.
    Following you will find the American Dream Car Tour schedule including
dates and cities.
    No purchase is necessary to enter the sweepstakes, which is open only to
legal U.S. residents 18 years of age and older.  The contest is void where
prohibited by law.  For official rules and registration, log on to
http://www.fordvehicles.com.

    MAY 27-29                 JUNE 7                   JUNE 20
    New York, NY              Tallahassee, FL          Fort Wayne, IN
    Long Island, NY           JUNE 8                   Savannah, GA
    Newark, NJ                Madison, WI              Hilton Head, SC
    Miami, FL                 JUNE 8-9                 JUNE 21
    Fort Lauderdale, FL       Mobile, AL               Charleston, SC
    West Palm Beach, FL       JUNE 9-11                Durango, CO
    MAY 27-31                 Chicago, IL              JUNE 22
    Los Angeles               JUNE 10                  Myrtle Beach, SC
    MAY 31                    Albuquerque, NM          Telluride, CO
    Naples, FL                JUNE 10-11               JUNE 23
    Fort Meyers, FL           New Orleans, LA          Toledo, OH
    JUNE 1                    JUNE 11                  Montrose, CO
    Sarasota, FL              Santa Fe, NM             JUNE 24
    Palm Spring, CA           JUNE 13                  Cleveland, OH
    JUNE 2                    Grand Rapids, MI         Columbia, SC
    Milwaukee, WI             Shreveport, LA           Grand Junction, CO
    Tampa, FL                 Flagstaff, AZ            JUNE 25
    St. Petersburg, FL        JUNE 14                  Buffalo, NY
    Route 5, California       Flint, MI                Greenville, SC
    JUNE 3                    Lansing, MI              JUNE 26
    Green Bay, WI             Sedona, AZ               Rochester, NY
    JUNE 3-4                  JUNE 15                  JUNE 26-27
    Orlando, FL               Ann Arbor, MI            Charlotte, NC
    San Diego, CA             Montgomery, AL           JUNE 27
    JUNE 4                    JUNE 16                  Syracuse, NY
    Rochester, MN             Birmingham, AL           Aspen, CO
    JUNE 5                    JUNE 16-18               JUNE 28
    Daytona, FL               Detroit, MI              Greensboro, NC
    JUNE 5-6                  JUNE 17-18               Beaver Creek, CO
    Minneapolis, MN           Atlanta, GA              Vail, CO
    St. Paul, MN              JUNE 17-19               JUNE 29
    JUNE 6                    Phoenix, AZ              Albany, NY
    Jacksonville, FL          JUNE 19                  Raleigh, NC
    JUNE 6-7                  Macon, GA                Boulder, CO
    Tucson, AZ


    JUNE 30                   JULY 12                  JULY 24
    Springfield, MA           Hartford, CT             Reno, NV
    Fort Collins, CO          Boise, ID                JULY 25-27
    JULY 1                    JULY 14                  Dallas, TX
    Worchester, MA            Knoxville, TN            Fort Worth, TX
    Richmond, VA              JULY 14-15               JULY 26
    JULY 1-4                  Seattle, WA              Indianapolis, IN
    Denver, CO                Tacoma, WA               JULY 26-27
    JULY 3-4                  JULY 15                  Las Vegas, NV
    Boston, MA                Chattanooga, TN          JULY 27
    Washington, DC            Philadelphia, PA         Peoria, IL
    Arlington, VA             JULY 16                  JULY 28
    JULY 5                    Nashville, TN            Waco, TX
    Ocean City, MD            Scranton, PA             JULY 29
    JULY 6                    Wilkes-Barre, PA         Austin, TX
    Annapolis, MD             JULY 17-18               Bakersfield, CA
    Colorado Springs, CO      Portland, OR             JULY 29-30
    JULY 7                    JULY 18                  Oshkosh, WI
    Manchester, NH            Memphis, TN              JULY 30
    Baltimore, MD             Pittsburgh, PA           San Antonio, TX
    Pueblo, CO                JULY 19                  Fresno, CA
    JULY 8                    Columbus, OH             JULY 31
    Portland, ME              Salem, OR                Santa Barbara, CA
    JULY 8-9                  Eugene, OR               AUGUST 1
    Virginia Beach, VA        JULY 20                  Corpus Christi, TX
    Norfolk, VA               Little Rock, AR          Bloomington, IN
    JULY 9                    Cincinnati, OH           AUGUST 2
    Cape Cod, MA              JULY 21                  Springfield, IL
    JULY 10                   Bend, OR                 AUGUST 2-4
    Outer Banks, VA           JULY 22                  Houston, TX
    Salt Lake City, UT        Tulsa, OK                AUGUST 3
    JULY 11                   Lexington, KY            St. Louis, MO
    Roanoke, VA               JULY 23                  AUGUST 4
    Providence, RI            Oklahoma City, OK        Sacramento, CA

    AUGUST 5-8
    San Francisco, CA
    San Jose, CA
    Oakland, CA
    Berkeley, CA
    AUGUST 6
    El Paso, TX
    AUGUST 7
    Kansas City, KS
    AUGUST 8
    Des Moines, IA
    AUGUST 9
    Omaha, NB
    AUGUST 10
    Stockton, CA
    AUGUST 11
    Sioux Falls, SD
    Modesto, CA
    AUGUST 17
    Pebble Beach, CA