Back in the spring of 2013, our sources told us that a CD-based Taurus was under development, but promptly sent to the garbage dump after its design bombed its consumer clinics. Marketing brass at Ford decided to kill the Taurus, due to dissatisfaction with the way it looked, and the shrinking mid-size car market. But the large sedan will live on in China.
The sedan, shown above, is said to be exactly that car. Ford is already planning a large Lincoln flagship,codenamed GOBI. Based on the CD architecture and targeted at Chinese business consumers by emphasizing rear seat comfort and amenities, GOBI will replace what we know as the Lincoln MKS in both China and the United States. A Ford with the same attributes would serve as a flagship for the Blue Oval in a way that it never could in America.
The full-size sedan market in America is heavily weighted towards fleet sales. With the Fusion outselling the Taurus by a roughly 4:1 ratio, it’s understandable that Ford would not want to renew the Taurus for another model cycle.
That checkerboard abstract paint job just screams, “China” so, probably a good move on Ford’s part
The car has been developed in Ford’s Melbourne , Australia development Centre
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/DAAFF58F85F299FECA257D32001511EA
I really don’t get how the same people who designed the Fusion just totally lose the plot when it comes to the Taurus
I agree. The Taurus is an abomination. Odd and awkward throughout. Rebadging it from the 500 did nothing. The only person I know that has one has it because it is a company car. They should just give it a modern redo and rebadge it a Lincoln.
Ford does sell a rebadged Taurus in Lincoln livery.
A Lincoln MKS is a much rarer sight on the road than the Taurus it is based on.
Rebadging the 500 did nothing? So, adding a larger engine with more power, yet better mpg, constitutes “nothing” in your mind? The Taurus sales have been much better than the Five Hundred ever was, especially in places like California, where anything with an American badge is a tough sale. I read that the 2010 Taurus was up 50% in California, and the 08-09 model was improved over the old Five Hundred as well. Increased sales, more power, better mpg (not to mention a sporty variant). Thats a whole lotta nothin!
I convinced my parents to buy one in 2012, and its been an excellent car. Good mpg, problem-free, plenty of room and power. They replaced their 2008 Grand Marquis wuth it, and couldnt be happier.
Anyone who longs for a Crown Vic (especially without the handling package, but even with) obviously hasnt driven one lately. The Taurus is quicker, handles better, and gets better mpg. I dont understand people who point to the rear seat room and claim its worse than the old Panther. The Grand Marquis felt small inside with its intrusive drive shaft tunnel and seats that are damn-near level with the floor (really felt that way in the front).
I suppose you could say the ride was nicer, but Id beg to argue. The Panther felt so floaty and bouncy that one should avoid the car if they are easily made sea-sick. The Taurus’ ride isnt harsh, but it is well controlled. The car doesnt pitch and dive like the Panther did, and it damn sure feels more controlable in bad weather. The car is more responsive and doesnt get all squirly and weird when you pick up the pace.
Im sad to learn that Ford will not renew the Taurus for North America. I blame the crossover craze for slumping large car sales. Maybe something will change and we’ll get the new one. I dont care much for the grille on that prototype, but oh well.
With all this Taurus hate, I feel like I’m reading Consumer Reports.
About 18 months ago, I decided to buy a 2013 Fusion. It was and is a great car. After a lot of time on dealer lots, one dealer urged me to just “try” Taurus.
As great a car as the Fusion is, the Taurus is better. It’s more refined. Everything about it is comfortable and smooth. It even handles well. It comes with Ford’s wonderful 3.5L.
On top of that, the street price is very reasonable. You get more for your money with the Taurus than with the Fusion.
I just don’t understand why the same people that praise the Fusion, loathe the Taurus. Makes me think they made up their mind before driving them.
Well, your ignorance about the car is astounding. Aside from the fact that they already have a Lincoln based off the Taurus platform, much of the rest of your pointless dribble is flat wrong as well.
You call increased sales, increased power and increased mpg “nothing”? Not to mention a restyle that ditched the librarian look of the Five Hundred, and not a moment too soon.
I know its an American car, and that automaticly makes it trash to badge snobs, but the Taurus is a great car if you take your blinders off long enough to notice. Its heavy, but it handles well and even the base 3.5L moves the car well, and returns good fuel mileage. I convinced my parents to get rid of their 2008 Grand Marquis for a 2012 Taurus SEL, and they couldnt be happier. It drives better, it has more power, and gets better mileage. 50k miles in, its been problem-free since day one. No way in hell would they (or I) go back to the terrible Grand Mar-queezy.
Those complaining of a lack of room compared to the Panther are also off base. The front is especially better, leg room is better since the seat isnt damn-near level with the floor. Oh, the console steals space? And the drive shaft tunnel in the Panther is better? It intruded on foot room badly. Having flimsy pop-out cup holders is better? Having no place to set anything (phone, etc) is better? Hell, why dont we all just drive a 1973 LTD? Lol
Taurus the car has an abysmal reputation in Australia, it was the Automotive equivalent of the introduction of Dr Pepper, but lasted a bit longer.
Dr Pepper was described as ” Cough Syrup for Komodo Dragons” Like Dr Pepper, the Taurus was quickly pulled by Ford Australia
You all didn’t like the cough-syrupy Dr. Pepper? Lol, does anyone really like it?
Let me guess, this is going to replace the Falcon in Australia as well?
No China only, Taurus reputation in Australia is the same as the Edsel in the US. No this FWD car will not be renamed the Falcon in Australia. Ford knows it will lose market share, they hope new larger SUV’s will regain some of that market share
A little birdie told me that the Chinese want this to be codenamed “SHO” and come with a Yamaha engine.
Would the Chinese ask for a Japanese powertrain?
Im thinking along the lines of a Haini.
They’ll get the Spanish/American 2.0T and the American 2.7TT and like it.
Maybe they can offer a performance version of the new Escort.
Joy!
Slightly off topic, but when I had my Escort (Escort Escort, NOT ZX-2 Escort), I tried sticking SVT Contour wheels on it.
Ugh. Non-matching bolt pattern.
Now you know my pain. I have to buy wheels meant for a Taurus or Windstar because my Thunderbird doesn’t share its bolt pattern with either of Ford’s RWD platforms of the time.
NoYoGo-
What year is your T-Bird? Early 90s, right?
Well the car turned out to be junk, which I didn’t care anyway, it was a hand me down and I was 21 at the time.
The wheels were at a junk yard for $220 so I snatched them up without doing any research to see if they would fit.
They would have looked fantastic.
I’m not big into custom wheels or anything, but those would have looked nice on that little Ford…
BTW, my folks had a 93 T-Bird. LX with 3.8L in a deep purple over gray. It was quite reliable.
I always liked the v8 models and the SC’s were just plain b!tchin’.
Because your Escort was based off a Mazda platform. You can (or couldve) tried Civic wheels.
@NogoYo, you can also use Lincoln LS and Mark VIII wheels and last gen Thunderbird wheels and of course the L/M versions of the Windstar and Taurus.
It oddly resembles a Cup car with a grill and mirrors. Something tells me this is just an illusion and I either need to quit drinking or go pour another.
Hmmm
On first glance of this Asian sneak preview – all I can say is that it makes me miss the old Crown Vic.
At least back then, one could opt for a bench seat and be gone with the now mandatory over-developed center consuls that crowd out leg room.
The drive shaft tunnel is much more intrusive (and a lot less useful) than a console.
You miss the Crown Vic the same way I miss the Datsun B210: not because its better than a modern car, but because it shows how far we’ve come.
Ah!
I see Hyundai’s Genesis style grill making waves.
Methinks we’ll be seeing more of these implemented. A sea of “meh” is inevitable after all.
Sigh.
I prefer sea of sorrow. But I always liked Alice in Chains.
I always thought that Ford changed the name of the Taurus to “500” to compete with the new(then) Chrysler 300. “Hey, let’s add 200 to the 300 and people will think it’s a better car!”
It would have been wiser to revive the ol’ Galaxie name (the original 500!) and take it from there…
Technically, I believe it’s “Five Hundred” not “500”. I know, tomato, tomahtoh…
Galaxie is an old sounding “space age” name like De Ville is an old sounding luxury name when anything fancy had to sound French like Le Car :D
The Five Hundred and 300 came out the same year. The name was meant to evoke the Galaxie and Fairlane, but I don’t think many people cared.
The 300 was also a throw back to Chryslers of the ’50s, but like you say most people didn’t know or care
The LH-based Chrysler 300M debuted in 1998. The Ford Five Hundred and LX-based Chrysler 300 debuted in 2004.
The 2005 Five Hundred and 2005 Taurus were being built at the same time. There wasn’t a “name change”. The Five Hundred was to be an all new car and eventually slated to replace the Crown Vic, which didn’t happen.
The original 500 is the 1957 Fairlane 500.
Agreed Lie2Me. Slap a “Hello Kitty” decal on the hood of this thing, a la Trans Am Firebird, and you have the perfect recipe for the Chinese market.
[img]http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Stokes-Hello-Kitty2-1200.jpg[/img]
I had a look at the 2014 Taurus. As a foreigner, may I ask what’s supposed to be wrong with it? Is it the European look? Price? Engines?
I’ll light my little candle to remember the Ford big car, and then I’ll contemplate buying something with a Mercedes platform under it.
The sins of the current Taurus:
It has not aged well in the three iterations:
– It weighs about 500 lbs too much. It wasn’t portly with the Five Hundred/Montego, and the first returned Taurus/Sable were pretty good. However, the Taurus/MKS combination has gotten too heavy. The SHO/MKS+EB does not feel particularly athletic (but it can charge 0-60 in sub 4 seconds).
– It has a visibility problem. Again, the Five Hundred/Montego had no rake, and the Taurus/Sable had barely any rake. The current Taurus/MKS has too much rake to make the back window very useful.
– It has a space problem. The back seat room has gotten considerably smaller (mostly due to that rake). The driving room has been more and more pinched by the cockpit layout.
That being said, I put my money where my mouth was, and have a Five Hundred (1st gen D3/D4), and got my parents into an MKS with the SHO engine (3rd gen D3/D4) that they absolutely love, and had another relative with the 2nd gen D3/D4. Having driven a lot of GM products, these were far and away superior to the Epsilon cars or the Impala. All three generations have so much more room than the old W-body Impala or the Cadillac XTS. They are better put together than the Crown Vic/Marquis/Town Car, safer, and more fuel efficient.
If they could have fixed 1.5 of the three things, the car would be in great shape. However, the platform is so uniquely for that vehicle, and they apparently have moved away from any CUV/SUV on it, it’s alone, naked, and not selling particularly well compelled to the knock-out winner that is the Fusion. My suspicion is also that the on-board tech is getting old, like how the W-body electricals aged out on the old Impala, making it harder to offer new doo-dads.
I’ll light my little candle to remember the Ford big car, and then I’ll contemplate buying something with a Mercedes platform under it.
The sins of the current Taurus:
It has not aged well in the three iterations:
– It weighs about 500 lbs too much. It wasn’t portly with the Five Hundred/Montego, and the first returned Taurus/Sable were pretty good. However, the Taurus/MKS combination has gotten too heavy. The SHO/MKS+EB does not feel particularly athletic (but it can charge 0-60 in sub 4 seconds).
– It has a visibility problem. Again, the Five Hundred/Montego had no rake, and the Taurus/Sable had barely any rake. The current Taurus/MKS has too much rake to make the back window very useful.
– It has a space problem. The back seat room has gotten con s i d erably smaller (mostly due to that rake). The driving room has been more and more pinched by the cockpit layout.
That being said, I put my money where my mouth was, and have a Five Hundred (1st gen D3/D4), and got my parents into an MKS with the SHO engine (3rd gen D3/D4) that they absolutely love, and had another relative with the 2nd gen D3/D4. Having driven a lot of GM products, these were far and away superior to the Epsilon cars or the Impala. All three generations have so much more room than the old W-body Impala or the Cadillac XTS. They are better put together than the Crown Vic/Marquis/Town Car, safer, and more fuel efficient.
If they could have fixed 1.5 of the three things, the car would be in great shape. However, the platform is so uniquely for that vehicle, and they apparently have moved away from any CUV/SUV on it, it’s alone, naked, and not selling particularly well compelled to the knock-out winner that is the Fusion. My suspicion is also that the on-board tech is getting old, like how the W-body electricals aged out on the old Impala, making it harder to offer new doo-dads.
Mr GreenMan, this is a great analysis. I thought the Five Hundred was a decent car saddled by the 3.0 and CVT. The 2008 freshening with the 3.5/6spd was a huge improvement. The 2010 new model does nothing for me looks-wise, especially compared to the 300. As well, that vast center console is ridiculous.
I did think the Taurus-X was a homerun… sadly few others did,,,
The current Epsilon Impala is a far superior car to the current space inefficient Taurus. I have extensively driven both. In just about every match up the Impala comes out on top for being more modern and refined, having better interior space efficiency, having more modern electronics and features and for having superior styling and a larger trunk opening. The Taurus does have two things the Impala lacks however. AWD and the performance oriented SHO model which is odd considering the Epsilon LaCrosse and XTS both offer AWD and the XTS had GM’s potent 410 HP turbo 3.6!
In a nutshell – too big on the outside, too small on the inside, and you can’t see out of the thing. And the Fusion is better in every way other than taking up extraneous parking space, which no one cares about anymore, as the bigger is better crowd go way big and buy trucks.
I have 2 vehicles..a 2014 Mazda CX5 Grand Touring,(a media favorite) and a 2015 loaded Taurus SEL…I like the Mazda..it is an easy fit and versatile,but i completely miss the oft tauted joy of the driving experience and find it a bit under powered and underwhelming.The Taurus is a stupid comfortable cruise wagon that looks good,handles well for this segment and was a fire sale bargain.I am a car freak and find joy behind the wheel of such an impractical self indulgence.Solid substantial interior,Angular styling refreshing in a sea of Beanwagons and a certain pimp worthiness that doesn’t veer too far towards ghetto cruiser…
An “abomination””um…OK. I’m never gonna make it with the cool kids,right.
I agree that Ford did not do with Taurus what they should have done but it is too late. The full size sedan market has been withering away. Full size sedans have been replaced by crossovers and those who want a sedan have gone to midsize and compacts. The 2000 to 2007 Taurus was a great car and Ford should have taken that and updated it with a newer drive train, but even if Ford would have done that it would still be a dying segment. I don’t see sedans going away but their share of the market is dwindling.
The large sedan market hasn’t withered. The “midsize” D segment sedans have become fullsize and rendered the non-luxury D/E cars irrelevant.
This is so true, if I’m not mistaken the interior dimensions of the Fusion are identical to that of the Taurus. With better looks, lower price and with the better driving characteristics of the Fusion it’s hard to make a case for the Taurus
That’s the point that a lot of people miss. Yeah, the current Taurus is a pretty good ride, but unless you really need that size, the Fusion will do the job. But that’s across the board. I’ll bet Camrys outsell Avalons as well.
Lie2me, have you driven both or just read forums?
If you sit in both, the Taurus definitely feels roomier. It’s designed for more of an upright sitting position (which makes the high beltline bearable). The driving dynamics of the Taurus are nothing but impressive.
The list price of the Taurus is higher, but the street price is about the same.
The Taurus is a little more refined than the Fusion.
The Fusion is a great car, but the Taurus is just a little bit better.
Taurus
Head Room – Front (in.) 39
Head Room – Rear (in.) 37.8
Maximum Leg Room – Front 44.2
Leg room – Rear (in.) 38.1
Hip Room – Front (in.) 56.3
Hip Room – Rear (in.) 55.8
Shoulder Room – Front (in.)57.9
Shoulder Room – Rear (in.)56.9
Fusion
Head Room – Front 39.2
Head Room – Rear 37.8
Maximum Leg Room – Front44.3
Leg Room – Rear 38.3
Hip Room – Front 55
Hip Room – Rear 54.4
Shoulder Room – Front 57.8
Shoulder Room – Rear 56.9
Seems the cars are identical where it counts for a lot of people. I have no pony in this race, I was just going by the numbers
Large/full size sedans will never have the share of the market they once had. True midsize cars such as the Taurus have become full size but the compact cars of the past have become midsize (Honda Accord). Maybe withered is not a good choice of words but large/full size sedans do not occupy the majority share of the market that they once did and probably never will again. Rear wheel drive, 4 door sedans with V-8 powered cars which were once represented by every brand are now represented by fewer manufacturers. Mercedes, BMW, Hyundai Genesis, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Chevy SS with maybe a few others (not as crowded a field as it once was). Many police departments have either gone to Tahoes, Explorers, and other CUVs and SUVs with the exception of the Dodge Charger which has basically replaced the Crown Victoria.
Other than rental agencies, the occasional livery, and police departments, does anyone actually buy a brand new Ford Taurus off the dealer lot?
The current Taurus has a butt that is way too big. Reminiscent of GM’s wide-ass mobiles of the Nineties.
No,APaGttH..I am the only one!!! Why?..Because it is an ABOMINATION!..Not merely Craptastic”..But a true “abomination’!..However,I have seen the error of my ways and am merely marking minutes waiting for the inevitable Brown Diesel Panther Based RWD manual aluminum Miata Wagon to come down the twisty and I will be trading in the “Abominator”.(Cool name,I know,I know.Thanks Abomination Dude!) post haste..I think they already released it in China,btw.
And what of What next?..Umm..I like big butts and I cannot lie?..Ok,kinda easy,right?..
I know how you feel, I have an antique ’79 Seville and if I hear one more person call it a tarted-up Nova, I’m gonna just…
Nah, not really, it was and is a great car, just like your Taurus. You like it, you know it’s a good car screw everybody else they’re not making the payments, you are.
I’ll bet you got a good deal on it, I hear they’re giving them away ;-)
Lie2me..I did! It priced out loaded like a rental Fuz….I am fine with peoples opinions..have at it..I think the point is I have vehicles at both ends of the automotive communities scale of love..and i am more engaged by far behind the wheel of the one most resoundingly panned..The CX5 is not the 2nd coming just as the Taurus is not the Apocalypse..
I am rather amazed at the exaggerated prose employed to assess the high and low points of both.”Abomination”? ISIS is an abomination. Prejudice Hunger,War,Abominations all..But a car?..Seems a bit much.
Except the 2008 Dodge Avenger.There is that.
Love the Seville BTW..Google Imaged it..Would look good in Gangster Whites.
I read all those comments and looked again at the Taurus. It strikes me as a proper big American car. I rather like the style and the butch proportions. I should note that I liked the Crown Vic right to the end. That was a lot of car and full of American character at its best. If I lived over there, I’d have one of those or perhaps a Mercury Marquis. Or even a late model Park Avenue. I like the scale and laid back nature of these beasts that suit a motoring environment of long distances, wider roads and crumbling infrastructure.
As an owner of a 2003 Taurus, I think I get the ‘hate’. Compared to other models in it’s class, Ford let the car slip all the way until the ill-advised ‘500’ designation (hey Ford, you COULD have made THAT a ‘SHO’ model AND kept the Taurus nameplate then) and then made the 500/Taurus a big bland yacht (nevertheless, stylistically copied by Hyundai for their Sonata) With all that aside, the car has been pretty reliable, and I’m planning to run it until I get some cash or I have no alternative. I see as many Tauri as I do Accords/Camrys/Altimas of various years, and while I like the current model, I’m looking for Fusion size or smaller now, but I’d still love to see an upgraded Taurus challenge it’s competition as it did on it’s origin..ugly as the Altimas/Camrys are now, that shouldn’t be too hard. The ’15 Camry succeeded in making me like the ’14 Corolla, and that’s a feat.
Taurus is a good car, I just prefer the size of the 2000-2007 (Ford got that perfect in size and the trunk was large). I also liked the 500 and the Freestyle. I just don’t see the full size sedan segment growing but I don’t see it going away either. Ford is selling Fusions like there is no tomorrow so I can understand why Ford doesn’t want to market a next generation Taurus in the US. Lot of traditional full size sedan buyers are now buying crew cab full size pickups, suvs, or crossovers. I doesn’t seem like the trend will change anytime soon.
If IIRC, the Five Hundred was so named to also fall into line with naming Ford vehicles with F-names. Freestyle, Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred. Of course, Mustang would not be impacted. SUVs were E-named, Explorer, Edge, Escape. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me, Ford had some great names that weren’t F or E-based. Must have been some corporate mandate.
You are better off buying what you want and need and keeping it rather than just buying a vehicle based on the changing price of oil. If you want to stay out of debt and have any savings for retirement then keep what you have. Unless you drive much more than the average driver it takes years to pay the the savings in fuel versus the cost of a newer vehicle. If I were driving more than average then a Prius might be a good vehicle to drive, but just to buy a Prius to save on fuel for my less than average driving is a waste of money. The same holds true for buying a big fuel thirsty vehicle, which if I am not towing or hauling a lot of people or things is a waste of money regardless of how cheap fuel gets. Cheap fuel will not last as nothing lasts forever. If you buy what you need and want you are more likely to keep it for a while and you are more likely to take care of it if you like it.
True, if you hate the car (say, prius) it’ll never save enough gas for you to like it. Cars are sort of like people that way …
While I like large sedans, our average road conditions around here in rural ‘Merkistan are like…well, require a vehicle of more utility. Potholes aside, there’s winter debris on the roads, wave tossed rocks, gravel aprons and pullouts with 3″-4″ asphalt edges, gravel roads, sand roads, beach approaches, farm roads, logging roads, steep approach ramps to off street driveways, restaurants, gas stations, etc. It’s why UV’s in general are more common because they have hauling and driving utility. I see road conditions getting worse due to lack of funding. By the time I’m 80, probably be driving a ‘fookin Unimog (or Amphicar).
Another vote for the Fusion: I have a friend who has driven and owned mostly Mercedes, Volvos, Cadillacs .. just recently bought a ’12 Fusion. Loves it. And compares it quite favorably to those other makes .. he used to say nothing could get him out of a Volvo. Until now ..
Here is food for thought. If the current Taurus was a better car maybe it would sell in higher numbers. None of today’s so called full sized cars are really full sized. They are just slightly longer mid size cars with a tad more trunk space(Except for the Lacrosse) and decent rear seat legroom. If Ford took the current Fusion and made it longer and wider and put a V6 engine in it with nice styling, loads of features I bet sales would go up. I don’t know what the take rate on the new 2014/15 Impala is but they are seen in droves in Upstate, NY everyday so in parts they seem to be selling quite well. I see more of those than 2005-2015 Taurures combined. In fact on my street alone there are no less than 4 new body style Impalas sitting in driveways as daily drivers. There are no 2010-current Tauruses at all! I know this is hardly representative but I still find it interesting.
I also find it depressing and sad that in a couple of years Ford’s top sedan will be a mid size with 1.5 and 2 liter turbo 4 cylinder only power and China will have this. So unfair!