While the GM Group was working on the Chevrolet Corvette project, Ford also developed the study of a modern convertible, which however came out only two years after the Corvette. The Ford Thunderbird was equipped with a 4780cc and 193 horsepower 8-cylinder engine and initially the manufacturer had budgeted a production of around 10,000 copies. The engines gradually went up to 5113cc displacement. The success was such that production exceeded 50,000 units between 1955 and 1957. The Thunderbird was not exactly a sports car, but it did combine luxury with the brilliance of driving.