The 2006 model year will end the heralded Taurus name and for this writer it is a bittersweet time as Ford retires what once the top selling vehicle in all of America.
When Ford introduced the Taurus with its cousin the Mercury Sable in the mid 1980s the automobile represented a radical departure from the standard Yank vehicle of the day. Reasonably massive, front wheel drive, and terribly aerodynamic, the Taurus quickly rose to the height of the American car sales charts and was the fastest selling vehicle for many years in a row. A much delayed “reskinning” did not happen till 1996, some 10 years after the Taurus and Sable were first released. The new style, perceived by some to be ugly, quickly cost Ford sales as newer and more modern Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords out gained the line. Tiny changes in style incorporated with the 2000 model year took some of the edge off, but by that point the Taurus was said to be too decrepid and outmatched by the competition.
I bought an all new 1994 Taurus and kept the vehicle for seven years, racking up 117,000 miles before deciding it was time to trade in the car for something newer. I found the ride to be snug, the interior room to be expansive, and I liked the overall style of the vehicle. I was also one of the first folk to purchase a Taurus in the then new Hunter Green color, an engaging deep green that was admired by many.
When 2001 rolled around, I elected to lease a Saturn L series rather than going with the Taurus. I required something similar in size with the Taurus and at that time Saturn had a lease deal that could not be beat. In addition, I wasn’t impressed with the Taurus which I felt had been out-engineered by other cars in its class. So, I took home the Saturn and donated my Taurus to the Kidney Foundation.
The 2005 model year represented the final year that Ford would offer the Taurus thru dealers ; for 2006 the Taurus is only available as a fleet vehicle and it is unchanged from the year before’s model. The slow selling Sable was mercifully put to rest one year earlier.
For Ford, concentrating on wagons and SUVs meant neglecting much of their automobile line up, including the Taurus. Bigger and stronger SUVs, including the Expedition and Excursion, were introduced as America’s tastes continued to shift from passenger cars to SUVs. In addition, the ever well-liked F Series pick up lorries went thru regular style and engineering changes every four years or so as did the Explorer, Ford’s midsized SUV.
Higher gas costs and changing tastes are once more impacting Fords’ line up. The beefy Excursion is gone and new automobiles including the Five Hundred and Fusion are now part of the line up. These two new models represent a fresh change for Ford and a promise that the attention once given to the Taurus would be given to the new models. For that, I am glad.
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