Back at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford reveal the all-new Fusion. Now at Detroit, it's the revealing of its bigger brother, the Taurus. The new 2010 Taurus has been completely redesigned, and Ford hopes all these changes to the exterior, interior, platform and powertrain will add up to a full-size car worthy of the Taurus name. This will be a new halo car for the Ford brand that's crammed with all the best technology and state-of-the-art engines.
Starting with the front-design, the new Taurus has headlights flanking the grille. The front bumper, meanwhile, is dominated by a large air intake and two discreet, smaller intakes at the outer edges with chrome accents. Topping it all off is a new power-dome hood that looks it came from the Mustang. It's much taller and broader than the rounded, low hood of the old generation. The new engine lid is contoured with the center section rising above the outer edges that form the tops of the fenders.
Moving to the side, the most striking change on the 2010 Taurus is the new roof line. The perfect arch of the old car has been replaced with a straighter roofline that kinks down sharply after the C-pillar. Its reminiscent of the tank-like roofline of the Chrysler 300C, though not as severe. And the muscle-sharp lines that on the doors give it a meaner stance looking at it. We think this is the best side to look at.
At the back, the Taurus is completely different. Even at a first glance, some might not notice it as a Ford car. Because the top of the trunk lid, which Ford designers gave it a much rounded shape, is taller and flows back into a raised bit of sheetmetal forming a little ducktail spoiler. The back of the car is also canted sharply forward and in a way mimics the angle of the rear window. This makes the Taurus look like its leaning forward and ready to roll down the highway for a long road trip at any time. New squarish taillights are also connected by a strip of chrome that bisects the back end.
Some could ask, so will the interior be as amazing as the exterior? The simple answer is yes. To explain, Ford went for a very look-alike supercar interior. the new center stack that flows away from the dash at a very shallow angle, like in a low-slung supercar. The center console also sits higher, so each front seat passenger is cordoned off in their own compartment. The top of the dash features a twin-hood design like the Mustang, and the remaining interior surfaces vary from soft-touch light and dark plastics to wood grain inserts. The Taurus interior is also packed with technology gizmos. Such Intelligent Access (Ford-speak for keyless entry) and Push-Button Start; MyKey; the latest version of SYNC with the just-announced new features of Traffic, Directions and Information; a voice-activated nav system with SIRIUS Travel Link; and finally an all-new Adaptive Cruise Control, just like a Mercedes S-Class.
It's time to talk about the engine. Underneath the powerdome hood is a powerful heart. Two engine choices are available. The familiar 3.5L Duratec V6 producing 263hp and 249lb-ft of torque. Power is channeled to either the front-wheels or the use of a AWD system. Another, is the all new twin-turbo, direct-injected EcoBoost 3.5L V6 with 355hp and 350lb-ft of torque. This V6 with V8 power engine needs AWD to run. Both engines are connected to a 6-speed automatic with SelectShift that adds shift paddles to the steering wheel. Ford says SelectShift will match revs when downshifting and not automatically upshift when you hit the redline, which is very sporty. However, the new Taurus is expected to get over 20mpg fuel efficiency.
So, the new Taurus competes with other big front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive sedans, vehicles like the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, Chrysler 300 and Pontiac G8. But here is the best news, even though this is a head-turning; sporty-luxury; full-size sedan, the 2010 Taurus will have the same $25,995 base price as the 2009 model. That's a good move by Ford for what appears to be a very good car. So we think that the Taurus isn't just going to beat the rivals, but smash them instead. Ford just needs to market this car well.Source: [Ford]
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