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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Production start | June 15, 2009[1] |
| Assembly | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Predecessor | Ford Taurus (fifth generation) |
| Class | Full-size |
| Body style(s) | Sedan |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Ford D3 platform |
| Engine(s) | 3.5 L Cyclone V6 3.5 L EcoBoost V6 |
| Transmission(s) | 6-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase | 112.9 in (2868 mm) |
| Length | 202.9 in (5154 mm) |
| Width | 76.9 in (1953 mm) |
| Height | 60.7 in (1542 mm) |
| Related | Lincoln MKS |
The sixth-generation Ford Taurus is a full-size car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since June 2009.[1] It is the sixth generation of the Ford Taurus.
Contents |
Development and marketing
The preceding Ford fifth generation Taurus was a facelifted and mechanically enhanced Ford Five Hundred. While this did address several deficiencies of the Five Hundred, particularly the powertrain, it was still criticized for its handling and bland styling[2], with one reviewer describing it as a "SUV shaped like a sedan".[3]
In 2008, Ford Motor Company's Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally stated that the new Taurus is "the one we should have built originally".[4]
A leaked photo of a prototype purported to be the 2010 Ford Taurus circulated on the Internet from message boards.[5] Ford contemplated legal action against web sites which posted the photo and Ford attorneys asked site owners to remove the photo.[6]
The US Ford website showed videos comparing the 2010 Taurus to 2009 model year luxury sedans, including the flagships of several Japanese marques. One test showed that the Taurus' paint coat was more resistant to gravel chips than a Lexus LS460; another noted that the Taurus had a blind-spot detection sensor system that the Infiniti M45x lacked; the third showed the Taurus SHO outpacing the Audi A6 4.2 V8 in straight-line acceleration; the last comparison said that Taurus' cabin was quieter than an Acura RL.[7]
Sales for the sixth generation Taurus are projected to be around 50,000 to 75,000 annually, as Ford planned a lower volume to avoid steep discounts/incentives. Previous iterations of the Taurus, which were classified as midsize cars, had sold 400,000 vehicles per year at their peak in the 1990s.[8]
Design and features
The design of the sixth-generation Ford Taurus was led by Chief Designer Earl Lucas. Many of the Taurus' design elements were influenced by the music that the design team listened to. According to Earl Lucas, "When you've got good music, it's amazing how many shapes come out".[9] The sixth-generation Taurus also features a more aerodynamic version of the 3-Chrome Bar grille, and a rear end similar to that of the Ford Interceptor concept.
The new Taurus also features Ford Sync, push-button start, heated front and rear seats, crash avoidance system, and a lane-changing blind spot warning system. Also new for the Taurus is Ford's new Multi-Contour Seats, which feature air cushions that pad the driver and passenger’s entire back, including three for lumbar support, four for lateral support and four for the seat pad. The bottom cushion features Active Motion technology, which provides a subtle continuous massage, designed to lessen back pain on long trips.[10] The 2010 Taurus was the first vehicle to use the Multi-Contour Seats.
Release
The 2010 Ford Taurus was unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show at Cobo Hall.[11] In May 2009, the new Taurus debuted at three dealers in the Buffalo, Tampa, and Houston, respectively, to be put on display and to build anticipation for the release. The first dealer, West Herr Ford in Hamburg, New York, was chosen due to the successful unveiling of the redesigned Ford F-150 earlier that year.[12]
The Taurus's counterparts, the Ford Taurus X and the Mercury Sable, ceased production in spring 2009 at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant. The 2010 Taurus' production started on June 15, 2009.[1]
Taurus SHO
The 2010 Taurus SHO was unveiled at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.[13] It is expected to go on sale in summer 2009, with a base MSRP of $37,995 (including destination fees).
The SHO includes a 3.5 L EcoBoost V6 engine rated at 365 hp (272 kW) at 5500 RPM and 350 lb·ft (475 N·m) of torque at 3500 RPM, a SelectShift 6-speed automatic transmission with control paddles mounted on the steering wheel, torque sensing all-wheel drive, sport-tuned suspension and steering, 19-inch alloy wheels with Goodyear Eagle tires (Michelin high-performance tires on the optional 20-inch wheels), a decklid-mounted spoiler, twin chrome exhaust tips, and SHO-specific parking lamp bezels.
The SHO Performance Package includes upgraded brake pads, recalibrated electronic power-assisted steering for improved responsiveness, a "Sport Mode" setting for the Electronic Stability Control, a shorter 3.16 to 1 final drive ratio for faster acceleration, and summer-compound 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 performance tires with premium painted wheels.
Police Interceptor
With the end of production for the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor slated for 2010, a variant of the current Taurus will be used by Ford to sell to police forces.[14]
References and Notes
- ^ a b c "2009 Order Cutoff - 2010 Startup". ARI. June 29, 2009. http://www2.arifleet.com/news/buildout.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Wiesenfelder, Joe (July 16, 2009). "2010 Ford Taurus Reviews by Cars.com Experts". http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?makeid=14&modelid=185&year=2010§ion=reviews. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
- ^ Riches, Erin (July 20, 2009). "A Product of Their Times". Edmunds Inside Line. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=153146. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ Spector, Mike (January 23, 2008). "Ford CEO Alan Mulally Calls Fed Rate Cut a "Positive"". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120101702249706671.html. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "2010 Ford Taurus". Jalopnik. http://jalopnik.com/377336/2010-ford-taurus. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
- ^ "2010 Ford Taurus, Redux". Jalopnik. http://jalopnik.com/377889/2010-ford-taurus-redux. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
- ^ Ford Vehicles: 2010 Taurus
- ^ Vlasic, Bill (July 29, 2009). "Revived Taurus is key to the future of Ford". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6553949.html. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ Whitall, Susan (June 6, 2009). "Sharing cool music and creative ideas is what keeps Ford designers fueled". The Detroit News. http://www.detnews.com/article/20090606/ENT04/906060354/Sharing-cool-music-and-creative-ideas-is-what-keeps-Ford-designers-fueled. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ http://www.scribd.com/doc/15625987/MultiContour-Seats-Fact-Sheet
- ^ "2010 Ford Taurus: A Flagship Returns". Jalopnik. January 11, 2009. http://jalopnik.com/5128405/2010-ford-taurus-a-flagship-returns. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Hayden, Brian (May 27, 2009). "New Taurus sedan debuts at West-Herr in Hamburg". The Buffalo News. http://www.buffalonews.com/145/story/684005.html. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ "Chicago 2009: SHO Starter - Ford Taurus SHO kicks off Chicago". Autoblog. February 11, 2009. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/chicago-2009-sho-starter-ford-taurus-sho-kicks-off-chicago/. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ "Ford May Introduce Taurus Patrol Car After Discontinuing Crown Vic In 2012". Policemag. October 01, 2009. http://www.policemag.com/Interstitial/Global.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fChannel%2fVehicles%2fNews%2f2009%2f10%2f01%2fFord-May-Introduce-Taurus-Patrol-Car-After-Discontinuing-Crown-Vic-In-2012.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
External links
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| Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Subcompact | Fiesta | Festiva | Aspire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Compact | Escort | Escort | Escort | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fairmont | Tempo | Tempo | Contour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Focus | Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Granada | LTD | Fusion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taurus | Taurus | Taurus | Taurus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Five Hundred | Taurus | Taurus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LTD | LTD Crown Victoria | Crown Victoria | Crown Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal Luxury | Thunderbird | Thunderbird | Thunderbird | Thunderbird | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport compact | EXP | EXP | Probe | Probe | Escort ZX2 | ZX2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | Mustang | Mustang | Mustang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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