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The Ford Taurus is a car sold by the Ford Motor Company in North America. It was introduced in 1986 and as of 2004 is still in production. The Taurus has a Mercury sibling in the Sable, as well as a Lincoln one in the Lincoln Continental before that model's demise. The car had a minor update in 1992 and a major redesign in 1996, followed by another more minor update in 2000.

For many of the early years, the Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States, but it lost this status in 2000 (to the Toyota Camry).

The engines ranged from a 100 hp (75 kW) 2.5 L 4-cylinder found in the MT-5 model, to either a 140 hp (104 kW) 3.0 L or 3.8 L 140 hp (104 kW), found in the L, GL, and LX models, to a 220 hp (164 kW) 3.0 L DOHC V6 produced by Yamaha in the SHO model (debuting in 1989, with a 5-speed only). A 3.2 L Yamaha DOHC V6 debuted in 1993 for an automatic equipped SHO, which still had 220 hp (164 kW), but 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) more torque, up from 200 lb-ft (271 Nm). A 200 hp (149 kW) 3.0 L DOHC Ford designed Duratec engine became available with the 1996 redesign, along with a 235 hp (175 kW) 3.4 L DOHC V8 with Yamaha designed heads for the SHO model, but the 5-speed was gone, only an automatic survived.

The SHO model changed the dull reputation of the Taurus. When it debuted in 1989 with a sticker around $20,000,it improved the make's performance. With mid-6 second 0 to 60 mph (100 km/h) times, and a top speed around 145 mph (233 km/h), it could keep up with such performance cars as Ford's own Mustang GT, Camaro Z28s, and the Diamond Star Motors cars (Mitsubishi Eclipse, Plymouth Laser and Eagle Talon) in turbocharged form. The SHO, however, wasn't the sales success that Ford had hoped. It had little exterior differentiation from lesser Taurus models, only understated ground effects. The interior was very different, giving way to some very comfortable and supportive sports seats, and an 8000 rpm tachometer.

The 1996 model year brought great change to the Taurus. Ford tried to get back some thunder that the original Taurus had back in 1986, when it introduced a mid-size, smartly styled aerodynamic sedan, which was very different from any other sedans Detroit was producing, and most of the world, except Audi. This radical oval shape of the 1996 Taurus was not well received by the press or the public, and the Taurus lost its top spot from the sales charts. The 1996 and later Taurus was truly a better car than one it replaced, but the styling held it back. The 235 hp (175 kW) V8 in the SHO model (produced from 1996 to 1999), was very impressive, but lacked the all-out acceleration and top end charge of the previous DOHC 3.0 L V6 5-speed SHO.

This model was also exported outside North America to Japan, Australia and New Zealand, in right hand drive, but this proved unsuccessful.

For 2000, Ford had a mild restyle from the controversial oval design theme, to a less controversial angular theme. It never reclaimed the top spot in car sales again, and heavily-discounted fleet sales have made up an unhealthy proportion of total sales, with only the (now almost unique) station wagon finding many private first owners.

For 2004, the Taurus received minor cosmetic changes to the front and rear fascias, as well as a new instrument cluster and steering wheel.

The Ford Taurus is scheduled to be replaced by the 2005 Ford Five Hundred and 2006 Ford Fusion. In order to accomodate fleet sales, production of the Taurus may not come to an end before 2009. Produciton of the Taurus wagon will be discontinued in January 2005.

Not to be confused with the Ford Taunus.

External link

• See http://www.v6sho.com/ for more information about the SHO models.

• Ford vehicles