News Headings
2010 Taurus Overview
2010 Taurus Product Sheet
2010 Ford Taurus Technology
Quality: Taurus – More Than Just a Pretty Face
2010 Taurus – Eco-Friendly Products
UPSCALE, TECH-SAVVY NEW TAURUS FLAGSHIP DELIVERS STYLE, SUBSTANCE FOR
FULL-SIZE SEDAN BUYERS
- Athletic, upscale new 2010 Ford Taurus confidently leads a growing wave of
new-car introductions from Ford Motor Company. On sale this summer, this
distinctive new vehicle combines class-leading technologies with confident,
engaging driving dynamics
- Taurus features an impressive set of standard and available technologies that
add convenience, connectivity, safety and value for customers. They include
Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning, Intelligent Access with Push
Button Start, MyKey™ parental programmability, Blind Spot Information System
(BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert, Rain-Sensing Wipers, EasyFuel™
capless refueling, Ford SYNC® and Voice-Activated Navigation with
SIRIUS® Travel Link™
- The new Taurus is powered by the award-winning 3.5-liter V-6 Duratec engine,
mated to one of two available fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmissions
including SelectShift Automatic™ with shift paddles and available
all-wheel drive
The Ford Taurus – the car that changed America's view of full-size sedans – is
all-new for 2010 and ready to take on the world's best, with an upscale new
design, impeccable driving dynamics, class-leading technologies and an
unbeatable price tag.
"The new Taurus sets the pace for Ford's growing new car launch momentum," said
Mark Fields, president of the Americas. "This sedan completely redefines
expectations of what Taurus stands for – and helps further define what Ford is
capable of delivering – quality, fuel-efficient vehicles featuring the latest
technologies and head-turning design."
The new Taurus benefits from Ford's Global Product Development System, which
made it possible to deliver an all-new sedan 12 months sooner – with more new
features than customers and dealers dreamed possible.
"Taurus is our premium Ford flagship, and it casts a halo across the entire
brand portfolio," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president for global product
development. "Building on its reputation for safety leadership, we leveraged
extensive use of computer-aided design and engineering technologies as well as
digital pre-assembly modeling to deliver a high-quality, new Taurus a year ahead
of schedule."
Even better news? The new 2010 Taurus will start at $25,995 – the same price as
2009 models, but with more class-leading features, new technologies and
perceived quality that rivals premium luxury sedans.
"The new Taurus showcases the best of what the Ford brand has to offer –
expressive design, class-leading technologies and an engaging driving experience
with impeccable quality," said Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of
Marketing and Communications. "When customers get behind the wheel and drive
one, their experience will beat or rival that offered by the best cars in the
full-size sedan segment – including the Toyota Avalon."
New times, new design
The shift starts with the vision for Taurus itself. It debuted as a family
sedan, but with the advent of crossovers, the new Taurus is aimed more at
drivers who might move friends and family but place more of a premium on the
driving experience and technologies aimed at making time on the road more
meaningful and fun.
"Taurus is more of a ‘me' sedan now, and we've delivered with this buyer in
mind," said Moray Callum, director of Ford's Car and Crossover Design.
Exterior design details are more sculpted and powerful – from the powerdome that
speaks to the strength behind its confident grille to the pronounced fenders and
fascia. Bold new headlights combined with recessed parking lamps frame a new
expression of the signature Ford three-bar grille – and the lowered roofline
helps make the new Taurus more aspirational.
New wheels, from 17- to 20-inches in diameter, fill the sculpted wheel wells and
lend Taurus a muscular and athletic stance. The raised shoulder lines of the new
Taurus provide a confident profile and enable generous truck capacity.
The exterior color palette for the 2010 Taurus includes new hues, selected to
harmonize with interior appointments and offer customers a broader range of
color combinations. New colors include Candy Red Metallic Tint, White Platinum
Metallic, Steel Blue Metallic, Gold Leaf Metallic and Ingot Silver Metallic.
Inside, a forward-leaning centerstack – home to the climate controls, audio
components and available navigation screen – flows in a continuous unbroken form
through the instrument panel and down into the center console. The smart design
allows for the interior to be formed with unbroken lines to impart seamless
quality and craftsmanship.
The door panels employ an innovative urethane tooling process providing unique
texture and identity to surfaces, with visible stitching and a hand crafted
appeal. This same process allows for door panel two-toning, enabling model
series differentiation.
The new Taurus' precision craftsmanship is reflected in the quality of materials
used in the interior as well as the exterior panel margins, which are comparable
to costly German luxury sedans.
Better on-road performance, too
To match its more athletic looks, the new Taurus features sportier driving
dynamics.
The 2010 Taurus comes standard with Ford's proven Duratec 3.5-liter V-6,
generating 263 horsepower and 249 foot-pounds of torque. This award-winning
engine earns a ULEV-II emissions certification and comes paired with a choice of
two new six-speed automatic transmissions.
The smooth and refined Duratec V-6 helps the front-wheel-drive Taurus deliver
unsurpassed highway fuel economy. Taurus reflects Ford's commitment to deliver
the best, or be among the leaders, in fuel economy across the vehicle segments
where it competes.
Taurus fuel economy is aided by employment of a two-speed fuel pump and
Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off technology.
The Taurus SE offers a six-speed automatic transmission with a Grade-Assist
hill-holding rollback prevention feature, paired with an economical 2.77 final
drive ratio.
SEL and Limited series Taurus models are offered with a six-speed
SelectShiftAutomatic™ featuring racing-inspired shift control paddles
mounted on the steering wheel. SelectShift offers the convenience of
conventional automatic operation, or a manual shift mode that gives the driver
complete control over gear selection. The SelectShift transmission enables
"match-rev" downshifts and will hold manually selected gears, unlike some
competitive transmissions that second-guess the driver.
The SEL is offered with a 2.77 to 1 final drive ratio, while the Limited series
uses a 3.16 to 1 gear in front-wheel-drive models, and a 3.39 to 1 ratio in
all-wheel-drive models to provide enhanced acceleration.
Chassis and suspension components are tuned to deliver on the sporty and
aggressive design with optimized roll stiffness for cornering control,
responsive steering with sharp turn-in and precision accuracy. This chassis
tuning of the MacPherson front struts and multi-link rear suspension reflects
Ford Global DNA, defined by responsive steering and handling, while maintaining
a comfortable ride quality.
The 2010 Taurus features a new SR1 suspension configuration.
Named for its "one-to-one" rear shock absorber ratio, it provides a superior
balance between cornering and handling while providing a stable baseline for
fine tuning. SR1 enables the use of 19- and 20-inch wheels – and reduces vehicle
weight, saving fuel.
"While driver engagement was a key objective for the new Taurus, we also put
huge emphasis on creating a quiet environment," said Chief Engineer Pete Reyes.
"Wind tunnel development time was important to reduce noise, vibration and
harshness, but it also helped with fuel economy.
Customer-focused technologies
Tech-savvy customers will find plenty to like about the new 2010 Taurus. Its
technologies enable customer connectivity, while fulfilling desires for
personalization, customization and control. This comprehensive list of features
isn't just technology for the sake of technology. These offerings have been
selected and developed to provide the ultimate in comfort and convenience for
the driver and all passengers. Extensive work has also been done to ensure that
these technologies are easy to understand and intuitive to operate.
Adaptive Cruise Control allows the driver to set the vehiclecruising
speed while using radar technology to monitor traffic travelling up to 600 feet
ahead, automatically adjusting Taurus speed to help maintain a safe distance
between vehicles.
Collision Warning with Brake Support is a new active safety feature,
enabled by Adaptive Cruise Control. This system uses a radar sensor to detect
moving vehicles ahead and provides a visual "heads-up" warning signal
transmitted across the base of the windshield and an audible warning when slower
moving traffic is detected ahead. The system also pre-charges the brakes and
engages an electronic brake assist to help the driver stop more quickly.
Intelligent Access with Push-Button Start, a new Taurus feature, allows
the driver to enter the car and start the engine by simply carrying the fob as
they approach and enter the vehicle.
SecuriCode™ Keyless Entry Keypad enables vehicle access by unlocking the
driver's door using a five-digit code on the new keypad system flush-mounted in
the driver's side B-pillar.
MyKey™ allows parents or fleet administrators to activate a restricted
driving mode. When enabled, MyKey features a Persistent Belt-Minder®
with Audio Mute until safety belts are buckled, an earlier low-fuel warning, and
consistently engaged AdvanceTrac® stability control, Blind Spot
monitoring, Cross Traffic Alert and Forward Collision Warning. Additional
programmability includes restrictions on audio volume, limiting top speed to 80
mph and speed chime warnings at 45, 55, or 65mph.
Auto High Beams/Rain-Sensing Wipers harness sensor technologies to switch
headlights to high intensity when no other vehicles are detected, in a range of
up to 500 feet for taillight detection, and up to 2,000 feet for oncoming
headlight detection. Rain-sensing wipers use an advanced optical sensor to
detect the intensity of rain and/or snowfall to adjust wiper speed.
Easy Fuel® Capless Fuel Filler System is a North American
industry-exclusive feature that self-seals without a traditional fuel cap.
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) consists of two multiple
beam radar modules, one each per rear quarter panel. When an approaching vehicle
enters the defined blind spot zone, an indicator alert provides warning to the
driver in the corresponding side view mirror.
Cross Traffic Alert uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense
oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. This
industry-exclusive system functions only while the vehicle is in reverse and
warns when cross-traffic appears within three car widths.
Ford SYNC® is the fully integrated, in-vehicle voice-activated
communications and entertainment system, with 911 Assist™, Vehicle Health Report
and GPS-based features including business search and call completion. SYNC
connects to MP3 players, iPods, memory sticks and PDAs. SYNC's 911 Assist will
place a call to a local emergency operator in the event of an air bag deployment
incident. The latest version of SYNC adds Traffic, Directions and Information,
providing turn-by-turn route guidance, and the ability to access content by
personalized favorites such as region, subject matter or sports team.
Voice-Activated Navigation System with SIRIUS® Travel Link™
uses an 8-inch screen to present a birds-eye-view map with 3D landmarks. The
system responds to voice commands for destination programming and route
selection. In addition, it provides enhanced route guidance features such as
street name announcements and detailed freeway exit, turn and ramp position lane
guidance. The screen can be personalized with up to 32 pictures, sized up to 1.5
MB each. The system also incorporates the SIRIUS Travel Link, offering
availability of current weather and ski conditions, a five-day forecast, local
fuel pricing by cost per gallon and brand, sports scores and movie listings.
Sony® Audio components deliver sound from a variety of
sources, with an AM-FM tuner, SIRIUS Satellite radio, CD, DVD audio and an
integrated 10 GB hard drive for storage of up to 2,400 songs. This package also
includes an available 12-speaker premium audio system.
Multi-Contour Seats with Active Motion™ are available – on an
industry-exclusive basis – for driver and passenger, integrating a six-way
lumbar support and subtle rolling pattern massage. The bottom cushion features
Active Motion technology, providing minute but continuous movement, stirring a
change of muscular activation helping a driver avoid back pain.
Safety leadership grows
The new 2010 Taurus builds on its legacy of safety leadership, incorporating
a comprehensive array of passive and active features engineered to protect and
preserve its passengers.
"A stiffer body structure and new crash avoidance technologies make the Taurus –
already named the safest full-size sedan – even safer," said Reyes, chief
engineer.
Taurus safety begins with a body structure optimized for strength and stiffness.
The energy-absorbing front structure features octagonal front frame rails,
tunnel rails and "shotgun" front structural members designed to absorb and
redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment. Ultra high-strength
boron steel has been added to the B-pillar, as well.
The new Taurus is equipped with a comprehensive package of active and passive
safety features, including dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, side
impact air bags and Safety Canopy®, a Ford exclusive protection
system that features side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear
outboard passengers in both rollover and side impact crashes. Other key safety
features include:
Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is
comprised of a hydroformed cross-car beam embedded in the floor between the door
frames, providing additional strength in the side of the vehicle. In the event
of a side impact, the beam helps pert crash forces away from the occupants. A
strong roof cross member and side impact door beams work with the floor-mounted
tube to further improve side impact protection.
Personal Safety System™ is designed to reduce the risk of
injury to the driver and front seat passenger in the event of a moderate to
severe frontal collision. Sensors note right front occupant weight, safety belt
usage, outboard seat belt tension and seating position to optimize air bag
deployment force for occupant safety.
AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control predicts the
vehicle's intended path, using sensors to detect and measure oversteer and yaw,
while continuously monitoring vehicle speed, throttle position and steering
wheel angle. When the system senses a loss of wheel traction, engine torque is
reduced and braking is applied in conjunction with the standard Anti-lock
Braking (ABS) system. The system also incorporates traction control to aid
drivers when operating the vehicle on loose or slippery surfaces.
SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ is an integrated technology that
automatically unlocks the doors and activates the emergency flashers in the
event of an air bag deployment.
The 2010 Ford Taurus will be built at Ford's Chicago (Ill.) Assembly Plant.
2010 TAURUS EARNS FIVE-STAR CRASH RATINGS, PIONEERS FAST-SELLING CRASH-AVOIDANCE
TECHNOLOGIES
2010 Ford Taurus
- The new 2010 Ford Taurus has earned the U.S. government's top five-star ratings
for driver and passenger in front and side crash tests
- The new Taurus has an advanced crash safety structure, a standard suite of
advanced restraint and air bag technologies, and previously earned the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety's "Top Safety Pick" – adding to Ford's
industry-leading number of top crash safety-rated vehicles
- Taurus advanced collision avoidance technologies, including radar-enabled
advanced collision warning system and Cross Traffic Alert that warns drivers of
hard-to-see parking lot traffic, are well received by consumers
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 24, 2009 – The strong-selling new 2010 Ford Taurus has
earned top five-star crash ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and is seeing good consumer response to its suite of
advanced crash-avoidance technologies.
The redesigned Ford flagship sedan previously earned a "Top Safety Pick" from
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Ford Motor Company has more
IIHS "Top Safety Picks" and NHTSA five-star ratings than any other automaker.
"The new Taurus is the Ford safety flagship with top safety ratings and advanced
crash-protection and crash-avoidance technologies that you may not find in
luxury vehicles that cost twice as much," said Sue Cischke, group vice president
for Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "A stiffer body
structure and new crash-avoidance technologies make the Taurus even safer."
Safety sells
The new Taurus features crash-avoidance technologies, such as a segment-first,
radar-based forward collision warning system that helps drivers avoid accidents.
The system, enabled by Adaptive Cruise Control, uses a radar sensor to detect
moving vehicles ahead and provides a visual "heads-up" warning signal and an
audible warning when slower-moving traffic is detected ahead.
One in three purchasers of the Taurus Limited AWD opts for Adaptive Cruise
Control with the Collision Warning with Brake Support system, as do nearly half
of Taurus SHO buyers.
The new Taurus is selling faster than its key competitors in the full-size
segment – Toyota Avalon, Chevrolet Impala, Buick LaCrosse and Chrysler 300 –
recording double-digit percentage, year-over-year growth, said Taurus Marketing
Manager Pei-Wen Hsu.
"What's remarkable is that more than 90 percent of Taurus customers are ordering
the higher-end series or additional technologies such as the fuel-efficient
EcoBoost™ engine and Ford's advanced safety features," said Hsu. "The car is
attracting younger, more diverse and affluent customers than it has in the
past."
Safety leadership grows
The new 2010 Taurus earned the five-star and "Top Safety Pick" ratings based in
part on advanced features such as the Personal Safety System™ – a suite of
protection technologies, including dual-stage front air bags and front-passenger
weight classification, which work together to help protect occupants in moderate
to severe crashes. The Ford-exclusive Safety Canopy® features side curtain air
bags that help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and
side-impact crashes.
The new Taurus also features some of the industry's first side air bags that use
pressure pulses from a side impact to deploy up to 30 percent faster than
traditional air bags with acceleration-based sensors. Pressure-based sensors
more accurately measure crash severity to better differentiate between a
potentially serious air bag-deployable crash and a less serious accident that
would not require air bag protection.
Other key safety features include:
- Side Protection and Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is comprised
of a hydroformed cross-car beam embedded in the floor between the door frames,
providing additional strength in the side of the vehicle.
- Trinity Front Crash Architecture is a new body structure optimized for
strength and stiffness. The energy-absorbing structure features octagonal front
frame rails, engine cradle/front subframe and "shotgun" front structural members
designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger
compartment.
- AdvanceTrac® with ESC (Electronic Stability Control) constantly monitors
road conditions and the driver's responses, using sensors to detect and measure
the vehicle's oversteer and yaw to help detect and prevent potentially dangerous
conditions.
More driver-aid and safety technologies
The new Taurus features other segment-exclusive safety and driver-aid
technologies such as MyKey™, which helps parents encourage their teens to drive
safer with top speed and audio limits, as well as a "no belts, no tunes" feature
that mutes the audio system if front seat belts are not buckled.
Taurus also helps lessen common stresses with a Blind Spot Information System
(BLIS®) that uses two multiple-beam radar modules to detect and help warn
drivers of an approaching vehicle entering the defined blind spot zone. Cross
Traffic Alert uses the BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly
backing out of a parking spot.
"We want to help drivers avoid crashes while giving them enhanced protection if
a crash does occur," said Steve Kozak, chief engineer, Ford Safety Systems.
2010 FORD TAURUS EARN KBB.COM BEST RESALE VALUE AWARDS
2010 Ford Taurus
- The 2010 Ford Taurus and F-Series Super Duty won Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best
Resale Value Awards for the full-size car and full-size pickup categories
respectively
- Taurus cited for its great combination of value, technology and style at a very
good price; Super Duty heralded for its "Get the job done" spirit and potential
to hold its value over time
- The awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their
original list price after five years of ownership
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 2, 2009 – The 2010 Ford Taurus and the 2010 Ford F-Series
Super Duty have earned Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Best Resale Value Awards for
the full-size car and full-size pickup categories respectively. The awards,
announced today at the L.A. Auto Show, honor vehicles expected to maintain the
greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership
and that are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying
decisions.
"Sticker price is not the only number to consider when buying a new vehicle.
Resale value also is an important consideration," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice
president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "This recognition from the editors
of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com affirms Ford's commitment to delivering quality
vehicles that will hold their value for years to come."
Editors of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com say depreciation can be the largest
expense faced in the first five years of driving a vehicle.
"Taking the time to research and choose vehicle makes, models and options now
can help new-car shoppers keep additional money in their pocket down the road
when they go to sell or trade in the vehicle," said James Bell, executive market
analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.
2010 Ford Taurus, Best Resale Value, Full-Size Car Category
According to Bell, editors of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com tapped the
2010 Ford Taurus to win this year's Best Resale Value Award in the full-size car
category because it offers "a great combination of value, technology and style
all wrapped up into a very good price.
"We think the 2010 Ford Taurus is an excellent redo of a venerable Ford
nameplate," said Bell. "It's the kind of vehicle that we believe will catch on
in the marketplace, and therefore, its resale value should also do very well."
Taurus Marketing Manager Pei-Wen Hsu agrees that it is the quality, style and
class-exclusive technologies available with the all-new Ford Taurus that sets
the vehicle apart from the competition.
"Quality translates directly into a great resale value and people trust the
durability of Taurus," she said. "Style also impacts how well a vehicle will
retain its value, and people really like the design of the new Taurus. They love
it new, and they will still love to drive it as a used car."
In addition to its attractive design, the 2010 Ford Taurus offers 10
class-exclusive technologies not available from any other manufacturer, such as
Ford SYNC®, Voice-Activated Navigation System with SIRIUS Travel Link™, Easy
Fuel® Capless Fuel-Filler System, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with
Cross Traffic Alert and MyKey™.
"All of our class-exclusive technologies enhance the resale value of the 2010
Taurus," said Hsu. "Taurus has democratized technology, bringing advanced
technology never before seen in this segment."
The new Taurus also is a proven leader in safety, earning a Top Safety Pick
rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
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