The All New Ford Taurus
2008: Rebirth of a high runner?
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The Taurus was Ford’s high seller. In
peak years, it was sold almost 400.000 times. Getting old, last year’s
Taurus sales figures plumbed to less than 180.000. Fortunately, Ford
broadened its car portfolio and so Focus, Fusion and Mustang contribute
in the 160.000 to 180.000 to the overall Ford car sales figure of 810.000
in 2006. Nevertheless, the Taurus is very important for Ford. Assuming
sales of significantly above the 200.000 it will be one of the main
pillars of Ford’s car business of the future. And the chance is there,
because the car really offers safety, comfort and power.
The 2008 Ford Taurus features
more than 500 improvements that make it more distinctive,
quieter, faster and safer.
Highlights include new exterior styling, a
new powertrain, a new all-wheel-drive system, more standard
safety features and structural upgrades to further enhance crash
protection.
The 2008 Taurus features Ford’s 3.5-liter
Duratec V-6 that delivers an estimated 260 horsepower – an increase
of nearly 30 percent from the previous engine – and 245 pound-feet of
torque. It is mated to the same smooth shifting, six-speed automatic
transmission as the new Ford Edge.
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Importantly to customers, even with more
power and performance, the 2008 Taurus delivers real-world fuel economy
similar to outgoing Five Hundred – thanks to advancements in powertrain
technology.
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The new look of the 2008 Taurus
suggests the same proven emotional appeal of the popular Ford
Fusion. The new Taurus features the Ford brand’s signature three-bar
chrome grille, a sculpted hood with crisp accent lines and a
new front fascia chamfered at the outer edges, adding more structure
to the design.
New taillamps carry a strong,
horizontal theme to the rear, while a new rear fascia houses
dual chrome-tipped exhausts. Chrome side vents, door handles
and mirror caps give the high-line model a more expensive appearance.
Interior quietness is often associated
with a customer’s perception of overall quality. For 2008 the
Taurus team has delivered interior quietness that rivals many
luxury cars.
The new sound package includes
such technologies as expandable foam pellets in the A-pillars
to reduce wind noise and the use of an advanced sound-deadening
material called Sonosorb™ in the doors, headliner and pillars.
Sonosorb increases sound-deadening efficiency by 20 percent
while retaining the same thickness as the material it replaces.
Engineers also reduced road noise
by stiffening the area where the rear package shelf meets the
floor pan. Even the new climate control system is 50 percent
quieter than before.
Upgrades include revised shock
towers that help increase front suspension travel by 10 percent,
new dampers and springs in both front and rear, and a revised,
retuned rear suspension.
One of the most significant changes
is how the engine is mounted in the vehicle. The engine was
previously mounted to the front subframe. On the 2008 Taurus,
the engine and transmission are bolted to the body with hydraulic
mounts to reduce vibration. By moving the roughly 600-pound
powerpack off the subframe, engineers were able to better tune
the suspension and, ultimately, create an even better ride.
A large majority of customers shopping
in the large car segment place front seat roominess as a key want (86
percent) while many also prioritize cargo capacity (63 percent). Answering
these desires, the 2008 Taurus features the most spacious interior of
any large sedan, with best-in-class legroom front and rear and 60/40-split
fold-flat second-row of seats. With the fold-flat front-passenger seat,
items up to nine-feet long can fit inside.
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Taurus also offers a number of must-have
technologies. In addition to a standard auxiliary audio input jack,
available convenience features include a voice-activated navigation
system, a DVD entertainment system and factory-installed SIRIUS® satellite
radio.
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Ford Sync™ is also available on
the new 2008 Ford Taurus. Sync is a voice-activated hands-free
in-car communications and entertainment system which fully-integrates
mobile phones and digital media players. The Sync in-car communications
system was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and will
be offered exclusively on 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products
in North America beginning this year.
Research routinely demonstrates
that safety features are at the top of customers shopping lists.
For example, nearly 70 percent of shoppers are interested in
side air bags and 65 percent are interested in electronic stability
control.
With these standard airbags and
available electronic stability control, the 2008 Ford Taurus
is expected to be segment leader in safety, capable of achieving
five stars ratings in all four categories for the U.S. government’s
crash tests.
Ford’s AdvanceTrac® electronic
stability control system can predict the vehicle’s intentions
using a sensor to detect and measure oversteer and yaw by monitoring
the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle.
When the system senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced
and braking is applied where needed to help keep the car tracking
safely on its intended path.
Additional standard safety equipment includes
dual-stage driver and passenger front air bags, seat-deployed side air
bags for driver and front passenger, and Ford’s Safety Canopy™ side
curtain air bags for both rows. For an added measure of safety, a new
steering wheel design recesses the air bag 15 millimeters farther away
from the driver.
