Ford Taurus
See also:
- Ford Taurus SHO
- Ford Taurus X
- Robocop Taurus
- 2003 Ford Taurus Centennial Edition
The
Ford Taurus was a monumental car for Ford. When it was introduced
in 1986 it was a gamble. If the car was a flop, Ford would go bankrupt. If not,
Ford would be renewed. Needless to say the car "broke the mold" and
became a success for decades. The 1986 Taurus redefined the family sedan.
Until the 2008 model year, the Taurus was a mid-size four door passenger car with a 3.0L V6 engine and front wheel drive (FWD). For a brief period in the early years, a I-4 engine was standard. For the 2008 model, the car grew bigger and the standard engine was Ford's new 3.5L V6 engine. The 2008 model was essentially a rebranded Five Hundred. The Taurus is assembled at the Chicago plant. Taurii were also produced at the Hapeville plant near Atlanta until it's closure in 2006. The Taurus twin is the Mercury Sable.
First Generation (1986-1991)
The
1986 Taurus won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award. It was very deserving!
Year-to-year changes (highlights, not comprehensive):
- 1986 - Taurus Introduced. Engine options were the 2.5L I-4 or 3.0L V-6 (Vulcan engine, 140 horsepower). You could get a 5-speed manual, 3-speed , or 4-speed automatic transmission, but you could only get the manual with the 4-cylinder engine.
- 1987 - No major changes
- 1988 - The Essex 3.8L V6 engine was made available (it produced 140 horsepower)
- 1989 - The manual transmission is no longer available. The manual will not be an option again on non-SHO Taurus models. The front end got a slight update, as did the door panels. The Taurus SHO is new, sporting a 3.0L V6 Yamaha engine producing 220 horsepower. Yes, that's 57% more power than a regular Taurus. Can you say a wolf in sheep's clothing?!!?
- 1990 - The dashboard is redesigned. A new Police Package is available. Basically the Police package got you the SHO suspension, a more powerful 3.8L Essex V6, and a few other little things.
- 1991 - The 2.5L I4 & 3.0L V6 now use sequential fuel injection instead of throttle bodies or multi-point injection. This is the only year an SHO Plus vehicle was offered. It had cosmetic things like a hood bulge, badging, etc.
Second Generation (1992-1995)
ABC
- 1998 -
Third Generation (1996-1999)
Fourth Generation (2000-2007)
The 2000-2007 Taurus' were built off the same basic shell as the '96-'99 cars but the "oval" theme was gone (thankfully). There were a number of safety features added as well for 2000 such as an emergency release handle inside the trunk.
The X saw the following changes & improvements over the previous models:
- 2003 -
Fifth Generation (2008-)
To
the surprise of many, just as the Taurus was to be discontinued, Ford took their
existing redesigned Ford Five Hundred and rebranded it as the 2008 Ford Taurus.
It's interesting because the car was already destined and announced as the 2008
Five Hundred but within weeks (days?) it was called the Taurus.
The 2008 Taurus is bigger in many ways. The car is bigger and has a bigger engine. Standard for 2008 is Ford's new 3.5L V6. Just like the Five Hundred, the Taurus is now available with All Wheel Drive (AWD).
Ford Taurus 4.6L V8 Engine Specifications
Other Ford Taurus Resources
- 1986 Ford Taurus @ The Henry Ford in Dearborn
- FordTaurus.net - Ford Taurus enthusiast site (forums)
- TaurusClub.com - Ford Taurus forums