- Richard Browne
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- Added 08 Nov 2005
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Although influenced by the XK-120 and GM's Corvette, Ford did not consider the "Little Bird" to be a sports car but rather a "personal" car. Several names had been considered including "Road Runner" before the sacred "Thunderbird" of Native American legend was chosen. The general public however soon began calling it a T-Bird. Ford sold 16,155 copies that first year compared to 700 Corvettes but company president Robert McNamara was already laying plans for the next generation "Squarebird" that would take its place in 1958.