2008 FORD TAURUS FEATURES MORE POWER, STYLE AND MORE STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES

- New Ford Taurus features more than 500 engineering changes, making it more distinctive, quieter, faster and safer.

- 3.5-liter Duratec V-6 delivers an estimated 260 horsepower – an increase of nearly 30 percent from the previous engine.

- Available electronic stability control and all-wheel drive provide confident ride and handling in all weather conditions.

- Ford Sync™ offers new levels of connection, control, simplicity and personalization for electronic devices such as cell phones and MP3 players

- Taurus will reach showrooms this summer.

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.

'Customers will find the 2008 Taurus delivers more of what they are looking for, including a strong design, high-quality interior, power and performance, must-have features like Ford Sync and a great safety reputation,' said Cisco Codina, Ford's group vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service.

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.

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.

New exterior design is more emotional, more Ford

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.

Ultra-quiet interior and plush ride

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.

Taurus's plush, confident ride is further improved for 2008.

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.

Maximum convenience and space

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.

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.

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.

Building on safety leadership

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.

by Ford

2008 FORD TAURUS, MERCURY SABLE EARN TOP SAFETY PICKS

• 2008 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable earn 'Top Safety Pick' ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for achieving the highest ratings in frontal offset, side and rear impact crash protection.

• Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable are the world's only large family cars to earn both the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating and the U.S. government's highest available five-star ratings in all crash test categories.

• Ford and Volvo engineers worked together to create this innovative vehicle structure featuring crush zones so that energy is transferred around the passenger compartment.

• Class-leading affordability and safety combine to make Taurus and Sable two of the best choices for safety-conscious consumers looking for full-size family cars.

The 2008 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable will arrive in showrooms this summer bearing Top Safety Pick ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the government's highest available five-star ratings in all crash test categories.

The IIHS' 'Top Safety Pick' rating can only be earned by vehicles that achieve the best-available safety performance in frontal, side and rear collisions and offer electronic stability control. In addition to being the only large family cars to merit IIHS' Top Safety Pick rating, these sedans stand alone for also earning five-star driver and passenger crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

'It's a true testament to the safety engineering of these vehicles that they achieved top crash test ratings from both IIHS and NHTSA,' said Sue Cischke, senior vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Company. 'Ford and Volvo worked together to leverage our technical and intellectual resources to create this outstanding vehicle architecture, and now it's better than ever. These cars offer it all: safety, power, spaciousness, comfort and great features, all at a great value.'

The Insurance Institute also gave both vehicles its highest rear impact rating for offering effective protection against neck injuries, as well as its highest front and side impact ratings for withstanding intrusion into the occupant compartment.

The structure of the Taurus and Sable is engineered with crush zones designed to direct excess energy around the passenger compartment into a high-strength safety cage. An innovative cross-car beam 'SPACETM Architecture' under the front seats reinforces the structure between the B-pillars, which helps direct energy away from passengers.

Both vehicles offer an industry first two-row Safety Canopy™ side air bag system that provides additional protection not only in side impact collisions, but also deploys in rollover accidents. Side-impact protection comes from a combination of air bag technology and structural features that help safeguard occupants from intrusion by channeling crash energy away from the passenger compartment.

An advanced air bag controller uses front passenger classification sensing to determine if the seat is occupied, and if so, whether the passenger is a larger or smaller person. Air bag deployment is tailored – or altogether suppressed – to help provide an appropriate level of protection. The lower anchors and tethers for children, or LATCH system, provide mounting points for compatible child seats in the second row.

Both cars are available with AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control and all-wheel drive to provide drivers with a confident ride and smooth handling in all weather conditions. All Ford, Lincoln and Mercury retail cars and trucks will have standard electronic stability control by the end of 2009. ESC currently is standard on all Ford sport utility and crossover vehicles.

Ford Motor Company and its global brands have built more than 4 million vehicles globally with electronic stability control systems. More than one million of those vehicles feature Ford's industry exclusive AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control, the world's only system with two gyroscopic sensors to actively measure and help control both yaw and roll movements.

'We believe our electronic stability control systems enhance vehicle safety by helping the driver prevent many accidents from occurring in the first place,' Cischke said. 'Making families safer is a key part of our pledge to drive safety innovation.'

AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control is standard equipment on most 2007 model year Ford Motor Company SUVs and crossovers. ESC will be standard on the 2008 model year Taurus X. The 2008 Ford Taurus starts at $23,245 (MSRP); Mercury Sable, starts at $23,540.

by Ford

Introduced in December 1985 as a 1986 model, Ford unveiled the Taurus with its smooth, jellybean-like body. One of the slickest vehicles in the world, the Taurus had an aerodynamic drag coefficient of only 0.29. Instantaneously winning over thousands of fans, the Taurus was a huge success. The name Taurus came from the Latin word meaning ‘bull'. During its 20 years of production, Ford sold nearly 7 million Taurus's throughout its lifetime. Most Taurus's were built in either Chicago, Illinois and in Atlanta, Georgia.

A bold new step in US automobile design, this was the first time in many decades that an American manufacturer was building a world class car. Inspired by successful European designs, which were making huge steps in the US premium sedan market, Ford took a huge gamble in basing its main profits on this vehicle.

Weighing in around 3,200lbs, the front-wheel-drive midsize Taurus rode on a 106-inch wheelbase. All models except the LX featured the base engine, a four cylinder of 2.5 liters and 90 horsepower. Most buyers chose the optional 3.0-liter V6 that put out an impressive 140 horsepower. Transmission options were either a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic, while the V6 only came with a four-speed automatic gearbox.

In 1988 a larger 3.8-liter V6 engine became optional for all Taurus's and all Sables. Rated at the same horsepower as the standard 3.0-liter V6, the bigger engine produced more torque and was better off-the-line response, which was helpful in drag races.

Ford introduced the Taurus SHO in1989, which was a special treat for driving enthusiasts. Featuring a 220-horsepower, 24-valve, 3.0-liter Yamaha engine along with a sport suspension package, the SHO was a magnificent vehicle. Continuing with the serious, performance-oriented theme of the vehicle, the interior featured a 140-mph speedometer, an 8,000-rpm tachometer with a 7,000-rpm redline, aggressive side bolsters on the front bucket seats along with a console which featured a five-speed manual gearshift as no automatic transmission was available for the SHO. Reaching 0-60 mph in only seven seconds, the SHO received four-wheel disc brakes along with upgraded handling.

The Taurus received a driver's side airbag in 1990 along with a revised instrument panel. Antilock brakes were newly optional on sedans only, and a compact disc player. The three-speed unit that was formerly mated to the 3.0-liter V6 was replaced with a four-speed automatic.

The following year a much-need boost in power was made to the four cylinder engine, bumping it from 90 horsepower to 115. No increase in its output, but the 3.0-liter V6 received sequential fuel injection. The SHO also received a few updates as well that included larger 16-inch tires and wheels while the manual gearbox and clutch were modified for smoother operation.

A larger 3.2-liter version of the DOHC V6 was introduced in 1993 and came with automatic SHOs. Though peak horsepower was the same as the 3.0 motor, more torque down low offset the fitment of the auto gearbox. The SHO also received a decklid spoiler with integrated stop lamp along with chrome dual exhaust outlets. To make the Taurus even more competitive in the tough sportscar market segment, more standard equipment that included AC and a rear window defroster were added to lower-line models.

Every year the Taurus took the title of 'Best-Selling Car in America' from 1992 through 1995. Many changes were introduced for the 1996 Taurus. Under the hood was a new ‘Duratec' 24-valve, DOHC V6 with 200 horsepower. The 3.0-liter V6 gained an additional 5 horsepower bumping it up to 145 horses. The SHO also now had V8 power, a Yamaha-engineered, 3.4-liter, 32-valve unit that pushed 235 horsepower to the front wheels. The SHO no longer had a manual gearbox, along with all other Taurus's as now all vehicles featured an electronically controlled, four-speed automatic transmission handled gear changes. Despite of all of these controversial design changes, the Taurus continued with its 'Best-Selling Car in America' streak for yet another year.

For 1997 engineering was on everyone's mind as a variety of changes occurred for the 3.0-liter V6, and the Taurus didn't lag behind. The V6 motor was modified to run cleaner and even received California's low-emission vehicle status as a result. Along with standard gasoline-fueled version, the 3.0 offered two 'flexible fuel' options. One option allowed the engine to run on mainly methanol while the other ran on mostly ethanol.

The standard engine for the LX and SE models was once again the 145-horsepower V6 in 1998. The SE featured an optional Sport group that put the 200-horsepower Duratec V6 in the engine bay along with a spoiler on the trunk lid. The grille was slightly updated as a horizontal bar was inserted into the ‘mouth', and the orange taillights were replaced with clear lenses. The second generation airbags were replaced with more safe ones that were designed to reduce the chance of airbag related injuries; this debuted on the 1998 models.

For 1999 models safety was the big selling point as both the Taurus and the Sable received the government's highest rating for frontal crash tests. The largest selling point in the sportscar market was that both the sedan and wagon body styles garnered five stars for driver and passenger sides in the frontal impact test.

The following year a set of 3.0-liter V6 engines remained as the source of propulsion. The base version featured 155 horsepower and a higher-output 24-valve twincam unit that produced 200 horsepower. A four-speed automatic sends the power to the front wheels either way. The SHO was discontinued in 2000.

For 2000 the Taurus received yet another redesign as it minimized some of the oval design elements from the 1996 model. A taller roof over the rear-passenger space was featured in the redesign to increase passenger headroom that was sacrificed by the tapered '96 design. Making the vehicle more functional, the taller and roomier trunk also added points.

The interior of the 2000 model was completely replaced for a much more conservative design. A few elements of the interior were kept from the 1996 model, such as the integrated control console which combined the sound system and climate controls into one panel. To appeal to a broader, non-sporting audience, the suspension was also softened. The four-wheel disc brakes along with many other features were eliminated to reduce the price and increase profitability.

For 2002 the Taurus now included extra equipment on every trim level that included a CD player and power driver's seat on the SE, a power moonroof or leather interior on the SES. Both of these luxury options were found on the SEL. Optional on all models now were side airbags and traction control.

The Taurus received minor cosmetic changes to both the front and rear fascias, including an eggcrate grille for 2004. A new instrument cluster and steering wheel were installed for this same year.

Unfortunately the Taurus's days were numbers and for 2005 very little changes were made. Ford replaced the Taurus in commercial markets with the 2005 Ford Five Hundred after facing slumping sales. In January of 2005 the Taurus wagon was discontinued and replaced in the lineup by the crossover Ford Freestyle. Ford stopped selling the Taurus to the public in 2005. Still sold to the Canadian market, the model year 2006 Taurus is sold exclusively to rental fleets, such as The Hertz Corporation. In August 2006, the vehicle ceased production as a 2007 model year vehicle as Ford closed the Atlanta plant.

by Jessican Donaldson