Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by Ford in the United States. Now in its sixth generation, it was originally introduced in the one thousand nine hundred eighty six model year, and has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades. It has had a Mercury-branded twin, the Sable (1986–2005; 2008–2009), as well as a spectacle variant, the Ford Taurus SHO (1989–1999 and 2010–); in addition, it served as the basis for the first-ever front-wheel drive Lincoln Continental (1988–2002). It was a front-wheel drive mid-size car until 2007, and has been a “global” full-size car (built on the Ford D3 platform) since 2008, and available in front- or all-wheel drive since 2008.
The original Taurus was a milestone for Ford and the entire American automotive industry, bearing an influential design that brought many fresh features and innovations to the marketplace. [1] Since its launch in 1986, Ford had built 7,519,919 Tauruses through the two thousand seven model year, [Two] making it the fifth-best-selling North American nameplate in Ford’s history; only the F-150, [Trio] Escort, [Four] Model T, [Five] and Mustang [Five] have sold more units. However, inbetween one thousand nine hundred ninety two and one thousand nine hundred ninety six the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, [6] eventually losing the title to the Toyota Camry in 1997. [7] The 1986–1995 Taurus was built on the DN-5 platform, and the 1996–1999 Taurus was built on the DN101 platform. The 2000–2007 Tauruses were built on the D186 which was a modified DN one hundred one platform. All generations of the Taurus have been built at the Chicago Assembly. [8]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, sales of the Taurus declined as it lost market share to Japanese midsize sedans and as Ford shifted resources towards developing SUVs. It was discontinued in 2006, with production originally ending on October 27, 2006, and two thousand seven being the last model year. [9] Ford had determined to substitute the Taurus with the fullsize Five Hundred and midsize Fusion sedans, as well as substituting the Taurus wagon with the Freestyle crossover SUV. However, Ford revived the Taurus name during the two thousand seven Chicago Auto Demonstrate a few months later by renaming two fresh models that had been intended to be updated versions of the Five Hundred and the Freestyle, the “2008 Taurus” and “2008 Taurus X”, respectively. [Ten] [11] A fresh model of fullsize Taurus was then released for the two thousand ten model year, and the two thousand thirteen mid-generational refresh (minor model update) was unveiled at the Fresh York Auto Showcase with minor exterior switches and interior technology options.
Contents
The first-generation Taurus was launched in one thousand nine hundred eighty five as a one thousand nine hundred eighty six model to strong fanfare and sales, substituting the slow-selling mid-size Ford LTD. (The full-size Ford LTD Crown Victoria remained as part of the Ford line up.) The release of the Ford Taurus was one of the most anticipated ever, mostly because it was a very first in car design and also the begin of fresh quality standards for Ford. At the time of the Taurus’s debut, Ford had been producing mainly rear-wheel drive cars, and Chrysler and General Motors were suggesting more front-wheel drive vehicles up to midrange including the Chrysler K platform and A-body Chevrolet Celebrity. With the introduction of the Escort and Tempo, Ford was making a transition to front-wheel drive. The Taurus displayed a rounder form than its contemporaries, often likened to a ‘jelly bean’ or ‘flying potato’, [12] inspired by the design of the Audi five thousand and Ford’s European sedan, the Ford Sierra, an updated appearance of a styling treatment used in the late 1940s to early 1960s called “ponton” styling. [1] Instead of a grille, the Taurus mainstreamed the slick grille-less ‘bottom breather’ nose. The aerodynamic design of the Taurus made the car more fuel efficient, permitting Ford to meet more stringent corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard applied by the United States government. [1] The Taurus’s success ultimately led to an American automobile design revolution; Chrysler and General Motors developed aerodynamic cars in order to capitalize on the Taurus’s success. [1] It also benefitted from sharing a similar appearance to the limited production Ford Mustang SVO introduced two years earlier in 1984.
The very first generation was available with either a V6 or an inline four-cylinder engine and came with either a manual (MT-5) [13] [14] or automatic transmission. (The Taurus’s twin, the Mercury Sable, has never suggested a manual transmission in either of its incarnations.) Like its exterior, the Taurus’s interior was ahead of its time, and many features originating from it are still used in most cars today. [1] Its interior was designed to be utterly user-friendly, with all of its controls designed to be recognizable by touch, permitting drivers to operate them without taking their eyes off the road. [1] For example, the switches to the power windows and power locks were designed with one half of the switch raised up, with the other half recessed, in order for its function to be identified by touch. [1] To further enhance this quality, the car’s dashboard has all of the controls in the central area within reach of the driver. The left side of the dash kinks slightly around the driver to make controls lightly accessible, as well as creating a “cockpit” feel.
The interior of the Taurus was customizable to fit buyers’ needs, with a large number of options and three different configurations. This means that the interior of the Taurus can be spartan or luxurious, depending on the buyer’s choice of options. On models with an automatic transmission, the Taurus’s interior was available in three different seating configurations. [15] The interior equipment depends on model. The most basic model, the L (see below), came standard, with just an AM radio and a front cloth bench seat, while the LX, the more luxurious model, came with a greater number of features as standard equipment.
The Taurus was well received by both the public and the press. It won many awards, most notably being named to the one thousand nine hundred eighty six Car and Driver Ten Best List and becoming the one thousand nine hundred eighty six Motor Trend Car of the Year [16] Over 200,000 of the Taurus were sold during the one thousand nine hundred eighty six model year and the millionth Taurus was sold during the one thousand nine hundred eighty nine model year. [1] When production ended in 1991, more than Two,000,000 first-generation Tauruses had been sold. [17]
The Ford Taurus received its very first redesign in mid-1991 for the one thousand nine hundred ninety two model year. Still based on the same chassis, every exterior bod panel (with the exception of the doors) was restyled. In spite of the extensive switches, few modifications were made to the successful styling; in the marketplace, the redesign was largely released as a mid-cycle facelift. [6] In terms of size, the one thousand nine hundred ninety two Taurus gained several inches in length and over two hundred pounds in curb weight. [Legitimate] Following market request, the fresh Taurus was available solely with V6 engines and an automatic transmissions. The Taurus SHO made its comeback, with an automatic transmission option joining the manual transmission.
The interior was also fully redesigned for 1992. As part of the redesign, the Ford Taurus gained a passenger-side airbag as an option, which became standard in 1994, becoming the very first mid-size sedan sold in the United States with standard dual airbags. [6]
The 2nd generation sold just as well as the very first, becoming the best-selling car in the United States, a title it would retain for as long as this generation was sold. [6] When production ended in 1995, more than 1,400,000 second-generation cars had been sold. [17]
For the one thousand nine hundred ninety six model year, Ford debuted the third generation of the Ford Taurus. Albeit not totally fresh, the chassis was strongly upgraded, becoming the DN101 generation. Alongside the Mercury Sable, the Ford Taurus collective its underpinnings with the redesigned Lincoln Continental and all-new Ford Windstar.
In a break from the familiar styling of the previous two generations (that chief designer Jack Telnack had likened to a “pair of slippers”), [Nineteen] Ford had sought to again make the Taurus stand out for buyers of mid-size sedans, providing the vehicle a much more extensive restyling than its one thousand nine hundred ninety two predecessor. Moving away from straight lines, the one thousand nine hundred ninety six Taurus sought to include rounded lines, moving past the cab-forward design of the Chrysler LH sedans. Alongside the Ford Blue Oval emblem itself, the Taurus repeated the form several places in its exterior; [6] [20] in a controversial design element, the rear window of the Taurus was oval, as were the side windows of the Mercury Sable. To permit better differentiation inbetween models, the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were given separate rooflines; Taurus/Sable station wagons were fitted with the doors of Sable sedans.
The interior spotted a finish redesign. To simplify production, all versions of the Taurus were fitted with bucket seats; six-passenger versions were fitted with a flip-forward center seat cushion also meant for use as a center console; five-passenger versions were fitted with a floor shifter and center console. [21] To improve ergonomics, radio and climate controls were centralized on an oval-shaped console on the dashboard. [22]
Reaction to the third-generation Ford Taurus was mixed; Ford found that customers disliked the oval-shaped exterior. For 1996, the Ford Taurus stayed the best-selling car in the United States. At the time, 51% of all Taurus sales for one thousand nine hundred ninety six went to rental fleets, in contrast to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, of which most sales were directly to private customers through retail outlets. [23] In 1997, the Ford Taurus lost its best-selling status to the Toyota Camry. [6]
For 1996, Ford Australia imported the Ford Taurus sedan as the “Taurus Ghia” alongside its locally produced Ford Falcon EL, but imports ceased after only one year due to poor sales. [24] Ford Fresh Zealand imported both Ford Taurus sedans and station wagons from one thousand nine hundred ninety six to one thousand nine hundred ninety eight with success alongside the RWD Australian Ford Falcon/Fairmont/Fairlane.
NASCAR Edit
The third-generation Taurus had a presence in NASCAR, substituting the Thunderbird for the one thousand nine hundred ninety eight season. The Taurus became the very first four-door sedan to be approved for competition. [25] The very first Taurus driver to win the Winston Cup (the NASCAR sponsor of the time) championship was Dale Jarrett, who drove #88 Ford Quality Care/Ford Credit-sponsored cars possessed by Robert Yates. The very first Taurus driver to win the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) championship was Greg Biffle, who drove #60 Grainger Industrial Supply-sponsored cars possessed by Jack Roush.
In total, the Ford Taurus has won three Winston Cup championships and two Busch Series championships.
The Taurus received another redesign for 2000, which substituted many of the oval-derived design elements of the previous model with sharper creases and corners, an aspect of Ford’s Fresh Edge styling language. To reduce the car’s price and keep it competitive, Ford diminished costs on the car in 1999, such as providing the Taurus sedan rear drum brakes on Six pack tooled vehicles (previously, upgrading to Six pack included the addition of rear disc brakes), eliminating the dual harass on the higher end models, and trimming many other puny features.
Ford designed the fourth generation with much more conservative styling in hopes of enhancing the car’s appeal. Instead of sloping back, the car’s trunk stood upright in a more traditional form, enhancing trunk space by another two cubic feet. [26] [27] The roof was also given a more upright stance to increase headroom, which can be evidenced by the thicker C-pillar and larger area inbetween the tops of the doors and the top of the roof.
The interior was also fully redesigned with a more conventional form, albeit some features from the previous Taurus generations were carried over. The dashboard was given a squarer design instead of curving around the driver as in the previous generation. The “integrated control panel” concept was carried over but redesigned, with a thicker, squarer form, and it was placed in the center of the dash instead of being angled toward the driver. The flip-fold center console was also carried over from the previous generation, albeit it was revamped as well. When folded out, it now rested against the floor instead of the dashboard, and had reworked cup holders and storage areas. [27] In another switch from previous versions, the fourth generation suggested rear cup holders that either slipped or folded out of the front console, depending on which console the car was tooled with. [27]
Taurus LTD sales had slumped significantly in the years prior to its short-lived demise with model year 2007, losing significant market share to Japanese sedans. [7] Due to waning popularity and customer request, Ford determined to little by little discontinue the Taurus. The last Chicago, Illinois Ford Taurus Sedan flipped off the assembly line on June 25, 2004. Production of the Taurus wagon was discontinued on December 8, 2004; [27] sedan retail sales halted after a brief two thousand six model year, and the Taurus became sold exclusively to fleets in the United States, while still being sold to retail customers in Canada. Production ended on October 27, 2006, as Ford idled the Atlanta plant, as part of its The Way Forward restructuring plan.
The last mid-size Ford Taurus spinned off the assembly line around 7:00 am, [29] destined for delivery to S. Truett Cathy, holder of Chick-fil-A. [30] Mr. Cathy’s original restaurant was located across from the Ford Atlanta plant; Cathy credits the patronage he received from Atlanta assembly plant workers with making his restaurant successful enough to turn into a franchise. [31] No ceremony marked the end of production. [32] Ford had determined to substitute the Taurus with the full-size Five Hundred (a revival of a nameplate dating to the 1960s) and midsize Fusion sedans and the Taurus wagon with the Freestyle crossover SUV.
Discontinuation of the Taurus was controversial. While many believed that the Taurus had been discontinued because it could no longer contest in the growing sedan market, [33] others claimed Ford could have lightly have saved the nameplate had it wished to. [34] Autoblog went so far as to call the Taurus’ discontinuation “the thickest fall from grace in automotive history” and even blamed Ford’s current financial problems on its failure to keep the Taurus competitive, focusing too unilaterally on trucks and SUVs. [35] The Truth About Cars published a review/editorial also displaying their frustration at how Ford neglected the Taurus to the point where it became a “rental car”. [36]
Workers thought Ford had abandoned a car that had done so much to revitalize Ford and the US industry. An October 25, 2006, USA Today editorial, “How Ford starved its Taurus”, noted that the Japanese stuck with their winners and make them better (such as the Toyota Corolla, which has been in continuous production since the 1960s), [37] while Detroit automakers retire cars and even entire division nameplates in search of “the next big thing”. [38]
But Alan Mulally, Ford’s fresh CEO named in late 2006, dreamed to revive the Taurus, telling in an interview with the Associated Press that he was baffled by the Taurus’s discontinuation and believed it a mistake, adding that the Five Hundred should have been named “Taurus” from the beginning. [28] Rumors of a possible Taurus revival were confirmed in early 2007, when the revamped Five Hundred and Freestyles were unveiled as “Taurus” and “Taurus X” at the two thousand seven Chicago Auto Display, a decision influenced strongly by Mulally. [28] Later, Mulally explained that the fact that the Taurus’s name recognition and positive brand equity strongly influenced his decision to revive the nameplate. [39] The Mercury division’s twin also dropped the Sable name in favor of reviving the historic Montego nameplate, used in the 1960s and 1970s, but the Sable name returned in 2008.
The fifth generation (5G) Taurus entered production in two thousand seven as a two thousand eight model and was developed directly from the Ford Five Hundred, chiefly with a mild exterior facelift and revised engine and transmission. Ford designated the model as the Taurus, after the demise of the concurrently marketed fourth generation (4G) Taurus and to take advantage of its customer recognition and dealer request. [40]
Switches to the 5G Taurus from the Five Hundred included a fresh front end and the two hundred sixty three hp Trio.Five L Duratec thirty five V6, which substitutes the two hundred three hp (151 kW) Duratec thirty Trio.0 L V6. The Five Hundred/Freestyle’s ZF-Batavia CVT, which had a maximum torque rating of two hundred twenty one lb·ft (300 N·m), was also substituted with a Ford-GM joint venture six-speed automatic with extra torque of the Duratec 35. The Aisin AW six-speed automatic which was used on FWD Five Hundred and Montegos was also substituted by the fresh Ford six-speed. [41]
The Taurus sedan twin, the Mercury Sable nameplate, was revived from the Mercury Montego. [Ten] [42] [43] For the two thousand nine model year, Ford revived the “SE” trimline for the Taurus. The SE sold for $24,125 according to Ford’s website and served as the base model for the vehicle.
The 5G Taurus was sold in the Middle East as the Ford Five Hundred from 2008. [44]
It was determined that Ford’s strategy to redesignate fresh cars in the lineup with fresh names beginning with the letter F, as in Ford Concentrate, Ford Fusion, and Ford Freestyle, was not a good marketing budge, as some of the renamed cars had very recognizable iconic names. Car buyers in the U.S. did not associate the fresh F names with Ford, and were confused by the name switches. [Ten] [45] Mulally believed that the Taurus had an instantly strong brand equity, and that it would take years for consumers to have a similar recognition of the Five Hundred. [46]
The two thousand eight Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were awarded the Top Safety Pick ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five-star ratings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating given to the Taurus and the Sable is the highest safety rating being given by the government agency. [47]
The two thousand ten Ford Taurus was exposed at the Detroit International Auto Demonstrate in two thousand nine at Cobo Hall. [48] The press preview of the Taurus and Taurus SHO was held in Asheville, North Carolina, from June fifteen to June Nineteen, 2009.
The Ford scored well in test drives and the media was pleased with some of the fresh features available in the two thousand ten Ford Taurus. [49] Some of these features include all wheel drive, cross traffic alert, collision warning, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. However, others criticized the lack of interior room and diminished glance lines despite its full-sized exterior, [50] and Edmunds noted that the eighth-generation Honda Accord (which competes in the midsize category) had superior driving dynamics and a more efficient design and suggested almost as much interior space as the Taurus despite considerably smaller outer dimensions. [51]
The base price of the base SE model is $25,995. The mid grade SEL is priced at $27,995, and the top level Limited, at $31,995. Ford hopes to achieve a mix of 10% to 15% with its high-performance SHO model.
The Ford Taurus SHO (which stands for Super High Output), released in August, 2009, is the high-performance version of the Ford Taurus. [52] The SHO is powered by Ford’s fresh EcoBoost Three.5L V6 engine. The twin-turbocharged, gasoline direct injection power plant has three hundred sixty five horsepower (272 kW) and three hundred fifty lb·ft (470 N·m) of torque. The EcoBoost V6 achieves 17/25 miles per gallon in AWD. The Taurus SHO base price is $37,995 which includes the EcoBoost V6, all wheel drive, upgraded 6-speed automatic transmission and numerous exterior and interior trim upgrades. A fully loaded SHO will be $45,000. There is also an available spectacle package on the fresh SHO, which includes upgraded brake pads, a Three.16:1 final drive ratio (compared to the standard Two.77:1), recalibrated electronic power steering, further suspension tuning, a re-calibrated AdvanceTrac system (Ford’s combined Traction Control System and Electronic Stability Control) with sport mode and “true off”, summer compound Goodyear Eagle F1 245/45ZR20 tires, and an electrical air pump with fix-a-flat in lieu of a spare tire. Most options for the SHO remain available with the Spectacle Package including options such as Power Moonroof, Heated/Cooled Seats, Multi-Contour Seats, Auto-Sensing Lights and Wipers, Automatic High-Beams, Adjustable Pedals, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), and Satellite Navigation. Options from the Driver Assist option group, however, are unavailable at the same time with the Spectacle Package. Those options include Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning System, Lane Keep Assist, and Active Park Assist.
Albeit the base three hundred sixty five horsepower (272 kW) produced by the SHO from the factory may be considered mild in 2016, given the existence of seven hundred seven horsepower (527 kW) sedans like the Dodge Charger Hellcat, enthusiasts of the SHO have found the vehicle to be enormously compliant to power enhancing modifications, with the highest power SHO presently at six hundred seventeen horsepower (460 kW) as produced by Livernois Motorsports for one of their customers. [53] With the potential for truly competitive levels of power on an AWD platform, the largely unassuming looks of the SHO compared to the base Taurus make the SHO a cost effective sleeper. [54]
2013 facelift Edit
Very first exposed at the two thousand eleven Fresh York Auto Showcase, the Taurus received a refresh for the two thousand thirteen model year. The assets features a fresh front fascia and slightly updated rear fascia with LED tail lamps, as well as all-new wheel options. The SHO model features revised styling elements, with unchanged power ratings from its EcoBoost V6. Refinements have been made to the Trio.Five EcoBoost V6. Power in the Trio.5L V6, standard in non-SHO models, is up to two hundred eighty eight hp and gets Nineteen/29 MPG in FWD models, while getting Eighteen/26MPG in AWD models. There is a fresh engine option for non-SHO models, a Two.0L EcoBoost Inline four developing two hundred forty hp and two hundred seventy lb-ft of torque while delivering a best-in-class 22/32 miles per gallon. All models received upgrades to the steering and braking systems to improve driveability. For example, Torque Vectoring and curve control has been added as standard, and controls the cars capability to slip round corners at higher speeds. Updates to the Instrument dials have been added, they are now fully digital and clearer and more colourful. MyFord Touch will also be part of Taurus’s Sync system. [55]
Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by Ford in the United States. Now in its sixth generation, it was originally introduced in the one thousand nine hundred eighty six model year, and has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades. It has had a Mercury-branded twin, the Sable (1986–2005; 2008–2009), as well as a spectacle variant, the Ford Taurus SHO (1989–1999 and 2010–); in addition, it served as the basis for the first-ever front-wheel drive Lincoln Continental (1988–2002). It was a front-wheel drive mid-size car until 2007, and has been a “global” full-size car (built on the Ford D3 platform) since 2008, and available in front- or all-wheel drive since 2008.
The original Taurus was a milestone for Ford and the entire American automotive industry, bearing an influential design that brought many fresh features and innovations to the marketplace. [1] Since its launch in 1986, Ford had built 7,519,919 Tauruses through the two thousand seven model year, [Two] making it the fifth-best-selling North American nameplate in Ford’s history; only the F-150, [Trio] Escort, [Four] Model T, [Five] and Mustang [Five] have sold more units. However, inbetween one thousand nine hundred ninety two and one thousand nine hundred ninety six the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, [6] eventually losing the title to the Toyota Camry in 1997. [7] The 1986–1995 Taurus was built on the DN-5 platform, and the 1996–1999 Taurus was built on the DN101 platform. The 2000–2007 Tauruses were built on the D186 which was a modified DN one hundred one platform. All generations of the Taurus have been built at the Chicago Assembly. [8]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, sales of the Taurus declined as it lost market share to Japanese midsize sedans and as Ford shifted resources towards developing SUVs. It was discontinued in 2006, with production primarily ending on October 27, 2006, and two thousand seven being the last model year. [9] Ford had determined to substitute the Taurus with the fullsize Five Hundred and midsize Fusion sedans, as well as substituting the Taurus wagon with the Freestyle crossover SUV. However, Ford revived the Taurus name during the two thousand seven Chicago Auto Showcase a few months later by renaming two fresh models that had been intended to be updated versions of the Five Hundred and the Freestyle, the “2008 Taurus” and “2008 Taurus X”, respectively. [Ten] [11] A fresh model of fullsize Taurus was then released for the two thousand ten model year, and the two thousand thirteen mid-generational refresh (minor model update) was unveiled at the Fresh York Auto Showcase with minor exterior switches and interior technology options.
Contents
The first-generation Taurus was launched in one thousand nine hundred eighty five as a one thousand nine hundred eighty six model to strong fanfare and sales, substituting the slow-selling mid-size Ford LTD. (The full-size Ford LTD Crown Victoria remained as part of the Ford line up.) The release of the Ford Taurus was one of the most anticipated ever, mostly because it was a very first in car design and also the commence of fresh quality standards for Ford. At the time of the Taurus’s debut, Ford had been producing mainly rear-wheel drive cars, and Chrysler and General Motors were suggesting more front-wheel drive vehicles up to midrange including the Chrysler K platform and A-body Chevrolet Celebrity. With the introduction of the Escort and Tempo, Ford was making a transition to front-wheel drive. The Taurus displayed a rounder form than its contemporaries, often likened to a ‘jelly bean’ or ‘flying potato’, [12] inspired by the design of the Audi five thousand and Ford’s European sedan, the Ford Sierra, an updated appearance of a styling treatment used in the late 1940s to early 1960s called “ponton” styling. [1] Instead of a grille, the Taurus mainstreamed the slick grille-less ‘bottom breather’ nose. The aerodynamic design of the Taurus made the car more fuel efficient, permitting Ford to meet more stringent corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard applied by the United States government. [1] The Taurus’s success ultimately led to an American automobile design revolution; Chrysler and General Motors developed aerodynamic cars in order to capitalize on the Taurus’s success. [1] It also benefitted from sharing a similar appearance to the limited production Ford Mustang SVO introduced two years earlier in 1984.
The very first generation was available with either a V6 or an inline four-cylinder engine and came with either a manual (MT-5) [13] [14] or automatic transmission. (The Taurus’s twin, the Mercury Sable, has never suggested a manual transmission in either of its incarnations.) Like its exterior, the Taurus’s interior was ahead of its time, and many features originating from it are still used in most cars today. [1] Its interior was designed to be utterly user-friendly, with all of its controls designed to be recognizable by touch, permitting drivers to operate them without taking their eyes off the road. [1] For example, the switches to the power windows and power locks were designed with one half of the switch raised up, with the other half recessed, in order for its function to be identified by touch. [1] To further enhance this quality, the car’s dashboard has all of the controls in the central area within reach of the driver. The left side of the dash forms slightly around the driver to make controls lightly accessible, as well as creating a “cockpit” feel.
The interior of the Taurus was customizable to fit buyers’ needs, with a large number of options and three different configurations. This means that the interior of the Taurus can be spartan or luxurious, depending on the buyer’s choice of options. On models with an automatic transmission, the Taurus’s interior was available in three different seating configurations. [15] The interior equipment depends on model. The most basic model, the L (see below), came standard, with just an AM radio and a front cloth bench seat, while the LX, the more luxurious model, came with a greater number of features as standard equipment.
The Taurus was well received by both the public and the press. It won many awards, most notably being named to the one thousand nine hundred eighty six Car and Driver Ten Best List and becoming the one thousand nine hundred eighty six Motor Trend Car of the Year [16] Over 200,000 of the Taurus were sold during the one thousand nine hundred eighty six model year and the millionth Taurus was sold during the one thousand nine hundred eighty nine model year. [1] When production ended in 1991, more than Two,000,000 first-generation Tauruses had been sold. [17]
The Ford Taurus received its very first redesign in mid-1991 for the one thousand nine hundred ninety two model year. Still based on the same chassis, every exterior bod panel (with the exception of the doors) was restyled. In spite of the extensive switches, few modifications were made to the successful styling; in the marketplace, the redesign was largely released as a mid-cycle facelift. [6] In terms of size, the one thousand nine hundred ninety two Taurus gained several inches in length and over two hundred pounds in curb weight. [Eighteen] Following market request, the fresh Taurus was available solely with V6 engines and an automatic transmissions. The Taurus SHO made its comeback, with an automatic transmission option joining the manual transmission.
The interior was also totally redesigned for 1992. As part of the redesign, the Ford Taurus gained a passenger-side airbag as an option, which became standard in 1994, becoming the very first mid-size sedan sold in the United States with standard dual airbags. [6]
The 2nd generation sold just as well as the very first, becoming the best-selling car in the United States, a title it would retain for as long as this generation was sold. [6] When production ended in 1995, more than 1,400,000 second-generation cars had been sold. [17]
For the one thousand nine hundred ninety six model year, Ford debuted the third generation of the Ford Taurus. Albeit not totally fresh, the chassis was powerfully upgraded, becoming the DN101 generation. Alongside the Mercury Sable, the Ford Taurus collective its underpinnings with the redesigned Lincoln Continental and all-new Ford Windstar.
In a break from the familiar styling of the previous two generations (that chief designer Jack Telnack had likened to a “pair of slippers”), [Nineteen] Ford had sought to again make the Taurus stand out for buyers of mid-size sedans, providing the vehicle a much more extensive restyling than its one thousand nine hundred ninety two predecessor. Moving away from straight lines, the one thousand nine hundred ninety six Taurus sought to include rounded lines, moving past the cab-forward design of the Chrysler LH sedans. Alongside the Ford Blue Oval emblem itself, the Taurus repeated the form several places in its exterior; [6] [20] in a controversial design element, the rear window of the Taurus was oval, as were the side windows of the Mercury Sable. To permit better differentiation inbetween models, the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were given separate rooflines; Taurus/Sable station wagons were fitted with the doors of Sable sedans.
The interior witnessed a finish redesign. To simplify production, all versions of the Taurus were fitted with bucket seats; six-passenger versions were fitted with a flip-forward center seat cushion also meant for use as a center console; five-passenger versions were fitted with a floor shifter and center console. [21] To improve ergonomics, radio and climate controls were centralized on an oval-shaped console on the dashboard. [22]
Reaction to the third-generation Ford Taurus was mixed; Ford found that customers disliked the oval-shaped exterior. For 1996, the Ford Taurus stayed the best-selling car in the United States. At the time, 51% of all Taurus sales for one thousand nine hundred ninety six went to rental fleets, in contrast to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, of which most sales were directly to private customers through retail outlets. [23] In 1997, the Ford Taurus lost its best-selling status to the Toyota Camry. [6]
For 1996, Ford Australia imported the Ford Taurus sedan as the “Taurus Ghia” alongside its locally produced Ford Falcon EL, but imports ceased after only one year due to poor sales. [24] Ford Fresh Zealand imported both Ford Taurus sedans and station wagons from one thousand nine hundred ninety six to one thousand nine hundred ninety eight with success alongside the RWD Australian Ford Falcon/Fairmont/Fairlane.
NASCAR Edit
The third-generation Taurus had a presence in NASCAR, substituting the Thunderbird for the one thousand nine hundred ninety eight season. The Taurus became the very first four-door sedan to be approved for competition. [25] The very first Taurus driver to win the Winston Cup (the NASCAR sponsor of the time) championship was Dale Jarrett, who drove #88 Ford Quality Care/Ford Credit-sponsored cars wielded by Robert Yates. The very first Taurus driver to win the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) championship was Greg Biffle, who drove #60 Grainger Industrial Supply-sponsored cars possessed by Jack Roush.
In total, the Ford Taurus has won three Winston Cup championships and two Busch Series championships.
The Taurus received another redesign for 2000, which substituted many of the oval-derived design elements of the previous model with sharper creases and corners, an aspect of Ford’s Fresh Edge styling language. To reduce the car’s price and keep it competitive, Ford diminished costs on the car in 1999, such as providing the Taurus sedan rear drum brakes on Six pack tooled vehicles (previously, upgrading to Six pack included the addition of rear disc brakes), eliminating the dual harass on the higher end models, and trimming many other puny features.
Ford designed the fourth generation with much more conservative styling in hopes of enlargening the car’s appeal. Instead of sloping back, the car’s trunk stood upright in a more traditional form, enlargening trunk space by another two cubic feet. [26] [27] The roof was also given a more upright stance to increase headroom, which can be evidenced by the thicker C-pillar and larger area inbetween the tops of the doors and the top of the roof.
The interior was also totally redesigned with a more conventional form, albeit some features from the previous Taurus generations were carried over. The dashboard was given a squarer design instead of curving around the driver as in the previous generation. The “integrated control panel” concept was carried over but redesigned, with a thicker, squarer form, and it was placed in the center of the dash instead of being angled toward the driver. The flip-fold center console was also carried over from the previous generation, albeit it was revamped as well. When folded out, it now rested against the floor instead of the dashboard, and had reworked cup holders and storage areas. [27] In another switch from previous versions, the fourth generation suggested rear cup holders that either glided or folded out of the front console, depending on which console the car was tooled with. [27]
Taurus LTD sales had slumped significantly in the years prior to its short-lived demise with model year 2007, losing significant market share to Japanese sedans. [7] Due to waning popularity and customer request, Ford determined to step by step discontinue the Taurus. The last Chicago, Illinois Ford Taurus Sedan spinned off the assembly line on June 25, 2004. Production of the Taurus wagon was discontinued on December 8, 2004; [27] sedan retail sales halted after a brief two thousand six model year, and the Taurus became sold exclusively to fleets in the United States, while still being sold to retail customers in Canada. Production ended on October 27, 2006, as Ford idled the Atlanta plant, as part of its The Way Forward restructuring plan.
The last mid-size Ford Taurus flipped off the assembly line around 7:00 am, [29] destined for delivery to S. Truett Cathy, holder of Chick-fil-A. [30] Mr. Cathy’s original restaurant was located across from the Ford Atlanta plant; Cathy credits the patronage he received from Atlanta assembly plant workers with making his restaurant successful enough to turn into a franchise. [31] No ceremony marked the end of production. [32] Ford had determined to substitute the Taurus with the full-size Five Hundred (a revival of a nameplate dating to the 1960s) and midsize Fusion sedans and the Taurus wagon with the Freestyle crossover SUV.
Discontinuation of the Taurus was controversial. While many believed that the Taurus had been discontinued because it could no longer challenge in the growing sedan market, [33] others claimed Ford could have lightly have saved the nameplate had it wished to. [34] Autoblog went so far as to call the Taurus’ discontinuation “the thickest fall from grace in automotive history” and even blamed Ford’s current financial problems on its failure to keep the Taurus competitive, focusing too unilaterally on trucks and SUVs. [35] The Truth About Cars published a review/editorial also demonstrating their frustration at how Ford neglected the Taurus to the point where it became a “rental car”. [36]
Workers thought Ford had abandoned a car that had done so much to revitalize Ford and the US industry. An October 25, 2006, USA Today editorial, “How Ford starved its Taurus”, noted that the Japanese stuck with their winners and make them better (such as the Toyota Corolla, which has been in continuous production since the 1960s), [37] while Detroit automakers retire cars and even entire division nameplates in search of “the next big thing”. [38]
But Alan Mulally, Ford’s fresh CEO named in late 2006, desired to revive the Taurus, telling in an interview with the Associated Press that he was baffled by the Taurus’s discontinuation and believed it a mistake, adding that the Five Hundred should have been named “Taurus” from the beginning. [28] Rumors of a possible Taurus revival were confirmed in early 2007, when the revamped Five Hundred and Freestyles were unveiled as “Taurus” and “Taurus X” at the two thousand seven Chicago Auto Display, a decision influenced strongly by Mulally. [28] Later, Mulally explained that the fact that the Taurus’s name recognition and positive brand equity strongly influenced his decision to revive the nameplate. [39] The Mercury division’s twin also dropped the Sable name in favor of reviving the historic Montego nameplate, used in the 1960s and 1970s, but the Sable name returned in 2008.
The fifth generation (5G) Taurus entered production in two thousand seven as a two thousand eight model and was developed directly from the Ford Five Hundred, chiefly with a mild exterior facelift and revised engine and transmission. Ford designated the model as the Taurus, after the demise of the concurrently marketed fourth generation (4G) Taurus and to take advantage of its customer recognition and dealer request. [40]
Switches to the 5G Taurus from the Five Hundred included a fresh front end and the two hundred sixty three hp Trio.Five L Duratec thirty five V6, which substitutes the two hundred three hp (151 kW) Duratec thirty Three.0 L V6. The Five Hundred/Freestyle’s ZF-Batavia CVT, which had a maximum torque rating of two hundred twenty one lb·ft (300 N·m), was also substituted with a Ford-GM joint venture six-speed automatic with extra torque of the Duratec 35. The Aisin AW six-speed automatic which was used on FWD Five Hundred and Montegos was also substituted by the fresh Ford six-speed. [41]
The Taurus sedan twin, the Mercury Sable nameplate, was revived from the Mercury Montego. [Ten] [42] [43] For the two thousand nine model year, Ford revived the “SE” trimline for the Taurus. The SE sold for $24,125 according to Ford’s website and served as the base model for the vehicle.
The 5G Taurus was sold in the Middle East as the Ford Five Hundred from 2008. [44]
It was determined that Ford’s strategy to redesignate fresh cars in the lineup with fresh names beginning with the letter F, as in Ford Concentrate, Ford Fusion, and Ford Freestyle, was not a good marketing budge, as some of the renamed cars had very recognizable iconic names. Car buyers in the U.S. did not associate the fresh F names with Ford, and were confused by the name switches. [Ten] [45] Mulally believed that the Taurus had an instantaneously strong brand equity, and that it would take years for consumers to have a similar recognition of the Five Hundred. [46]
The two thousand eight Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were awarded the Top Safety Pick ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five-star ratings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating given to the Taurus and the Sable is the highest safety rating being given by the government agency. [47]
The two thousand ten Ford Taurus was exposed at the Detroit International Auto Showcase in two thousand nine at Cobo Hall. [48] The press preview of the Taurus and Taurus SHO was held in Asheville, North Carolina, from June fifteen to June Nineteen, 2009.
The Ford scored well in test drives and the media was pleased with some of the fresh features available in the two thousand ten Ford Taurus. [49] Some of these features include all wheel drive, cross traffic alert, collision warning, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. However, others criticized the lack of interior room and diminished view lines despite its full-sized exterior, [50] and Edmunds noted that the eighth-generation Honda Accord (which competes in the midsize category) had superior driving dynamics and a more efficient design and suggested almost as much interior space as the Taurus despite considerably smaller outer dimensions. [51]
The base price of the base SE model is $25,995. The mid grade SEL is priced at $27,995, and the top level Limited, at $31,995. Ford hopes to achieve a mix of 10% to 15% with its high-performance SHO model.
The Ford Taurus SHO (which stands for Super High Output), released in August, 2009, is the high-performance version of the Ford Taurus. [52] The SHO is powered by Ford’s fresh EcoBoost Trio.5L V6 engine. The twin-turbocharged, gasoline direct injection power plant has three hundred sixty five horsepower (272 kW) and three hundred fifty lb·ft (470 N·m) of torque. The EcoBoost V6 achieves 17/25 miles per gallon in AWD. The Taurus SHO base price is $37,995 which includes the EcoBoost V6, all wheel drive, upgraded 6-speed automatic transmission and numerous exterior and interior trim upgrades. A fully loaded SHO will be $45,000. There is also an available spectacle package on the fresh SHO, which includes upgraded brake pads, a Trio.16:1 final drive ratio (compared to the standard Two.77:1), recalibrated electronic power steering, further suspension tuning, a re-calibrated AdvanceTrac system (Ford’s combined Traction Control System and Electronic Stability Control) with sport mode and “true off”, summer compound Goodyear Eagle F1 245/45ZR20 tires, and an electrical air pump with fix-a-flat in lieu of a spare tire. Most options for the SHO remain available with the Spectacle Package including options such as Power Moonroof, Heated/Cooled Seats, Multi-Contour Seats, Auto-Sensing Lights and Wipers, Automatic High-Beams, Adjustable Pedals, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), and Satellite Navigation. Options from the Driver Assist option group, however, are unavailable at the same time with the Spectacle Package. Those options include Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning System, Lane Keep Assist, and Active Park Assist.
Albeit the base three hundred sixty five horsepower (272 kW) produced by the SHO from the factory may be considered mild in 2016, given the existence of seven hundred seven horsepower (527 kW) sedans like the Dodge Charger Hellcat, enthusiasts of the SHO have found the vehicle to be enormously compliant to power enhancing modifications, with the highest power SHO presently at six hundred seventeen horsepower (460 kW) as produced by Livernois Motorsports for one of their customers. [53] With the potential for truly competitive levels of power on an AWD platform, the largely unassuming looks of the SHO compared to the base Taurus make the SHO a cost effective sleeper. [54]
2013 facelift Edit
Very first exposed at the two thousand eleven Fresh York Auto Showcase, the Taurus received a refresh for the two thousand thirteen model year. The figure features a fresh front fascia and slightly updated rear fascia with LED tail lamps, as well as all-new wheel options. The SHO model features revised styling elements, with unchanged power ratings from its EcoBoost V6. Refinements have been made to the Three.Five EcoBoost V6. Power in the Three.5L V6, standard in non-SHO models, is up to two hundred eighty eight hp and gets Nineteen/29 MPG in FWD models, while getting Eighteen/26MPG in AWD models. There is a fresh engine option for non-SHO models, a Two.0L EcoBoost Inline four developing two hundred forty hp and two hundred seventy lb-ft of torque while delivering a best-in-class 22/32 miles per gallon. All models received upgrades to the steering and braking systems to improve driveability. For example, Torque Vectoring and curve control has been added as standard, and controls the cars capability to slide round corners at higher speeds. Updates to the Instrument dials have been added, they are now fully digital and clearer and more colourful. MyFord Touch will also be part of Taurus’s Sync system. [55]