End of Ford Taurus Closes Era

[nsap]

The last Ford Taurus will roll off the assembly line in the first three months of 2006, ending a 21-year run that has racked up nearly 6.7 million total U.S. sales.

The news was relayed to employees at Ford Motor Co.'s Atlanta plant in an April newsletter distributed by United Auto Workers Local 882.

With its jellybean shape, the debut 1986 model helped revolutionize American car design and pull Ford out of a financial tailspin. By 1992, it was the country's best-selling car -- a title it held for five consecutive years.

But in recent years, as sales have waned, Ford has been pushing the Taurus out of its retail lineup and into the fleets of rental car companies. It is being replaced in dealer showrooms by the Ford Fusion, which debuts this fall.

The end of Taurus production robs Ford's Atlanta assembly plant of its last product. Production of the Mercury Sable, a Taurus twin, ends this month -- and no new product has been earmarked for the plant, which opened in 1947 and employs nearly 2,000 hourly workers.

"We all know the plans are to stop running the Taurus during the first quarter or 2006," the UAW bulletin said. "Get yourself in a good financial situation and prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. We are doing all we can."

Ford would not confirm when Taurus production will end and declined comment on Atlanta's future.

Widespread speculation has the automaker updating the site by installing its flexible manufacturing system.

Ford has said it wants up to 75 percent of its North American assembly sites to feature flexible manufacturing capability by the end of the decade.

Already installed in locations such as Dearborn and Kansas City, the system enables simultaneous production of several different products based on two or three basic designs. This saves time and money during model changeover.

Speculation about Atlanta has centered on production of a sport wagon and a pair of Lincoln cars based on the underpinnings of the Ford Five Hundred sedan.

Ford began production of the Five Hundred in Chicago last year after the plant stopped building the Taurus and Sable.

The automaker installed flexible manufacturing technology at Chicago where workers build the Mercury Montego sedan and Ford Freestyle crossover vehicle on the same line as the Five Hundred.

Ford has been discussing future investment in Atlanta with officials in Georgia.

News that the Taurus era is nearing an end was met by mixed reaction.

"It was a good car," said Mike Sereni, general manager of Jorgensen Ford in Detroit. "It still is. People still like it."

While most units are sold to rental car companies, it remains available as a retail offering. More streamlined than its predecessors, the 2005 model is on pace to record just under 187,000 sales for the year.

Where will Taurus buyers go? Sereni said they will migrate to the Fusion, while Taurus owners who are looking to move upscale are more likely to buy the larger Five Hundred.

"We'll be able to satisfy both ends of the market," he added.

The Fusion will share its underpinnings with two other 2006 products -- the Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr. All three will be built in Mexico.

The original Taurus, with its rounded corners, was a stark contrast to the sharp-edged designs of competitive products. Workers at Ford's assembly plant in Chicago were so shocked they thought their jobs were jeopardy.

"I remember when that came out," said Bryon Fitzpatrick, chairman of transpiration design at Detroit's College for Creative Studies. "It was a real departure for an American car with all that oval shaping. I found it annoying."

But the look captured the public's imagination and Ford humbled competitors such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. The Japanese automakers had begun to dominate the midsize car segment.

"In some respects, you could almost characterize it as a car that helped save the company," said Joe Phillippi, principal of New Jersey-based Auto Trends Consulting Inc. "It was certainly considered revolutionary at the time. It was exactly what Ford needed."

In 1989, Ford spiced things up by launching the Taurus SHO -- short for Super High Output.

Continue Reading...http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...C01-154989.htm

[Cassie]

This car was maybe around a bit too long in it's current configuration, but this is the car that saved Ford at one point. And the SHO was a gutsy move at the time, pushing Ford out of it's accepted "family car Americana" 80's aura for a bit. The Taurus deserves some credit for being such an innovative car style wise (although some will argue that it was simply a rip off of Audi) Ford of 2005 could learn some things from Ford of 1986.

[Wingzero]

I wont miss it, the thing got ugly with each revision and became Ford's Caviliar.

[ejfx]

The Taurus saved Ford.

The Caravan saved Chysler.

What can save GM?

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

It's been a great product for Ford. I remember when it first came out in 1983.

[steinravnik]

The Taurus was quite innovative when it came out in the 80's. I think it really lost its luster when they redesigned it for 1996, with all the oval styling. It's been going down since then.

[ponchoman49]

I drove a couple of 2004's and 2005's in SE and SEL trim with both base and 24v engines and was impressed with both for the most part. The quality of the interior was a let down in some ways with it's largish panal gaps, two-tone dash with overspray on the lower parts in some areas and wobbly bits here and there. And it's amazing they still use drum brakes in the rear. But the thing handled and accellerated really well with the 24v Duratec and the price was very reasonable. Interior room was good too!

[member12]

My parents had an '88 model. It was a good car. Much more reliable than that '84 Caravan they traded in for it.

[HEMI300C]

187,000 is still a heck of a lot of cars. Too bad that they are rolling advertisements that your company is only good for making rental cars.

[Ming]

It would have been nice to have seen Ford keep investing in this car, keeping it at the top, rather than letting it deteriorate into rentaldom. Too many Detroit model name changes while Toyohonda soldier on with household names Accord and Camry, Corolla and Civic.

[Kar Krazie]

Its about time, they are so bland.

[Perian]

I have flown over that plant many times...I can't imagine it being turned into a park (like GM Tarrytown) or a shopping mall.

[Taycron]

It's funny how a crappy car can save a car company. If it weren't for the K cars Chrysler would be history.

I've never driven a taurus that I liked. My parents have a loaded 2004 Taurus and it's painfully dated. My 2000 Old Intrigue is much nicer to drive.

[Kowalski]

I Remember, when I first saw the Ford Taurus in 1987 Paul Vehoeven's "ROBOCOP":http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093870/



*This one is from a scene of "ROBOCOP 2".*

And I said: "Wow! that's nice looking car." Even though, the Tauruses in the movie, were painted in faded black, to give a battered police cruiser aspect.

I Have to say, I was really impressed with the looks of the car, specially for that time: 1986/1987sh.

I heard, that Paul only used the Taurus, because an Original futuristic "Robocop Cruiser" would be too expensive to create, because the story was supposed to be in 2003 Year; Paul decided to use the Taurus because it was the one of the most modern looking car about the time.

Not to mention, it would be a lot cheaper, if Ford had colaborated...but Ford didn't, so all the Tauruses in the movie had to be bought at Ford Dealers and modified to look like Police Cruisers.

[saturnsteve]

Originally Posted by ejfx

The Taurus saved Ford.

The Caravan saved Chysler.

What can save GM?

SATURN! HA HA HA HA, the SKY and AURA will sell so well it will turn it all around!!