The fourth-generation Ford Taurus is an
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
that was produced by
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
for the 2000 to 2007 model years. While mechanically similar to its 1996-1999 predecessor, major revisions to the bodyshell of the sedan were done to alter its controversial styling as well as add interior room; it was available in four-door sedan and five-door station wagon models.
The fourth-generation Taurus would be the final derived from the original 1986 model line. In 2004 and 2005, as part of its effort to increase the use of globally sourced platforms, Ford introduced the Volvo-developed
Five Hundred and Mazda-developed
Fusion
Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole.
Fusion may also refer to:
Science and technology Physics
*Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
to fill the slot of the Taurus in the Ford line (for non-fleet buyers, the Five Hundred also served as a replacement for the Crown Victoria).
The Taurus nameplate returned in 2008, as Ford renamed the Five Hundred to increase its sales.
Overview
Exterior
![2000-2003 Ford Taurus SES](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/2000-2003_Ford_Taurus_SES.jpg)
When the third-generation Taurus debuted, it was hurt by criticism of its design, which was formed from oval derived design elements. The design was very controversial, and it strongly limited the appeal of the car. As a result, for the fourth generation Taurus, Ford designed it with a more subdued, angular design, as part of Ford's
New Edge
New Edge was a design language used by Ford Motor Company for many of its passenger vehicles in the late 1990s and early 2000s and initially authored by Jack Telnack, who served as Vice President of Design for Ford from 1980 to 1997. Under Telnack ...
styling, in hopes of increasing the car's appeal. Instead of sloping back, this car's trunk stood upright in a more traditional shape, which greatly increased trunk space.
The roof was also raised into a more upright stance to increase headroom, which can be seen by the thicker C-pillar and larger area between the tops of the doors and the top of the roof.
The front and rear clips were also redesigned on the Taurus and Sable sedans; all body panels were brand-new except the doors.
Station wagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
s received the new front clips but from the firewall back they were essentially the same as the 1996-1999 wagons. The Taurus now had the turn signals integrated into the headlamps, similar to that of the previous generation Sable. The front bumper was also redesigned to include a larger front grille which, like the previous generation, contained a chrome bar running through the middle containing the Ford logo. The rear clip was redesigned with a larger trunk and trunklid, as mentioned above, as well as giving the Taurus two large taillights as opposed to the rear lightbar used in the previous generation cars. Mounted on the trunklid was a large chrome bar containing the Ford logo, like in the front. In 2003 for the 2004 model year, the front clip was slightly redesigned, and the Taurus got a new front bumper and grille. The grille was made smaller, with the chrome bar removed, replaced by just a large Ford logo in the center. The taillights were slightly redesigned, originally to include amber turn signals, but this was cancelled at the eleventh hour. Instead, the rear was given larger reverse lights, and the chrome bar above the license plate bracket was deleted.
Interior
![2005 Ford Taurus SE interior](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/2005_Ford_Taurus_SE_interior.jpg)
As with the exterior, the interior was completely redesigned with a more conservative style, although some features from the previous cars were carried over. The dashboard had a more linear appearance, instead of curving around the driver. The "Integrated Control Panel" was carried over but enlarged, reshaped, and placed in the center of the dash instead of being tilted toward the driver. The Flip-Fold center console was also carried over but it was revamped as well. When folded out, it now rested against the floor instead of the dashboard, and had different cupholders and storage areas.
Unlike previous Tauruses, this one offered rear cupholders that either slid or folded out of the front console, depending on which console the car was equipped with.
This Taurus' interior was available in two configurations; a front bench seat with a column-mounted shifter and the Flip-Fold center console, or bucket seats with a traditional console and a floor-mounted shifter. The configuration for a steering column-mounted shifter and a center console, which made a brief return for 1999, had been dropped. The interior also contained many new safety features; side airbags, tether straps, and a glow in the dark trunk release mounted inside of the trunk.
This interior also contained a new system which Ford called the " Advanced Personal Safety System". This system, at the time of a collision, would detect the driver and passenger's positions as well as seatbelt usage, and would inflate the airbags to match, possibly preventing airbag-related injuries.
For 2004, the interior got a minor revision. This included a new steering wheel with a center airbag pad that was shaped like an upside-down taco and new gauges with a diagnostic center that would tell if there were any problems with the car, as well as average fuel economy. It also was able to perform a "system check" at the driver's request to make sure that the engine was functioning properly.
Models and engines
The two 1999 models were carried over, and two more were added. The most basic model was the LX, with the SE as the mid priced model. Two new trim levels were offered for 2000: the SE Special Value Group and the top-end model SE Comfort. These new trim levels were renamed the following year to SES and SEL respectively. The SES and LX models were dropped in 2005, leaving the SE and SEL.
The SEL line received a few upgrades for 2003, to give it a more upscale image. Among the changes were a new instrument cluster, wheels, as well as a slight redesign of the dash, with
woodgrain
Wood grain is the longitudinal arrangement of wood fibers or the pattern resulting from such an arrangement.
Definition and meanings
R. Bruce Hoadley wrote that ''grain'' is a "confusingly versatile term" with numerous different uses, including ...
replacing the black trim. It also got woodgrain on the
steering wheel
A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel (UK), a hand wheel, or simply wheel) is a type of steering control in vehicles.
Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, buses, light and ...
rim and around the
power window
Power windows or electric windows are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by pressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a crank handle.
History
Packard had introduced hydraulic window lifts (power windows) in fall of ...
switches on the front doors.
Also in 2003, Ford created a Centennial Edition Taurus to celebrate Ford's 100th anniversary. This special Taurus included many extras, such as lighter wood trim, special leather seats,
headlight
A headlamp is a lamp (electrical component), lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage (language), usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the ...
s with black accents, special wheels, a special leather case for the owner's manual, a leather jacket that said "Ford: 100 Years", a similar
watch
A watch is a portable timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person. It is designed to keep a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is designed to be worn around the wrist, attached by ...
, and a letter from
William Clay Ford, Jr. Production was limited to 4,000 units.
For 2002, 2003 and 2004, the SES model received a "Sport" package, which consisted of five-spoked rims known as "slicers", and the Duratec engine standard. In addition, the exterior of the vehicle received Sport badging on the front quarter-panels, the chrome bar on the grille was changed to body color, the interior received two-toned cloth seats, a two-toned dash applique, special "Sport" floor mats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. This model was only offered in four colors.
The engines were carried over from the previous generation, with the
Vulcan
Vulcan may refer to:
Mythology
* Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
being the only available engine on the LX and SE, producing and of torque, and as the base engine on the SES. The
Duratec
Duratec is a brand name of the Ford Motor Company used for the company's range of gasoline-powered four-cylinder, five-cylinder and six-cylinder passenger car engines.
The original 1993 Duratec V6 engine was designed by Ford and Porsche. Ford ...
engine was optional on the SES and standard on the SEL, producing . For 2005, with the LX and SES models being dropped, the Duratec was only available on the SEL, and in 2006 the Duratec was dropped altogether, with the Vulcan becoming the standard and only engine available on the SEL. Some pre-2004 Vulcans were mated to the four speed
AX4S automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
; all other Tauruses of this generation received the
AX4N transmission.
Variants
Mercury Sable
![00-03 Mercury Sable GS sedan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/00-03_Mercury_Sable_GS_sedan.jpg)
The Mercury Sable, the sister model of the Taurus aimed at a more upscale audience, was also redesigned for 2000. Like with previous generations, the Sable shared all mechanical components with the Taurus with a unique body. The new Sable was also largely carried over from the
previous model, with changes limited a new front fascia, rear fascia, wheels, a taller roof and trunk, and a new interior, though the interior was the same design of the Taurus with added woodgrain trim. Like with previous generations, the Sable offered the same powertrains and equipment as the Taurus. The Sable was again offered in GS and LS models in wagon and sedan body styles, with a new top-of-the-line LS Premium trim. An LS Platinum edition was also briefly offered. The Sable was updated in 2004 with a new grille, front bumper, steering wheel, instrument cluster, wheels and tail lamps. The Sable was discontinued in 2005 and replaced by the
Mercury Montego
The Mercury Montego is a nameplate that was applied to three separate generations of vehicles marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. Taking its name from Montego Bay, Jamaica, the nameplate made its first appearance for 1967 in ...
(which would be renamed as the Sable in 2008) and
Mercury Milan
The Mercury Milan is a mid-size car that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. Named after Milan, an Italian city, the Milan was sold across the 2006 to 2011 model years across a single generation. The smaller of two model l ...
. This generation of Sable was not sold in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, as the Mercury nameplate had been discontinued there by the 2000 model year.
Initial discontinuation and nameplate revival
This generation of Taurus saw a significant sales slump compared to its predecessors.
Having already lost its status as the best selling car in America when it was surpassed by the
Honda Accord
The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...
and
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...
in 1997, by 2005 it has fallen to fourth-place behind the
Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima is a mid-size car that has been manufactured by Nissan since 1992. It is a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line, which began in 1955.
The Altima has historically been larger, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Nissa ...
, which made Ford decide to discontinue the entire Taurus line. Production of the Taurus wagon was discontinued on December 8, 2004;
sedan retail sales halted after a short 2006 model year, and the Taurus became sold exclusively to
fleets in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, while still being sold to retail customers in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Production ended on October 27, 2006, as Ford idled the Atlanta plant, as part of its "
The Way Forward
Ford Motor Company's restructuring plan, made public in 2006, was known as The Way Forward. Ford was attempting to reduce fixed capital costs while maintaining a special focus on cars and car-based crossover vehicles. Over time, it hoped to make ...
"
restructuring plan. The last Ford Taurus rolled off the assembly line around 7:00am, destined for delivery to
S. Truett Cathy
Samuel Truett Cathy (March 14, 1921 September 8, 2014) was an American businessman, investor, author, and philanthropist. He founded the fast food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A in 1946.
Early life
Cathy was born on March 14, 1921, in Eatonto ...
, owner of
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A ( , a Word play, play on the American English pronunciation of "wikt:filet#Pronunciation, filet") is an American fast food restaurant chain which is the country's largest which specializes in chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in Coll ...
. Mr. Cathy's original restaurant was located across from the Ford Atlanta plant. There was no official event or function of any kind to mark the end of production.
The Taurus was replaced in Ford's lineup by the
Five Hundred and
Fusion
Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole.
Fusion may also refer to:
Science and technology Physics
*Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...
sedans, while the Taurus wagon was replaced by the
Freestyle crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (S ...
.
![Auto Show 032](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Auto_Show_032.jpg)
The discontinuation of the Taurus sparked debate given its once-strong position in the market and Ford's well-publicized financial problems at the time. Analysts, customers and some interviewed Ford employees criticized the company for failing to invest in the car and keep it competitive, instead focusing all of its resources on developing and marketing trucks and SUVs.
[ ] A
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
editorial entitled "How Ford starved its Taurus" noted that the Taurus' death was part of a broader trend of the Detroit Big Three willingly abandoning once-successful nameplates and divisions in search of "the next big thing", while their foreign competitors have been gaining market share by continuously improving their veteran nameplates. This criticism was echoed by ''
Autoblog
A spam blog, also known as an auto blog or the neologism splog, is a blog which the author uses to promote affiliated websites, to increase the search engine rankings of associated sites or to simply sell links/ads.
The purpose of a splog can be ...
'', which held the Taurus up as an example of how Ford abandoned its successful products to chase emerging trends to varying degrees of success, a practice they blamed for Ford's struggles at the time.
''
The Truth About Cars
''The Truth About Cars'' (TTAC) is a blog covering automobiles, automotive products and the auto industry, begun in 2002 featuring a mix of automotive reviews, editorials and news. It is home to the annual Ten Worst Automobiles awards, which are ...
'' similarly lamented how Ford neglected the Taurus to the point where it became a "rental car".
Newly-hired Ford CEO
Alan Mulally
Alan Roger Mulally (born August 4, 1945) is an American aerospace engineer and manufacturing executive.
He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ford Motor Company. He retired from Ford Motor Company on July 1, 2014. Ford ...
expressed similar opinions, telling the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
the decision "perplexed" him when he learned about it; he recalled asking subordinates, "How can it go away? It's the best selling car in America!"
As the successor Five Hundred was struggling in the marketplace, Mulally viewed the decision to discontinue the Taurus as a "mistake that needed to be fixed", noting, "The customers want it back. They didn’t want it to go away. They wanted us to keep improving it."
At the time, Ford had already unveiled a face-lifted Five Hundred at the
2007 North American International Auto Show, which had revised styling and a more powerful engine. Partially blaming the Five Hundred's struggles on its name, Mulally decided that the revised vehicle should be marketed as the Taurus, the name he believed the Five Hundred sedan should have used from the beginning
as he believed Ford was better off continuing to use its older nameplates that maintained decent
brand equity
Brand equity, in marketing, is the worth of a brand in and of itself – i.e., the social value of a well-known brand name. The owner of a well-known brand name can generate more revenue simply from brand recognition, as consumers perceive the prod ...
rather than trying to build up new ones.
The revised Five Hundred and Freestyle were showcased as the Taurus and Taurus X, respectively, at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show and went on sale that summer.
References and notes
External links
Taurus and Sable Owners ClubTaurus Car Club of America
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ford Taurus (Fourth Generation)
4th generation
Mid-size cars
Sedans
Station wagons
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Flexible-fuel vehicles
Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States
2000s cars
Cars introduced in 1999