AUTOS: Ford's Sport

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Ford, which hates to take a back seat to Chevrolet, this week showed off its answer to Chevrolet's Corvette sports car. On view at Detroit's Auto Show is the company's first production sports car, a handsome racy-looking convertible called the Thunderbird.

Designed by Ford's engineers as a "personal" car as well as a competition sports car. the new model is light enough (weight: 2,833 Ibs.) for speed, has a wheel base long enough for comfort (102 in.) yet short enough for good roadability. With the top up. the car is only 51½ in. high. Under the hood is a modified Mercury V-8 engine with a four-barreled carburetor that can churn up 160 h.p. From a standing start, the Thunderbird can leave the standard (130 h.p.) Ford far behind. For amateur racers, there is a set of competition instruments (tachometer and elapsed-time clock), for family drivers such familiar extra equipment as radio and heater, power brakes, power steering, and push-button window controls. A new feature: two tops for year-round driving. The power-operated canvas top for summer use folds down behind the seat; the optional lightweight detachable plastic top can be fastened on in winter to turn the Thunderbird into a hardtop.

Ford said it would start the lines rolling this fall on the Thunderbird, sell it for about $3.050 (plus taxes and optional equipment), or some $400 cheaper than the list price on Chevrolet's Corvette.