Ford design chief Jack Telnack says he was looking for tension and tautness
in the styling to express the energy beneath the surface. He also wanted
a one-piece overall silhouette--a seamless quality with everything integrated.
We're not quite sure about the design expressing the sub-dural energy,
but we do know we like the look. The overall shape is ovoid, a theme that's
repeated inside. The hood flows into the windshield and the rear window
flows into the deck, lending the seamless look Telnack wanted. The nose
is low, and the small grille opening is a striking feature. The wheels
have been pushed out to the corners, giving the car a stable and cohesive
appearance.
Rounded corners and softened shapes make the Taurus look smaller than
the original, but in fact the new car is 5.4 inches longer and two inches
wider. Ford originally offered the new Taurus in two versions--GL and LX--but
quickly added a more price competitive G version. (The wagon is offered
in GL and LX versions only.) And in late '96, a high-performance SHO version
rejoined the lineup.
There are two engines available--three, if you count the SHO's V8. The
base engine is a 3.0-liter overhead valve V6 rated at 145 horsepower. It
goes into the G and GL. The LX gets a double-overhead-cam, 32-valve, 3.0-liter
V6 that makes 200 hp. All engines are teamed with a four-speed automatic.
The V8 in the SHO is rated at 235 hp, and as the acronym suggests--Super
High Output--it transforms this family sedan into a fast tourer with long
legs. Ford calls it an "executive express," a name that seems
appropriate for its excellent midrange response, performance-tuned suspension
and $26,460 base price.
It has taken Detroit a while to come to parity with the Europeans and
Japanese in the suspension department, and the Taurus is a good example
of getting it right. The front suspension is a MacPherson strut design
with a lower control arm and stabilizer bar. Simple but effective.
The rear suspension is a bit more complicated with what Ford calls its
Quadralink (four links) design. Links are basically metal rods that locate
the suspension. The advantage is a more precisely positioned suspension
to maximize handling and response. Along with the links are coil springs,
shocks and antiroll bar.
Power steering is standard, of course, but Taurus adds speed-sensitive
variable assist, which means at low speeds there is more power assist for
easier turning while at higher speeds there is less assist for more road
feel.
There are disc brakes in front with drum brakes at the rear. Wagons
and the SHO get rear discs. We can understand ABS as an optional feature
on the price-leading G, but we were surprised that it's also optional on
all models but SHO. To get ABS, you have to buy one of the Popular Equipment
Packages. The one we priced was $720 after discount.
Since it was all-new last year, there's little in the way of updates
for 1997, with one important exception. Ford has recalibrated the computer
controls for its Taurus/Sable automatic transmission to provide smoother
shifting. Shift quality was a persistent criticism of first-year editions.
Another welcome change: an AM/FM radio is standard in all models.
The oval theme is picked up on the inside on the instrument panel, vents,
door handle recesses and elsewhere. At first glance you may not like the
large oval in the center of the dash which contains the climate and sound
system controls. Give it some time. In an era when instrument panels all
seem to look alike, the one in the Taurus is a refreshingly distinctive
change.
It is also well organized. The buttons and switches run from lower left
to upper right within the oval, but the arrangement is quite logical and
it doesn't take long for a driver to make adjustments by touch alone, without
taking attention away from the road. We also liked the high-quality, high-tech
feel of the pushbuttons and switches.
The basic G model comes with a bench front seat for six-passenger capacity.
The GL and LX are available with a front bench or front buckets.
If you go with seating for six, you will get a patented three-way flip-fold
40/20/40 console seat. Yes, seat. The center portion can be used as a seating
position, with its own safety belt, or it can be flipped forward to become
an armrest, or it can be folded open once more to reveal storage compartments
for cups, tapes, coins and other small stuff. For organizing the small
items that get scattered around in a family car, this is an exceptionally
inventive piece of design work.
Manual air conditioning is standard across the board, electronic optional.
Electronically-controlled sound systems are also standard, with the LX
getting a cassette player and six speakers.
Typical of American manufacturers, the mix of standard and optional
features on three sedans and two wagons requires the assistance of a Cray
supercomputer (or a 12-year-old with a laptop) to determine what goes with
what. The base Taurus is adequately equipped, the LX very well equipped.
The price-leading G starts at $18,545, the GL at $19,535, the LX at $21,610.
Our LX sedan tester was fully loaded, lacking only leather and a moon
roof, and topped out at $24,085. At the end of 1996, 80% of Taurus sales
were GL models, which means most owners began to balk at spending more
than $22,000.
Reactions to the original Taurus were that Ford had made a giant gain
in ride, handling, steering feel and overall mechanical quality. Megadittos
for the new Taurus. As good as the old Taurus had become, the new Taurus
is a leap ahead, a leap that starts with one of the best chassis in the
midsize class.
The basic Vulcan V6 provides adequate performance, but we prefer the
Duratec V6, which makes for easier merging and passing. It is smooth, quiet
and responsive, with good stoplight getaway.
The automatic is a very good match. Thanks to improved control programming,
the shifts are clean and precise.
Thanks to the new car's improved chassis, the suspension performs as
advertised, keeping the car flat in corners and sopping up bumps and bangs.
Visibility is excellent all around, with the sloping hood lending an
Imax vista up front. Seat comfort is good, but we found the bench seat
limited in lateral support. It doesn't take much sideloading to scoot your
bottom left or right. The bucket seats are definitely more comfortable
and securing.