FORD TAURUS PRODUCTION ENDS IN THE U.S.

Farewell to the former best-seller

by Words: Kelly Pleskot March 04, 2019

Ford is cutting sedans from its U.S. lineup, so this announcement comes as little surprise. The automaker has officially ended production of the Taurus in the U.S.

The final Ford Taurus rolled off the line at the Chicago Assembly Plant last week. More than 8 million copies were built here over the course of 34 years.

The Taurus debuted at the 1985 Los Angeles Auto Show as a replacement for the midsize LTD sedan. When it arrived, it featured a 3.0-liter V-6 engine with just 140 hp, and a four-cylinder option followed shortly after. In 1989, Ford introduced an SHO version with a 220-hp V-6 engine. From 1992 to 1996, it was the best-selling car in the U.S. But it fell behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in 1997.

VIEW 21 PHOTOS1986 Ford Taurus

Ford axed the Taurus nameplate briefly in 2006. The Taurus was replaced with the full-size Five Hundred and midsize Fusion sedans. Alan Mulally, who took over Ford in September 2006, would lament the name change. By 2008, the Five Hundred was renamed Taurus and since then the nameplate has carried on as a full-size sedan. The Taurus X was a short-lived crossover option.

As it stands now, the Taurus hasn't been fully redesigned since the 2010 model year. A face-lift came for the 2013 model year, bringing improved interior materials and other updates, but we still weren't impressed with its acceleration, braking, and handling, putting it last place in our five-way comparison of full-size sedans in 2013. China received a brand new generation Taurus a little while ago, produced in the local market, but it never came our way.

Although the Taurus is gone, Ford has big plans for Chicago. The automaker is investing $1 billion in its Chicago assembly and stamping plant to build the 2020 Ford Explorer, Ford Police Interceptor Utility, and 2020 Lincoln Aviator. The move will add 500 jobs at the complex.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/ford...tion-ends-u-s/