Ford Thunderbird (1980 – 1982) vs Volkswagen Santana (1982 – 1985): specs compared
The Ford Thunderbird is the more powerful of the two, with up to 122 hp against 116 hp. It has the higher top speed: 190 km/h against 183 km/h. The Volkswagen Santana is the lighter car, from 965 kg against 1,448 kg. At 5,090 mm, the Ford Thunderbird is 251 mm longer than the Volkswagen Santana. The Ford Thunderbird dates from 1980 – 1982, the Volkswagen Santana from 1982 – 1985.
| Specification |
Ford
Thunderbird
1980 – 1982
|
Volkswagen
Santana
1982 – 1985
|
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Origin | United States | Germany |
| Documented years | 1980 – 1982 | 1982 – 1985 |
| Body style | — | — |
| Variants | 4 | 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Diesel, Petrol |
| Drive | RWD | FWD |
| Gearbox | Automatic | Manual |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 113 – 122 hp | 54 – 116 hp |
| Torque | 237 – 278 Nm | 100 – 165 Nm |
| 0–100 km/h | — | — |
| Top speed | 180 – 190 km/h | 140 – 183 km/h |
| Economy | ||
| Fuel economy | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,090 mm | 4,839 mm |
| Width | 1,882 mm | 1,720 mm |
| Height | 1,346 mm | 1,420 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,753 mm | 2,680 mm |
| Curb weight | 1,448 – 1,577 kg | 965 – 1,085 kg |
Ranges cover all variants of each car. The highlight marks the best version per row.