Post A Mag Review Of The Taurus/sable

[Joe5.0]

Here's what I thought would be a cool idea. I like to read reviews on the cars that I own. It is interesting what the experts feel is good & bad about the car that I drive. I am going to start collecting and posting all available car reviews from reputable sources that I can. I invite everyone else to do the same. make sure you dont just post the link to the url. Who knows how long most sites keep old stuff up, and I absolutley hate seeing red x's in a thread I like. If you dont have hosting email me the picture and I can host it no problem. Just let me know which article it goes with and where to place it. Try to keep the text and pictures in the same order that you see it, so that it doesnt look jumbled when you post it.
Here's an example, so try to model it after this:

[Joe5.0]

Comparison Test: American Family Values
2002 Chevy Impala, Dodge Intrepid, and Ford Taurus By Mac DeMere, Bob Nagy & Chris Walton
Photography by John Kiewicz
Motor Trend, August 2001


Welcome to the heartland. In this virtual center of the U.S. car industry, comfort, convenience, safety, and reliability rule. It's also a place where total value is often measured by more than just purchase price alone. For this square-off, we've gathered three prime examples of the domestic-family-sedan state of the art. We put them through their paces at the track, as well as drove thousands of miles in the real world to see how each measures up in terms of both practicality and driving pleasure. The cars were equipped as identically as possible, given the non-scientific selection of press pool vehicles, and each delivers at least 200 horsepower from its V-6, transfers that power to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic, and bottom-line tallies within a stone's throw of $25,000. Add or subtract a couple of minor options, and they're essentially all the same price. So, which one is best for you? That's what we're here to discover.

After a brief hiatus, the Chevrolet Impala nameplate is back. But instead of again being affixed to a potent V-8 muscle sedan, it now aims to make its mark as a value leader within the V-6 family-sedan segment. Although the price of entry starts at $18,705 for a base Impala that comes impressively well appointed, stepping up to the $22,365 highline LS nets a 3.8-liter OHV V-6 in place of the 3.4-liter engine, sport-tuned suspension, upgraded wheel/tire package, anti-lock feature on its four-wheel disc brakes, a driver-side airbag, plus cruise and traction controls to hit but a few of the highlights. Our car carried the LS Preferred Equipment Group (auto-dimming mirror, driver info center, keyless remote), leather seat trim, upgraded stereo system with CD, and power passenger seat along with heaters for both front perches. Even this loaded specimen still only commanded $24,715 out the door, including freight.

Ford intends to take an equally stout run at regaining its one-time sales leadership in the family sedan segment with the massively overhauled Taurus. Although it retains nearly all of its predecessor's key dimensions, the new sheetmetal and taller roofline bring 3.7 cubic feet more interior volume and a 1.2-cubic-foot larger trunk. Couple that with significant advances on the safety and convenience front and a starting price of just $17,695, and it could be in line to mount one of the all-time market comebacks. By the time you've reached the ultimate SE grade, in the form of a $20,895 SE Comfort variant we chose for this test, the goodies roster expands to include Ford's 3.0-liter DOHC Duratec V-6 engine and a massive array of power-assisted amenities. Our car also arrived with the primo Mach sound system and six-disc CD changer, full leather, side airbags, a class-exclusive power-adjustable gas and brake pedals set, and a power passenger seat. Even with all that on board, its bottom line rose to just $24,100.

The last generational changeover for Dodge's Intrepid was in '98, when the line got the look and the powertrains it has today. At $20,390, even the base car enjoys flowing sheetmetal that wraps an equally formidable selection of desirable comfort and convenience features. Along with a more potent 3.2-liter SOHC V-6 engine, key extras gained by springing for the $1795 hit that elevates one from base to ES trim include keyless remote entry, foglamps, alloy wheels, power driver seat, split-folding rear bench, and an additional 500 pounds of tow capacity. Our tester was further enhanced by a comprehensive option package that added automatic air conditioning, high-end stereo with CD changer, leather upholstery, trip computer, anti-theft system, and numerous lesser touches. The associated $2560/one-price-gets-all tariff for that prepackaged gaggle of goodies boosted our car's sticker to a heady $26,480.


INSIDE LINES

If you're looking for a big family sedan, you've come to the right place. All three of these roomy four-doors carry EPA "Large car" classifications, and each comes within a couple cubic feet of the others with respect to its official passenger compartment volume index. Prime parallels include the ability to easily handle four adults in comfort or carry five full-sizers on shorter stints. It's equally true that, even even under the best of circumstances, the rear-seat "slot rider" is destined to be the least happy camper.

Up front, we found the Intrepid's buckets provided the best combination of comfort and support. They were also the only ones to feature power adjustability for both seat elements. The Impala was second in this department, although it lost a few points for a lower cushion that some drivers felt is too deeply recessed for long-distance support. The Taurus buckets went a bit too far in the opposite direction for our tastes; considerably harder and less contoured, you generally felt seated more on them than in them. That basic design philosophy carried over into the aft quarters, as well, where both the Chevy and Dodge offer more inviting rear benches.

Those who do plan to tote three rear-seat adults on a semi-regular basis would do well to seriously consider the Impala, as its slightly more upright greenhouse configuration provides better headroom for outboard passengers. However, if your rear-seat occupants generally are kids, we'd slightly favor the more plushly padded center perch in the Intrepid over the Impala's but deemed both far more desirable than the rear seat area of the Taurus.

Our test crew's feelings were divided on the general aesthetic and functional execution of the dashboard and control areas of this threesome. Where the Taurus opted for a new, more blatantly conservative approach, while the Intrepid delivered a more contemporary presentation, our evaluators expressed roughly equal sentiment in favor of each. That bi-partisan favoritism came at the expense of the Impala, which uses such a bland and plasticky combination of surface textures and switchgear its design was voted a solid third place in the mix. Helping offset that deficit, the Chevy gives its driver standard dual-zone climate control plus tire-pressure and oil-life monitoring systems. None of those three items is even optional on the Dodge or Ford.

As for coping with other types of payloads, all three sport 60/40 split/folding rear seatbacks and have the ability to haul a growing family's worth of suitcases, baby strollers, or pet supplies without batting an eye. However, mere capacity numbers don't quite tell the whole story. Regular cargo toters will be most impressed with the Impala. Although its decklid cutout has a slightly higher liftover than the Taurus', the Chevy's nifty space-saver hinges and gas-strut supports coupled with a generous pass-through opening to the interior give its 17.6-cubic-foot bay a slight real-world edge over even the Intrepid. Despite the latter's slightly larger absolute trunk dimension (18.4 cubic feet), the Dodge rated second best due to a narrowish trunk opening, barely adequate lift supports, and a less-accommodating pass-through. Ford made huge strides in the 2000 Taurus redesign when it came to enhancing utility and a vastly improved decklid cutout makes access easier to its expanded 17.0-cubic-foot bay. But space-stealing C-hinges on the trunklid and a wide but relatively narrow interior pass-through dropped it to third on our list.


Ford's sophisticated 3.0-liter all-alloy Duratec V-6 makes 200 horsepower and 200 pond-feet of torque.




SAFETY CHECKS

While all three of these vehicles feature a strong, rigid unibody with the requisite computer-optimized front/rear crumple structures, side-impact door beams, and dual front airbags, a closer examination of the fine points shows the new Taurus brings some class-leading tech.

Seeking to build on the five-star frontal crash ratings its predecessor earned from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this 2000 variant incorporates standard and optional features the other two cars don't offer. Heading the list is Ford's new Advanced Restraint System, a comprehensive hardware/software package that more accurately tailors the response of the passive safety equipment to any given impact. Key elements include a crash severity sensor linked with a driver-seat position sensor, dual-stage front airbags for driver and passenger, and the latest strain of belt retractors and pretensioners.

Unlike the Impala and Intrepid systems, which rely on the current iteration of "depowered" airbags paired with conventional retractors/pretensioners, Ford's ARS is designed to actively modulate the amount of bag inflation energy released in a given crash. One more advantage: The Taurus is the only one in this group to offer dual front-side bags as an option. Curiously, a driver-side-only side-impact bag is optional on the base Impala--but standard on the LS model--while the Intrepid makes no provision for side bags at all. All three cars are equipped with child seat anchor points in the rear package shelf but only the Ford and Chevy boast three-point belts in the center seat spot. The Taurus alone offers a standard-equipment emergency inside-the-trunk glow-in-the-dark release. A similar item is optional on the Impala but not yet available on the Intrepid.


THE FINAL ASSESSMENT

We now arrive at the moment of truth--or in the minds of certain hardline Bow-tie faithful, Blue Oval brigadiers, and Mopar aficionadoes--the moment of half truths. Following a spirited bout of verbal jousting among our staff evaluators, we deemed the new Ford Taurus top pick in this family sedan faceoff. However, its primacy over both the second-place Chevy Impala and third-finishing Dodge Intrepid should in no way be construed as overwhelming. Here's our thinking:

Ford faithful-and everyone else for that matter--can take heart in the fact that the new Taurus truly is better than before in every functional way imaginable, and attractively priced to boot. Yes, it lacks the plush seat comfort of the Dodge and Chevy. And some may feel its more conventional styling treatment has become perhaps a bit too conservative. However when it comes to genuine substance--particularly in the realm of passenger safety--coupled with genuine affordability, the new Taurus is tough to beat. Its trick Duratec V-6 is just icing on the cake. And it does have those cool power-adjustable pedals. For the legions of formerly loyal buyers who defected when the last generation's styling just went too weird, this package is definitely worth a second look.

If the whole family guy thing hasn't quite quashed the last vestiges of boy racer in you, there may be a Chevy in your future. Although a far cry from the last sedan to wear an Impala logo, it's still the quickest and most responsive of this trio in absolute terms. While we're less than thrilled with its interior accoutrements, we heartily salute the Impala's bulletproof powertrain, solid functionality, and serious value packaging.

Which brings us to the Dodge. Although starting to show its age in some functional areas, the Intrepid still boasts the best overall styling, smoothest ride, and what we felt to be the greatest amount of genuinely useable interior space of this threesome. If those aspects of its persona are enough to offset its slightly sluggish performance, relatively high interior noise levels, and perhaps most telling, the price premium it commands in comparison to its newer Chevy and Ford foes, this Dodge may still be your sedan of choice.

For the record, any one of these three can get the family job done. Only by matching the specific details of each against your own personal criteria set will a victor emerge for you.

[Joe5.0]

Pre-Owned: 1996-1999 Ford Taurus
Bread-and-butter family transport

By David Newhardt
Photography by Matt Stone
Motor Trend, December 2002

Since its introduction in '86, the Ford Taurus has enjoyed healthy sales in the ultra-competitive midsize five-passenger sedan segment. While the "aero" styling was considered mildly radical at its debut, the Taurus quickly became the mainstream benchmark and received a minor redo in '92. Ford took a risk with that original aero look and did so again with a major redesign for '96. Hoping to blunt critics and strike out in a new direction, the third-generation '96 Taurus was bold, unique--and panned for its obsession with ovals. Underneath the new look was a refined version of the prior generation.

The '96-'99 Taurus came in four trim levels: G, GL, LX, and topline SE. Available in four-door sedan and four-door wagon configurations, it offered two V-6 engines when first launched. Standard was the venerable 3.0L/145-hp overhead-valve Vulcan V-6, an adequate, durable, though hardly exciting powerplant. Next up was the Duratec DOHC 3.0L/200-hp V-6, which injected a bit of fun into the equation. In late1996, the high-revving, limited-edition SHO (Super High Output, pictured) model entered the lineup with a 235-hp Ford/Yamaha V-8 mated to an automatic transmission, plus a sportier suspension, larger brakes, special ZF steering, and more.





Behind the wheel, the base-engine Taurus is benign and predictable, the consummate rental car. The 200-hp version is a lot punchier around town and offers better highway passing power, so that's our recommendation. The only transmission available is a four-speed automatic. The ovular design theme is carried through into the interior with mixed results, but comfortable seats and a smooth ride serve well for long commutes.

Finding a Taurus to buy isn't a problem, as Ford sold in excess of 300,000 units each year, including rental-fleet sales. What the Taurus offers most is basic transportation value; it's not hard to find well-equipped '99s for less than $10,000. Expect to pay top dollar for a mint SHO, however, as few were built, and many were driven hard. Problems with the '96-'99 Taurus are generally minor and primarily concern secondary components, as well as occasional difficulties with the aforementioned transmissions, but there's no shortage of Technical Service Bulletins. Good service is the key to avoiding a turkey with most any car, and the Taurus is no exception. With the vast numbers out there, shop around and don't settle for anything but a clean, well-maintained example. Finally, don't discount the wagon body style, as it's as roomy as many SUVs, comes with standard four-wheel disc brakes, and is cheaper to buy, run, and insure.



Specifications
Body type: 4-door sedan, 4-door wagon
Drivetrain: Front engine, fwd
Airbags: Front dual
Base curb weight, lb: 3400
Base engine: 3.0L/145-hp OHV V-6
Optional engine: 3.0L/200-hp DOHC V-6
Brakes, f/r: Disc/drum
Price range,: $3815-$8660/
wholesale/retail: $5705-$11,635
(per Kelly Blue Book): $8385-$18,070 (SHO)
Recalls: Transmissions,seatbelts, throttle linkage.
Visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov
NHSTA frontal-impact: 4-star/4-star rating, driver/pass


1996-1999 Ford Taurus
WHAT'S HOT
·Plenty to choose from
·Duratec engine is strong performer
·Good transportation value

WHAT'S NOT
·Lots of recalls
·Fit/finish/materials quality not up to Camry/Accord levels
·Controversial styling

[Joe5.0]

MotorWeek Online


When Ford introduced the first mid-size Taurus sedan and wagon in 1986, it was hailed as a bold and innovative family car design, and Taurus soon became the top seller in its class. But when Ford tried to repeat history with an even bolder Taurus in 1996, press and public reaction was noticeably cooler. So for 2000 Ford has prepared a redesigned Taurus that's both less extreme to see, and a lot more user friendly to drive. Will this be the Taurus that brings the buyers back?

It certainly could if they're family buyers to whom safety is vitally important. Because safety was Ford's primary goal when redesigning the Taurus for the 2000 model year.

Though the fact that Ford designers gave Taurus sedan and wagon a less radical, now sleekly attractive new exterior, will surely bring back many more buyers put off by the previous overly ovoid shape. This bull's styling now is conservative, to be sure. But it fosters the impression of a safe, solid place to spend your driving time. A theme both the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have used to surpass Taurus in sales.

To back up that reassuring look, Ford designers equipped the now-larger Taurus interior with a host of major, and minor, safety features. Which, for the first time in its class, are all tied together in a fully integrated system.

First among them are dual stage front airbags. A computer matches inflation speed to the impact severity. Seat mounted front side airbags are also an option. Plus, the front shoulder belts boast phyrotectnic pretensioners to hold you in place at the beginning of an accident, and energy management retractors to then release the belt tension in a controlled manner, thereby reducing the chance of serious chest injury. While optional power adjustable gas and brake pedals, an exclusive to Ford Motor Company, help keep shorter drivers a safe distance from the airbag. The pedals move in a 3-inch range by way of a seat mounted control.

The all-new instrument panel is not only made of new energy-absorbing materials, but has a more eye-pleasing, Lexus-like shape. Ford's Integrated Control Panel also lost its oval shape, yet climate and audio controls remain clean and convenient.

Order the bucket seats and Comfort Package, and you get a center armrest large enough for a CD-changer. An improved front bench seat with flip-fold console is still available.

The big news in the rear seat is a big increase in head room. Thanks to a taller roof, it's up nearly two inches, while trunk space grows by 1.2 cubic-feet, for an easier-to-access 17 cubic-foot total. Note the glow-in-the-dark interior trunk release to prevent inquisitive children from becoming trapped.

The most familiar parts of the 2000 Taurus are its upgraded 3.0-liter V6 engines. The pushrod Vulcan is quieter and gains 10 horsepower for a total of 155, while torque is up 15 to 185 pound-feet, while the 24-valve, twin-cam Duratec is more responsive with 200 horses and 200 pound-feet of torque.

A 4-speed automatic is standard, rotating now standard 16-inch wheels. Which when spun-up by the Duratec V-6, sprint to 60 in 8.1 seconds and through the 1/4 mile in 16.1 seconds at a fine 87 miles-per-hour. Except for a slight dip in the midrange, power comes on strong and smooth. Shifts are sharp and precise, without the harshness of last year's gearbox.

Handling hardware is upgraded for 2000, too, with new struts and springs, and revalved power steering. Front-wheel drive plow is still quite noticeable. But this bull is quicker and more precise in corners than last year. Though a lack of steering feel, and lots of body roll, made us feel detached from the road during an emergency lane change.

As for braking, stops from 60 average 128 feet. Our car's front discs and rear drums, coupled to an optional anti-lock system, delivered excellent feel and stability. Though we wish the Taurus sedan got the wagon's 4-wheel discs.

Available with ABS is an all-speed traction control. New to Taurus, it uses both brake and engine control to reduce wheel slippage during acceleration and cornering on slick roads.

As a daily driver, the 2000 Taurus feels as safe, solid and dependable as it looks. No family car has more standard and available safety equipment. Plus, it now rivals both the Camry and Accord in passenger comfort and mechanical refinement.

And, the Taurus easily holds its own against competitors in price. The LX sedan starts at $18,245, with the high volume SE carrying a base price of $19,295. Taurus Wagon, in SE trim only, starts at $20,450.

With its integrated approach to safety, more dignified styling, and refined powertrains and chassis, the 2000 Ford Taurus is once again a serious contender for top sales honors, and the mid-size family sedan that, we think, will bring buyers charging back to Ford showrooms. And that's no bull!


2000 Ford Taurus
Engine: 3.0-liter Duratec DOHC 24-valve V6
Horsepower: 200
Torque: 200 lb feet
0-60 mph: 8.1 seconds
1/4 mile: 16.1 seconds @ 87 mph
60-0 mph: 128 feet

[Joe5.0]

Ford Taurus: Nice Personality

One person's boring is another's dependable car






"A DECENT, BORING CAR" is not the kind of moniker an automaker wants stuck on one of its models. But in the case of the 2000 Ford Taurus, that label, given to us by a Taurus owner, was not only seemingly sought after by the folks in Dearborn, but the buyers wanted it as well.

Stung by the harsh criticism its '96 edition received from both the media and the car-buying public, the 2000 model is mostly new. Gone is the bubble-like exterior shape with its all-rounded edges along with the oval-overdose interior treatment.

Everything the driver of a 2000 Taurus sees and touches is new. Ford calls this car the "third generation," and while the platform is not all-new, more than 80 percent of the Taurus is new. Only the exterior door panels are carryovers from the previous model.

On the inside, the integrated control panel survived the redesign, but it is now a rectangle, with square buttons. Interior door panels are made up of rectangular pieces and on the outside, the rear deck is... well, it's squared off. Get the drift?

The statement made by the redesign could be taken as, "We've corrected our mistake." That's where the boring kicks in.

Like it or not, the oval look made a statement-a statement many didn't like or appreciate-but a statement just the same. The old look, both inside and out, was cutting-edge. But Ford is in the car-selling business, and customers said they didn't much care about being on the edge. They wanted their old Taurus back. What they've gotten, though, is an even better car.

For less than $25,000, owners told us they received a pretty high level of luxury appointments in a competent car. The optional 24-valve twin-cam Duratec V6 pumps out 200 horsepower and the four-speed electronically controlled transaxle is a smarter version of previous gearboxes, making fewer unnecessary shifts while providing quicker downshifts for passing.

Ford engineers went to work on reducing cabin noise and succeeded in cutting the din by 30 percent from the old version. Ford's adjustable foot pedals are available as an option. Softer front springs coupled with standard 16-inch wheels and tires have improved the ride quality and softened the thumps and bangs of expansion joints and railroad tracks.

The brakes have a good feel-especially with the optional ABS, but we would like to have seen four-wheel discs all around rather than the front disc/rear drum setup.

Despite the sweeping changes made to the Taurus, the car is easily recognizable-its lineage still shows through the generations.

Boring to some is comfortable to others, and in the case of the new Taurus, we'd say it reaches a new level of comfort.


Views and Reviews

OWNERS

THE RIDE IS MUCH IMPROVED, in handling bumps, and in NVH. I sell real estate so I drive on different roads all the time, and it was very noticeable. The traction control was helpful here in New England, and the antilock brakes come in handy. The steering has more feel, less kickback, and it tracks much better in crosswind situations. The biggest change is the transmission, it doesn't hunt for the proper gears, or abruptly downshift as my others did. The upshifts are crisp and smooth, a much better feel, more linear.
PETER A. DAVIES, Easthampton, Mass.



THE CAR IS VERY LUXURIOUS for a midsize car. The handling reminds me of European automobiles. We have the dohc engine, which provides good performance on the highway although it is not fast off the line. The only defect we have found was a loose bolt in the ventilation system. This was fixed at no cost.
TIM FLETCHER, Ridgecrest, Calif.



WE WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE LOOKS, performance and handling of the car. Sadly, with only 400 miles on the odometer, and 100 miles from home, it stalled in the middle of the 405 in Los Angeles.
The selling dealership has inspected the car and hasn't a clue. For all of their efforts, I now have an extra 70 miles on the car and a greasy footprint on the carpet. Other than that, when the car runs, we love it.
STEVE COLES, San Marcos, Calif.



THE COLORS THEY OFFER THE TAURUS in are very cool and with the 24-valve six-cylinder, it is a very peppy car.
That engine will let the car get up and go when it needs to while providing a very smooth and quiet ride both on and off the freeway. Overall, this car has been very good to me during the past three months and I would definitely recommend it to other people.
CRAIG ROGERS, Detroit


U.S. MEDIA

THE TAURUS HAS ALWAYS HAD GOOD structural integrity, and it's now further enhanced by stiffer bracing to the cross-car instrument panel beam. And there are small touches at work as well, such as new brackets for the side mirrors that provide a more rigid mount with less vibration for clearer vision and less noise.

Road & Track

FOREIGN MEDIA

THE COMPANY HAS DEVELOPED what it calls a Personal Safety System that works like this: About a dozen components "think" about a collision in the nanosecond it takes computers to think and decide on various responses based on the severity of the crash, the driver's seating position, whether a seatbelt is being worn and so forth.

The Taurus has earned the U.S. government's highest rating for frontal crash performance for both driver and front passenger. That's not an inconsequential attribute in a car designed to haul the family around.

The Montreal Gazette (Canada)

Road Test Data

STANDING-START ACCELERATION

0-30 mph:2.76 sec

0-40 mph:4.19 sec

0-50 mph:6.16 sec

0-60 mph:8.18 sec

0-100 km/h

(62.1 mph):8.72 sec

0-80 mph:14.03 sec

0-quarter-mile: 16.23 @ 86.4 mph


ROLLING ACCELERATION

20-40 mph (first gear):2.8 sec

40-60 mph (second gear):4.4 sec

60-80 mph (second and third gear):6.4 sec

BRAKING

80 mph-0:239 ft

60 mph-0:137 ft

30 mph-0:33 ft

FUEL MILEAGE

EPA combined:23.6 mpg

AW overall:17.78 mpg

HANDLING

490-foot slalom:41.7 mph

Lateral acceleration

(200-foot skidpad):0.76 g

INTERIOR NOISE (dBA)

Idle:43

Full throttle:75

Steady 60 mph:66

[Joe5.0]

Sep. 15, 1997

By TODD LASSA


So far, we've enjoyed driving our long-term Taurus sports sedan, the only problem being a few occasions when our SHO did not go. At the end of our second quarter with the car, we spent a day at our dealership's service department to have the fuel rail replaced. We can now report that the fix works.
The rail, which delivers fuel under pressure to the injectors, was delivering more than 43 psi at the inlet; according to a technical service bulletin, this meant that it had to be replaced. The free repair is available to all 1996-97 Taurus/Sable owners whose cars suffer stalling under low-speed deceleration or acceleration.

After many weeks of trouble-free driving, we caused some trouble of our own. One driver clipped the right-front fender against a carport pillar in the company parking lot. It was a low-speed impact-just the few miles per hour necessary to pull out of a parking space. The body shop had the car a week and charged just under $500, including the equivalent of two days labor. The cost is about standard for any ding more serious than nicked paint these days.

The car had been back from the body shop only three days when another staffer clipped a hard plastic construction barrel with the driver-side mirror. The housing was undamaged, but the glass popped out. The dealer charged $61.22 to replace it.

A month later, drivers reported a vibra- tion in the steering wheel under hard braking. It was a light pulsing at first, but grew worse during a trip to Ohio. The car was due for routine service anyway, so when it went to the shop we had the brakes checked. The dealer resurfaced the rotors under warranty, and the shaking has stopped. (The service was performed in our fourth quarter with the car, so costs will be reported later.) We don't recall any particular treatment that might have warped or damaged the rotor surface-the car is sometimes driven hard, but one can presume that most SHOs are treated similarly.

With the time it has spent in the shop, the SHO's odometer hasn't been advancing as rapidly as we had hoped. However, since several of us have travel plans, the keys to the SHO will be in demand. It's a fast, comfortable and entertaining choice for anyone setting out on a long drive and we expect to rack up a lot of miles in our last quarter with the SHO.. .provided we can keep it out of the body shop and the service bay.

Third-quarter report. Miles driven this quarter: 6455. Total miles: 17,987.

Average fuel mileage this quarter: 20.4 mpg. Service: Replace fuel rail per technical service bulletin, under warranty, no charge; 12,000-mile lube/oil/filter, rotate tires, battery service, brake check, $88.33; repair, align and refinish front bumper cover and right-front fender, $488.58; install new driver-side mirror glass, $61.22.

[Joe5.0]

Ford 100: Taurus led the first revival of Ford

By DAVE GUILFORD






The auto industry's hits don't come much bigger than the 1986 Ford Taurus.

The Taurus' jelly bean shape set the industry's styling template for 15 years. It cruised like a visitor from the future onto American streets filled with blocky, chrome-bedecked barges.

Consumers loved it, making the Taurus the top-selling car in the United States for five consecutive years, from 1992 through 1996.

The Taurus, conceived when Ford Motor Co. was losing billions, vaulted the company to solid profitability.

Ford's internal changes during the development of the Taurus were equally groundbreaking. Ford's first two nonfamily CEOs, Philip Caldwell and his successor, Donald Petersen, evangelized on behalf of a new corporate culture that emphasized employee creativity and teamwork.

But today, the Taurus tale is bittersweet. Through the untimely death of a key executive and the loss of discipline during prosperous times, the company fumbled away many of the lessons it learned.

The Taurus and its sibling, the Mercury Sable, are slated for extinction. And Ford Motor Co. is struggling to emerge from another severe financial crisis.

Even so, the Taurus launch was one of those exceptional times when an automaker's designers and engineers propose an uncompromising, visually stunning vehicle and the company actually builds it. As Ford searches for the key to a revival, it could do worse than to re-examine how it built the Taurus.

A push from Caldwell

In the early 1980s, Jack Telnack was hearing things from senior Ford executives that he had never heard before.

Telnack, then chief design executive for Ford North American Automotive Operations, chose the design team for the Taurus and Sable. Early in the process, Caldwell grilled Telnack about the new vehicle. Ford's CEO seemed intent on reversing the traditional roles of conservative executive and free-spirited designer.

As Caldwell recalls, he asked Telnack: "Are you going far enough? Are you going modern enough? Are you really doing a style and a design that is going to be the beginning of a trend rather than the last cycle of a trend?"

It was an unprecedented conversation for Telnack, later Ford Motor design chief. "I'd never heard a CEO say that."

After a while, Telnack began to believe that the exhortations went beyond standard rhetoric. The design staff had heard rah-rah speeches before, only to see executives turn timid when it was time to sign off on a production vehicle.

But this was different, Telnack says. "They'd always back off and say, 'You've gone too far,'" he says. "Phil didn't do that. He pushed us."

Caldwell's statements reinforced the message Telnack was getting from Petersen, then Ford's president. Petersen says he was distressed by the dull work he saw in Ford studios when he returned from Europe in 1980 after a stint as executive vice president of international automotive operations.

"Frankly, I wasn't happy with what I was seeing," Petersen says. "I asked them if they were pleased with what they were doing. There was head shaking."

New rules

Petersen says he urged designers to forget past restrictions. One early result was the aerodynamic forebear of the Taurus, the 1983 Thunderbird.

Ford design had been loosening up before that, according to Telnack. The 1979 Mustang, with a slanting front end, broke the mold of older Ford products. And European automakers were moving in the same direction. The Audi 5000, for instance, offered a smoother shape.

But the Taurus brought a fully aerodynamic design into the U.S. mainstream. Ford was targeting middle-class family buyers who were, Telnack admits, probably more concerned about trunk space than leading-edge styling.

With the Taurus, Ford offered changes that went beyond the overall shape - windows flush with the body, considerably less chrome, a lowered front end, tires pushed out to the corners of the body and an aggressive stance.

Although the rounded shape gradually won acceptance, the decision to delete the traditional grille remained controversial. Designers wanted to replace the usual chrome-covered rectangle with an oval opening.

Debate became so intense that the product development team produced two prototypes - one of which had a traditional grille. Ford's design committee weighed the two, Telnack recalls. It was only when William Clay Ford Sr., the head of the committee, approved the no-grille design that it went forward.

The planets line up

"It was Bill Ford who said, 'We're going with this one,' " Telnack says. "I just about leapt up and threw my arms around him."

There were solid reasons to approve the Taurus design. Telnack says that the smoother shape produced significant savings in gas mileage, providing "no-cost fuel economy." And Ford's desperate need for a breakout success required that it gamble on a head-turning look.

It was a rare opportunity, Telnack says: "You could almost say that it was the right alignment of planets at the time that allowed us to do the car."

As revolutionary as the Taurus design was, it was only part of a broader transformation of Ford's inner workings. The innovative structure of Ford's Team Taurus helped make the design statement possible.

Team Taurus was put together by Lew Veraldi, a hard-driving engineer who knocked down the barriers between the disciplines involved in vehicle development. In the past, engineering might spend considerable time to create a component, only to be told by finance that it was too costly. Or manufacturing might veto a design as impossible to build, junking months of work.

But in Team Taurus, representatives from the various disciplines worked together. Petersen says that made for much earlier resolution of potential problems. For instance, the team took early prototypes to plants to avoid last-minute manufacturing problems.

"They did some marvelous things to make the vehicle easier to assemble," Petersen says. "There really wasn't a lot of time in the old system. The assembly plants would have seen a prototype, but it would have been too late to make significant changes."

Veraldi demanded quality. At a crucial moment, as the first cars were being built, Veraldi halted production to fix ill-fitting body panels. The decision delayed the launch for several months as production dies were remade.

In the 1991 book Taurus: The Making of the Car that Saved Ford by Eric Taub, Veraldi said: "In the past we would have just pumped the cars out and said, 'Well, we'll get better later.' "

Veraldi's team pushed employee involvement. Assembly line workers were encouraged to call attention to quality problems and suggest fixes. Though the practice is common today, it was radical at the time. Ford ran its plants with a top-down system that rewarded making production numbers above all else.

To Caldwell, the Team Taurus style took hold when executives no longer had to press employees for ideas. Seeing concepts bubble up from below was "beautiful to behold," he says. And the success of Taurus sent a wave of positive energy through the company.

"When you've been in the swamp, and we were in the swamp, and you get to dry ground, that's where the reward comes," Caldwell says. "You have the financial rewards, but you also have the rewards of accomplishment that you are identified with."

Ford forgets

In a fairy-tale version of the Taurus story, the company would be rewarded with permanent success. Ford reaped significant profits, of course. (See chart on Page 242.)

But Ford failed to maintain its edge. In the view of David Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., "Ford forgot what it learned." It never established a common development process modeled after Team Taurus. And Veraldi's death from heart problems and diabetes in October 1990 robbed Ford of its champion for quality and teamwork.

"He was the one who had the strength of personality to make it happen," Cole says.

The Taurus' success, coupled with high profits from the explosion of light-truck sales in the 1990s, sapped the company's discipline, Cole says. By the second-generation 1996 Taurus, he says, development was slower, cost discipline was looser, and detailed quality benchmarking was lacking.

"In the next generation, I knew they had lost it," Cole says. "It was like some other company had developed Taurus."

Petersen agrees to an extent, saying, "It's just very, very hard to keep priorities the way they should be - that quality is the No. 1 priority."

Petersen says he winced when he heard executives say quality was no longer an issue: "I thought to myself, 'Like hell. Uh-oh, uh-oh.' "

After years of imitation, the Ford aerodynamic shape is common today. Ford is cutting back Taurus production after seeing U.S. sales fall from the peak of 409,751 in 1992 to 332,690 in 2002. Ford has said the Taurus and Sable will be replaced.

And Ford Motor Co. once again is beset by the kind of losses it suffered two decades ago. The question is whether Ford once again can marshal the innovation and discipline that produced the jelly bean-shaped Taurus in 1985.

Ford's breakthrough

The Taurus development team did things differently:

-Brought aerodynamic design to U.S. mainstream

-Allowed multidisciplinary team to work side-by-side

-Encouraged employee involvement at factories

-Delayed launch to fix quality problems

[Joe5.0]

Bad SHO: Performance Taurus owners accuse Ford of foul play

Dec. 02, 2002





Here’s another engine problem: Media reports and online complaints at www.v8sho.com document more than 200 cases of camshaft failures in Ford Taurus SHO 3.4-liter V8 engines, but owners of the 1996-99 high-performance models say they’re not getting anywhere in their dispute with Ford Motor Co.
Website member Larry Eck says as many as 700 current or former SHO owners log on, some complaining of repair quotes as high as $21,000.

“Many of us, including myself, had a travesty happen,” says owner Jim Merriman. The travesty for Merriman: cam sprocket slippage, which disrupted valve timing, causing valves to collide with pistons, causing significant damage. Merriman said the damage resulted in a $6,000 bill to rebuild one side of his Yamaha-made V8. Of the nearly 20,000 third-generation SHOs made, V8sho.com contributors believe between 5 and 10 percent are cam sprocket failure victims.

Ford’s response, via press release: It’s aware of the problem, but believes “the condition is not widespread.” “Many” repairs are covered by warranty; Ford has paid half the bill for some expired warranty customers and works to lower repair costs in cooperation with suppliers.

[Joe5.0]

2003 Mercury Sable LS Premium Station Wagon

AutoWeek
March 10, 2003





STOLL: This sure isn’t the station wagon in which my father drove us to Denver every summer. It’s a really comfortable, smart and safe vehicle, and it could be the only real domestic competition in the midsize wagon market worth considering. When my dad would load us all up with magnetic chessboards and a plug-in-the-lighter television set, there were floaty, bouncy, faux-wood-paneled wagons coming from everywhere it seemed, but that’s no longer the case. Where’s the competition for this vehicle?
Okay, the domestic wagon market is a bear right now, but you would think GM would have something to go against the Sable/Taurus wagon. This is a legitimate driver, stable and powerful enough for getting the job done. And it had third-row seating even before it was a fad. This drives, or seems to drive, even better than a Sable sedan, really impressive through a lane change. Flooring it to 6500 rpm on the straightaway was actually some fun. I think it’s only about 200 pounds heavier than a four-cylinder Camry, but it has room and power advantages oozing from its pores (granted, quality may be an issue, especially considering you can get a four-cylinder Camry for around 20 grand, but not with all the stuff on this car).


ROSS: Like Stoll, I grew up in wagons and vans, and the only thing on this car that reminded me of those days (besides the obvious) is the old-style odometer. Unlike the mini-wagons we see plenty of today, this full-size wagon has some style. Drop in some tinted windows, a set of MJ’s, and lower the front by two inches, and you’d be big pimpin’. The interior is comfortable, but I was never able to find the exact seat position for myself. Overall, not a bad package: Gas mileage was good, pickup was excellent and passenger room was superb.


DATE IN FLEET: Feb. 18-March 4
AS-TESTED PRICE: $26,140
POWERTRAIN: 3.0-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic HP: 200 @ 5650 rpm TORQUE: 200 @ 4400 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 3504 pounds

[Joe5.0]

10Best of 1986 — Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable

Car & Driver
January 2002





Specifications:
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-, 6-, or 8-passenger, 4-door sedan or 5-door wagon
Base price $9645-13,860
Engine type(s) 4-in-line or V-6, iron block and head(s), Ford EEC IV engine control system
Displacement 1553-182 cu in, 2499-2986cc
Power (SAE net) 92-140 bhp
Transmission(s) 5-speed, 3- or 4-speed auto
Wheelbase 106.0 in
Length 188.4-191.9 in
Curb weight 2850-3200 lbs
EPA fuel economy, city driving (est.) 20-24 mpg