2000 Ford Taurus

2000 Ford Taurus
NEW YORK - "The 2000 Taurus sheds its fish-like face and oval-esque theme for a more contemporary European design, with a larger front grille opening, bold, angular headlamps and more chiseled rear flanks. A traditional, squared roofline with a sloping back light gives the new Taurus almost a fastback appearance (much to the delight of Ford's NASCAR teams). Out back it's pure Euro-look, with a high, stubby decklid and large, angular taillamps at both corners that cut back into the trunk panel- much like the current Lincolns. (We find it ironic that Taurus, long a styling trendsetter, would follow the cookie-cutter 'Euro' rear design treatment that is showing up on everything from Mercedes to Mazdas, Audis to VWs- and nearly everything in between.) Overall, though, we found the new look to be cleaner and easy on the eyes."

Although the above words accurately describe the new-look Taurus unveiled to the press at the New York International Auto Show, they were actually taken from a story in Edmund's News section dated November 23, 1998. But no matter, because Ford's overly oval Taurus has indeed taken on a clean, contemporary look designed to have broader appeal in the high-volume, midsize family sedan market.

It was obvious from the get-go that the second-generation Taurus was never going to be a styling trendsetter like the original '86 aero-look Taurus. The car was priced too high when it was introduced back in 1995, then fell victim to cost-cutting moves and soon lost the title of America's best-selling car in 1997. It was clear an all-new look was needed to compete with the understated Honda Accord and conservatively styled Toyota Camry.

The new look is downright handsome, as every piece of sheetmetal, except for the doors has been revised. Even the interior is fresh, with a straightforward dash design devoid of ovals. But Ford would rather talk about Taurus' new safety systems and features, or the fact that it is roomier, more comfortable and more powerful than its predecessor. Ford Vice President Jim O'Connor said the company listened to owners of the current Taurus before deciding on features needed for the 2000 model. Consequently, with map pockets added to all four doors and behind the front seats, O'Connor proudly proclaimed, "We have leadership in map pockets."

Under the skin, Ford has revised the chassis and steering for a smoother, more controlled ride, now on standard 16-inch wheels and tires. Both powertrains have been reworked for improved performance: The Vulcan 3.0-liter V6 gets eight more horsepower to 153, while the Duratec 3.0-liter V6 adds 15 more for 200. The automatic transmissions for both engines have been refined for better shifting and durability.

More important, however, is the addition of Ford's new Advanced Restraint System (ARS). ARS is a collection of a dozen components that allows the car to evaluate the severity of a crash, determine the driver's seat position and if he or she is wearing a safety belt and deploy the appropriate safety systems with the right amount of force. Front side-impact airbags will also be available as an option. So will power adjustable accelerator and brake pedals, allowing smaller drivers to move the pedals toward their feet rather than moving the seat dangerously close to the steering wheel.

The new Taurus also comes equipped with an emergency trunk-release latch to allow a person who becomes locked inside to get out. The glow-in-the-dark trunk release handle will be factory installed, and standard equipment on all 2000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars.

How much will all these improvements cost? We won't know until prices are announced in late summer.