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What We Know About the 2010 Ford Taurus
A small, fuzzy image circulated on the Internet last year let the bull of out the bag--the redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus, that is. Snapped surreptitiously, doubtless with a cell phone camera, the picture was posted in early April on several enthusiast Web sites (yes, even workaday cars have their fans), then removed at the speedy insistence of Ford lawyers. That fast crackdown led many to conclude that the photo car is, in fact, the next Taurus. And wouldn’t you know, the picture later went back online, a grainy but revealing styling-studio shot of a full-size mockup in front-three-quarter view.
No matter. Sources have been expecting a redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus, and though the spy photo left many questions unanswered, this slow-selling large sedan is overdue for a makeover. Fortunately for Ford, the revamp promises not only more visual pizazz but greater fuel efficiency, both of which could do wonders for the company’s bottom line. In fact, Ford CEO Alan Mullaly says the redesigned Taurus is “the one we should have made originally.”
The current Taurus bowed for model-year 2005 as the Ford Five Hundred. A name-changing cosmetic and engineering update occurred for ’08, when the sibling Mercury Montego was similarly transformed to become a new Mercury Sable. The spy photo suggests the redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus is a reskinned version of the existing D3-platform design, thus continuing the basic architecture originated at Ford-owned Volvo. That’s suggested by crucial items that apparently carry over, especially the arched roofline, door sizes, and the shapes of the windshield and side windows.
When the 2010 Ford Taurus debuted a the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, it became clear that most everything else is changed. For instance, the nose is higher and bolder, with a large three-bar trapezoidal grille and a near mirror-image open intake below the bumper. Headlight clusters are slimmer and mount within scalloped fender setbacks instead of flush with the grille. The 2010 Ford Taurus also gets a “power dome” hood, a Volvo-like “shoulder” line running back from the headlights and under the windowsills, concave lower-bodysides, flared rocker panels, and revised rear-roof pillars that eliminate the current separate windows behind the doors.
Overall, it’s an extensive restyle that borrows much from Ford Europe’s latest Mondeo midsize sedan, whose sharp looks have contributed to strong sales, according to many analysts. The Mondeo, which uses a different architecture, was created under Ford Europe design chief Martin Smith, who’s lately produced a series of Euro-market sales winners and who may have had a hand in the 2010 Ford Taurus. For all the visual changes, though, dimensions appear to be little altered, and that’s good, because the Taurus is already one of the roomiest mainstream large sedans--the class leader, Ford claims.
There’s less hard news about technical developments for the 2010 Ford Taurus. However, Ford has lately been touting new high-efficiency “Eco-Boost” engines, so the updated Taurus should get at least one, but probably not at launch. The company has announced the base powerplant is a 3.5-liter V6 that should see only slight tweaks from the engine used in today's Taurus. Same goes for the 6-speed automatic transmission that comes with and without shifter paddles mounted on the steering wheel.
Other underskin components should be tweaked but not replaced. They work well enough already, and Ford is short on funds for all-new hardware. Standard and optional equipment should remain much the same too, and for the same reasons.
The 2010 Ford Taurus may have some appealing surprises we don’t know about yet. But even with mildly tweaked engines and a stem-to-stern restyle, it looks like just the thing to help lift Ford’s fortunes. After all, this car has been around without major change for five years, a long time in the car business, so anything new should be a sales asset. Even so, the crossover-SUV sector remains the hottest part of the U.S. market, leaving all family sedans struggling for sales with that still-growing segment. Even the once-hot Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger have waned in popularity. Can the redesigned Taurus win over enough crossover intenders to make real money for beleaguered Ford? If it doesn’t, it won’t be for lack of trying.
But what of the sedan’s crossover platform-mate, the former Freestyle wagon? We hear the Taurus X, another slow-seller, will be replaced after model-year 2009 by a new-think Ford Explorer with crossover-type unibody construction and styling drawn from the recent Explorer America concept. In case you were wondering...
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Ford Taurus
We’ve not heard of any gee-whiz features for the 2010 Ford Taurus, nor do we expect any. After all, family sedans must appeal to a broad and thus somewhat conservative audience, so they’re not known for technical innovation or avant garde styling. But as we said, Ford may spring some surprises here. In any case, we’ll be monitoring rumors and hard news as they become available, so keep checking back with us.
2010 Ford Taurus Preliminary Specifications
The Basics
A small, fuzzy image circulated on the Internet last year let the bull of out the bag--the redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus, that is. Snapped surreptitiously, doubtless with a cell phone camera, the picture was posted in early April on several enthusiast Web sites (yes, even workaday cars have their fans), then removed at the speedy insistence of Ford lawyers. That fast crackdown led many to conclude that the photo car is, in fact, the next Taurus. And wouldn’t you know, the picture later went back online, a grainy but revealing styling-studio shot of a full-size mockup in front-three-quarter view.
No matter. Sources have been expecting a redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus, and though the spy photo left many questions unanswered, this slow-selling large sedan is overdue for a makeover. Fortunately for Ford, the revamp promises not only more visual pizazz but greater fuel efficiency, both of which could do wonders for the company’s bottom line. In fact, Ford CEO Alan Mullaly says the redesigned Taurus is “the one we should have made originally.”
The current Taurus bowed for model-year 2005 as the Ford Five Hundred. A name-changing cosmetic and engineering update occurred for ’08, when the sibling Mercury Montego was similarly transformed to become a new Mercury Sable. The spy photo suggests the redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus is a reskinned version of the existing D3-platform design, thus continuing the basic architecture originated at Ford-owned Volvo. That’s suggested by crucial items that apparently carry over, especially the arched roofline, door sizes, and the shapes of the windshield and side windows.
When the 2010 Ford Taurus debuted a the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, it became clear that most everything else is changed. For instance, the nose is higher and bolder, with a large three-bar trapezoidal grille and a near mirror-image open intake below the bumper. Headlight clusters are slimmer and mount within scalloped fender setbacks instead of flush with the grille. The 2010 Ford Taurus also gets a “power dome” hood, a Volvo-like “shoulder” line running back from the headlights and under the windowsills, concave lower-bodysides, flared rocker panels, and revised rear-roof pillars that eliminate the current separate windows behind the doors.
Overall, it’s an extensive restyle that borrows much from Ford Europe’s latest Mondeo midsize sedan, whose sharp looks have contributed to strong sales, according to many analysts. The Mondeo, which uses a different architecture, was created under Ford Europe design chief Martin Smith, who’s lately produced a series of Euro-market sales winners and who may have had a hand in the 2010 Ford Taurus. For all the visual changes, though, dimensions appear to be little altered, and that’s good, because the Taurus is already one of the roomiest mainstream large sedans--the class leader, Ford claims.
There’s less hard news about technical developments for the 2010 Ford Taurus. However, Ford has lately been touting new high-efficiency “Eco-Boost” engines, so the updated Taurus should get at least one, but probably not at launch. The company has announced the base powerplant is a 3.5-liter V6 that should see only slight tweaks from the engine used in today's Taurus. Same goes for the 6-speed automatic transmission that comes with and without shifter paddles mounted on the steering wheel.
Other underskin components should be tweaked but not replaced. They work well enough already, and Ford is short on funds for all-new hardware. Standard and optional equipment should remain much the same too, and for the same reasons.
The 2010 Ford Taurus may have some appealing surprises we don’t know about yet. But even with mildly tweaked engines and a stem-to-stern restyle, it looks like just the thing to help lift Ford’s fortunes. After all, this car has been around without major change for five years, a long time in the car business, so anything new should be a sales asset. Even so, the crossover-SUV sector remains the hottest part of the U.S. market, leaving all family sedans struggling for sales with that still-growing segment. Even the once-hot Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger have waned in popularity. Can the redesigned Taurus win over enough crossover intenders to make real money for beleaguered Ford? If it doesn’t, it won’t be for lack of trying.
But what of the sedan’s crossover platform-mate, the former Freestyle wagon? We hear the Taurus X, another slow-seller, will be replaced after model-year 2009 by a new-think Ford Explorer with crossover-type unibody construction and styling drawn from the recent Explorer America concept. In case you were wondering...
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Ford Taurus
We’ve not heard of any gee-whiz features for the 2010 Ford Taurus, nor do we expect any. After all, family sedans must appeal to a broad and thus somewhat conservative audience, so they’re not known for technical innovation or avant garde styling. But as we said, Ford may spring some surprises here. In any case, we’ll be monitoring rumors and hard news as they become available, so keep checking back with us.
2010 Ford Taurus Preliminary Specifications
The Basics
Vehicle Type: large car
Drivetrain
Drive wheels: front, all
Engine: 3.5-liter V6
Horsepower: 263
Torque: 249)
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 112.9 inches
Length: 202.9 inches
Width: 76.2 inches
Height: 60.7 inches
Base curb weight: 3,600 pounds (CG estimate)
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