What is the rarest 1957 Thunderbird?
The rarest production variant commonly cited for the 1957 Thunderbird is the Town Landau coupe. It carried a premium trim, distinctive roof treatment, and a limited production run, making surviving examples far scarcer than the more common base two-seat Thunderbird and convertible. This article digs into why that particular variant is considered the rarest and what other scarce configurations exist in the 1957 lineup.
What makes a 1957 Thunderbird rare?
Rarity in the 1957 Thunderbird lineup hinges on several factors: how many were built, how many remain today, and how strongly a variant is pursued by collectors. The 1957 lineup offered multiple trims and roof options, but not all sold in equal numbers, which shapes today's market scarcity.
Trim and roof configurations that impact rarity
Key considerations include the following:
- Town Landau: premium trim with Landau-style roof and distinctive chrome detailing; produced in limited numbers and widely regarded as the rarest mainstream variant
- Base two-seat hardtop and convertible: more common, with larger production runs
- One-off or dealer-order specials: extremely rare, often concentrated in private collections
Because production tallies for some trims were not consistently published, collectors rely on registries, auction records, and factory documents to gauge rarity for a given car.
Other notable rare variants and sources to verify
Beyond the Town Landau, other scarce forms exist mainly due to limited production windows, special configurations, or post-production alterations. The following categories are often cited by registries and auction houses as among the rarer 1957 Thunderbirds, though exact counts vary by source:
Categories of rare forms
- One-off or prototype examples—produced for display, testing, or special orders
- Early-production cars with unique option codes that did not become standard
- Cars with rare color and interior combinations that were offered in limited runs
For those seeking definitive rarity metrics, consult the Ford Thunderbird Registry, contemporary dealer order sheets, and verified auction house catalogs, which provide option codes and serial numbers tied to production runs.
Bottom line and context
The Town Landau is widely regarded as the rarest mainstream 1957 Thunderbird, a conclusion echoed by collectors and auction houses due to its limited production and distinctive design. Other highly scarce examples exist, but Town Landau remains the benchmark for scarcity in this year’s Thunderbird lineup.
Summary
In short, if you measure rarity by production volume within the 1957 Thunderbird family, the Town Landau coupe stands out as the rarest acknowledged variant, followed by rarer one-off and prototype examples. For buyers and collectors, provenance and documentation are key to validating rarity and value.
