Ford @ NAIAS: 2010 Taurus

[pow]

Found on the TIME magazine website before its debut... looks good:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages...1870797,00.html

The 2010 Ford Taurus is a sleek, stylish update of a car that has been one of the mainstays of the Ford fleet, and it's turning heads at the show with its expressive lines and improved interior, including a new instrument panel with chrome ringed gauges. The Taurus also delivers more fuel efficiency. No fuel economy numbers are available as yet, though Ford promises that it will be 10% better than the 2009 Taurus.

Besides the Taurus, Ford is also showing off the hybrid Ford Fusion, introduced earlier, and which the company describes as America's most fuel-efficient mid-sized [sedan].

Edited January 10, 2009 by empowah

[cire]

Looks like a big improvement from just this side view. I can't label it a total success until all angles of the car are fully revealed.

[daves87rs]

Need to see more..

[Intrepidation]

Want to see more but that is a very handsome profile and proportions.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Oh. My. God.

It's Perfect, I love it . Better looking than the new LaCrosse IMO, I'll be keeping my eyes on this one.

[CSpec]

A picture of this car leaked a year or so ago I think. Looks sort of like a big Honda, to steal Northstar's summary.

[daves87rs]

A picture of this car leaked a year or so ago I think. Looks sort of like a big Honda, to steal Northstar's summary.

It does have an Accord look to it....

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Reminds me a bit too much of the MKS... But I'm hopeful!

I see lot of Interceptor concept in the rear quarter.

[Intrepidation]

I like how the hood looks relatively long and the front overhang is relatively short for a FWD based car.

[mustang84]

Reminds me a bit too much of the MKS... But I'm hopeful!

I see lot of Interceptor concept in the rear quarter.

Same here. Spy shots show that the taillights and chrome bar from the Interceptor concept will be included on the production model.

[mustang84]

Two more Taurus pics (one very similar to the profile shot above, and a front view)

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...UTO01/901100453

Go here and scroll down to post 2 for a front quarter view, plus more further down

http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index...showtopic=29352

Man, I just keep stumbling over more links...all revealed here

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/11/detroit...-like-its-1986/

Edited January 11, 2009 by mustang84

[Robert Hall]

I'm liking the shape.. in the article it says "Ford lowered the roof and raised the car's shoulder line "...the greenhouse and profile remind me of a sleeker Chrysler 300.

[Cory Wolfe]

I'm not sure about the rear fascia... and the C-pillar doesn't flow in my eyes. Everything else, however, is quite nice.

[Intrepidation]

Holy Crap!

[Intrepidation]

Those proportions are very impressive!

[mustang84]

Only two things I'd change:

Lose the fender vent

Get rid of the small crease over the fuel door area of the rear

[Brougham-Holiday]

Finally after 35 years it seems GM and Ford are again going to be products owners can be proud to own.

[Intrepidation]

[Lamar]

This (in SHO form) may be my next car... hopefully in 5 years or less.

C'mon GM, let's get that new Impala right. Make the decision hard for the buyers!

[Northstar]

Aside from the front end, which I really like, I am not very impressed. The rest of it is either boring (profile) or ugly (rear), and the interior, while it looks nice, gives me a sort of last-gen G35 vibe.

[pow]

This car is amazing. If I were some Wall Street CEO, I'd happily take one over a 7-series, saving $60K and, in the process, not having to worry about the angry people with pitchforks outside my home.

[ocnblu]

A true stunner... love it! Now after seeing the 2010 Mustang... everything falls into place, design-wise. This car has Mustang design cues... the upper bodyside crease, the wraparound of the rear end, the diagonal door trim theme... all VERY nice. I am so impressed with this! Great job, Ford! This thing absolutely blows away its old crosstown rivals, the Impala and Charger (although the Dodge still has the advantage of a RWD chassis), and murders its Asian competitors. This is a reawakening for Ford Design... yet it fits perfectly as the best of Ford sedans of the past... Galaxie 500, anyone?

[ZL-1]

Not a big fan of the rear-end, but overall I am very impressed with this!

[chevelle454]

Better than the current Taurus, but that isn't saying much. I'd take a Malibu or Lacrosse over this anyday.

[PurdueGuy]

Looks very good!

[smk4565]

It is fantastic. I like the front end a lot. Big cars are declining so it won't set sales records like the 1986 version, but this Taurus is far superior to the Impala, Lucerne, Maxima, and the Charger/300 unless you are only looking at rear drive.

[Drew Dowdell]

Damn! That is a big fat ass!

but I still like it.

[Z-06]

Yeah the Fat Ass - possibly for the old farts to put a couple of those Rover mobile chairs along with their groceries in the trunk.

The front is somewhat anonymous. The car has a no nonsense design, yet is not a bland mobile like the Camry or Avalon. Simple, yet clear interior. I like that swooping angle of the center stack, looks Bugatti-ish.

[Paolino]

Wow, I'm very impressed!

[Satty]

That is flat-out fantastic. The rear end does give me a Lincoln vibe for some reason, but I dont think thats a bad thing.

[MyerShift]

I like it overall, but the cutlines and styling details to the rear seems awfully fussy.

[smk4565]

One thing that they did very well that GM tends to struggle with is the inside of the doors. The arm rest, leather with the vertical stitching and the wood all tie in well and it looks good. No plastic seatbacks either, and I noticed heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats. Ford did a great job with this vehicle.

[K.C.]

Wow! Beautifully done! I'm not a big fan of the Red Tint paint, but love it in silver, and think it would look sweet in black.

Nice job Ford.

[cire]

Wow! I am impressed. This is a major improvement over the current version.

The only disappointing aspect of this car is that I noticed that it took a lot of its design inspiration from the Interceptor Concept, which means that a RWD Ford flagship sedan is never going to be a reality. I'm not surprised or shocked. I am just taking the revelation of the 2010 Taurus as a definite confirmation that it's not going to happen.

Overall, the car looks like a winner and should be something that gets Ford back in the mainstream large sedan game again.

[mustang84]

Wow! I am impressed. This is a major improvement over the current version.

The only disappointing aspect of this car is that I noticed that it took a lot of its design inspiration from the Interceptor Concept, which means that a RWD Ford flagship sedan is never going to be a reality. I'm not surprised or shocked. I am just taking the revelation of the 2010 Taurus as a definite confirmation that it's not going to happen.

Overall, the car looks like a winner and should be something that gets Ford back in the mainstream large sedan game again.

Well, there are still rumors going around that the Taurus will move to GRWD in 2012.

[network engineer]

I am very impressed with this car. It looks great inside and out. As for the Big ass, I think that was done to nod to the interceptor and to give it potentially class leading trunk space. As Americans move toward cars, they will want more cargo space.

I think depending on the pricing and options this will be a real toss up for me between this and the new Lacrosse.

[loki]

i think this is great... there are nit picks , like the lights looks like their taken from ... an acura? but overall for being a ford... it's a homerun.

this car will get many accolades.... quite possibly COTY, if it drives really well...?

edit, the curved rear could be done something with...? don't like it much in the pics.

Edited January 11, 2009 by loki

[cire]

Well, there are still rumors going around that the Taurus will move to GRWD in 2012.

I hope you are right, although I have heard opposing rumors. The last thing I heard was that there was a good chance that even the next gen Ford Australia Falcon would move to a FWD platform.

I like your version much better, though.

[Robert Hall]

Well, there are still rumors going around that the Taurus will move to GRWD in 2012.

I suspect GRWD is dead. I just can't see Ford making any more RWD models besides the Mustang.

[daves87rs]

Wow, I'm very impressed!

+1

[turbo200]

very impressive. liking the connection to Ford's and Taurus of the 80's and 90's with the back end and conventional headlamps. the interior is phenomonal, this car overall is more impressive than Camry and Accord. why can't it offer a hi po high mileage 4 cylinder, maybe GM should let Ford borrow the 2.4 DI. it's interesting, Ford's fascias, Mustang aside, are not automatically appealing, but this manages to be more engaging than current Ford trend, Fusion and Edge. this could help reclaim some lost glory of the nameplate.

Edited January 12, 2009 by turbo200

[DBeaSSt]

Very nicely done! Little bit of a big butt but nicely styled otherwise. Getting a bit tired of the fender vents on everything though.

From Autoblog:

"A new steering wheel sits front and center and the seats, oh those seats. They're called Multi-Contour Seats and have three, six-way adjustable lumbar bladders and a seat cushion featuring a new technology called Active Motion that continually moves the seating surface in a subtle way that wards off back pain on long trips without distracting the driver."

Huh? What? I want to try this!

[Z-06]

"A new steering wheel sits front and center and the seats, oh those seats. They're called Multi-Contour Seats and have three, six-way adjustable lumbar bladders and a seat cushion featuring a new technology called Active Motion that continually moves the seating surface in a subtle way that wards off back pain on long trips without distracting the driver."

Mercedes and BMW Technology at price of Taurus. Ford is really impressing me. I think seeds of their hardwork and vision will start paying off soon.

[Johnny Quest]

Nope. Don't like it at all.

It's too "busy". It's all the little bits of chrome, the cutlines, the so-so front end, the big back end. It sort of reminds me of the sebring (not in terms of looks, but impression). It has its design strength's but it has its weaknesses and there are just too many. Maybe it's just that it has no history (no consistent design-theme). If it's intended to be a break-through design, it isn't. Ultimately, it reminds me of the same problem that GM had (not anymore though) - great designs, but five years too late. Ask yourself this question, would you want one of these four years from now with what will be coming down the line from the competition. The design is clearly not one which will holds its own over the next four or five years. It already looks old.

Having said that, there's no mistaking this car for Japanese or Korean, or German or... It's clearly a car that I think won't ultimately succeed as a real competitor for other commodity mid-size cars or upper-mid or large, whatever category it happens to fall into (doesn't really matter). Yeah, some former LeSabre buyers may sign up, but I seriously doubt it will have any lasting impact. It's no Camry or Accord (not that I like their designs, I think they're crap designs, but they have a reputation - whether deserved or not).

As for the interior, well, it's not bad, but it has too many "square" edges. Not a big fan, personally.

(I'm not a domestic basher. I worked for a domestic - but no longer - for more than a decade, and have two new domestics in the driveway.)

[trinacriabob]

Want to see more but that is a very handsome profile and proportions.

I agree with you on this. The proportions are very nice.

I am as GM-centric as they come, but I had to give them credit for the Fusion and Milan's good looks, especially the Milan's. Not only that, the Milan I drove had great road manners.

Still, I hope people buy any and all of the American cars out there. The success had been shared in the past and hopefully, it can be shared in the future.

[trinacriabob]

Oh. My. God.

It's Perfect, I love it . Better looking than the new LaCrosse IMO, I'll be keeping my eyes on this one.

That's what went through my head.

In 2005, 6, 7, and 8, the LaCrosse was the best looking of the domestic mid-sized sedans. IMO

In 2009-10 +, the playing field will change. This is pointing in that direction.

[Paolino]

What frustrates me is that this Taurus has technology Cadillac doesn't have.

[Intrepidation]

Oh bob, I;m so sorry! I accidentally edited your post instead of mine.

There, I think I fixed it, sorry for the screwup. ( have to get used to teh "edit" button being on everyone's post and not just my own.)

[regfootball]

Damn! That is a big fat ass!

but I still like it.

yeah, its a wide butt. a nice improvement over the current taurus. its not beautiful. but it is decent and just fine to compete with the imports.

to me the c pillar and rear door are g6-ey.

[regfootball]

What frustrates me is that this Taurus has technology Cadillac doesn't have.

ride and handling and acceleration better than a DTS too.